The Second City’s shows will consist of three 45-minute acts. The third act typically consists of oldschool
improvisation with audience members shouting prompts. “That’s the bones of what we do,”
notes producer Joseph Ruffner.
O
22 artsLife | FALL 2018
rlando is becoming like a second home to The Second City. A troupe
of six performers from the venerable Chicago-based comedy institution
is set to return to Orlando for the third time in as many years. And,
humor — during a time when we could all use some belly laughs.
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er jokes on opening night in 1959, when improvisational comedy legend Paul Sills opened
founder Bernie Sahlins.
In the nearly 60 years since, social satire
— and sometimes just plain silliness — has
made The Second City a household name.
The Best of The Second City —
which combines classic sketches and new
material — is likely to pack the Alexis & Jim
Pugh Theater, just as it did last year.
There are three shows: one on Friday, October
5, and two on Saturday, October 6.
The Friday show is at 8 p.m., while the Saturday
shows are at 4 and 10:30 p.m. Tickets
are $39.95
in Toronto and Los Angeles — has launched
the careers of such luminaries as John Candy,
Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley,
Tina Fey, Robert Klein, Eugene Levy, Andrea
Rivers, Martin Short and David Steinberg.
Early Saturday Night Live cast members
Dan Ackroyd, John Belushi and Bill Murray
also honed their skills at The Second City.
Current SNL cast member Cecily Strong,
Training Center, was plucked from a tour by
producer Lorne Michaels in 2012.
phone call away from national stardom.
This incubator of comedic A-listers has
three touring companies that present at
least a dozen different shows. The general
theme of The Best of The Second City, says
Ruffner, is “made in America — some assembly
required.”
“Our directors always have the ability to