The Second City
Comedy club · Old Town Triangle
230 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Highlights
Legendary improv & sketch comedy club launching TV stars; classes offered
Legendary improv & sketch comedy club launching TV stars; classes offered
"A Chicago institution for comedians and audiences alike." - Kake
"The Second City is a Chicago staple for sketch comedy and improv. It has bred some of comedy's most premier talent and continues to deliver best of the best on a nightly basis. Before the show, stop in to 1959, the in-house Second City kitchen & speakeasy bar that pays homage to the year the venue opened. Head upstairs to the Main Stage for a top notch comedy show with a local cast of talent guaranteed to leave you in stitches. Second City is also the largest school of improvisation and sketch comedy in the world welcoming amateurs looking to try something new, and advanced players looking to hone their craft." - Stephen Merlo
"The storied improv-comedy institution that launched George Wendt’s career in the 1970s and serves as a touchstone for Chicago’s comedy community; it’s presented here as the training ground and social hub that connected performers and local cultural figures across decades." - Ashok Selvam
"An iconic comedy theater and training center that functions as a proving ground for local comedians; it hosts improv classes and recitals (including Sunday morning student performances) where comics workshop material and hone city-focused jokes." - Ashok Selvam
"Tina Fey, Bill Murray, and Chris Farley all grew out of the scene at Second City and it continues to nurture some of the country's best comedy talent. Over three stages and four intimate studio theaters, there's plenty to see. The Mainstage show, featuring that season's top billed act, features long-form improv sketch, and is often packed on marquee nights. The same can be said for the e.t.c. Theater, which showcases up-and-comers, and the Up Comedy Club, for stand-up comic acts. The shows tend to be full, and ticketed for general admission, so come early to snag a prime seat. (Pro-tip: Avoid front row if you don't want to crane your neck all night.)" - Nicole Schnitzler
