When The Second City had to close the doors of its venues due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the famed improv troupe and school did what it does best to keep the laughs going during dark times.
“Our company is based on improvisation and that is exactly what we did…we improvised and immediately went to work on how we would transfer all our curriculum to an online setting and then started working on shows as well,” said Carrie-ann Pishnak, associate producer for The Second City, which has now taken its comedy to the virtual stage with a busy roster of online shows that include family-friendly laughs and an open mic night.
The improv school and comedy venue, which has locations in Chicago, Toronto and Hollywood, launched its online shows, as well as online classes, a couple of weeks ago via Zoom.
The shows are free for those looking to escape the bleak reality of the pandemic.
Here’s how you can still get your laugh on with the Second City from home.
Improv House Parties
When: 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays
Details: Go into the homes of some of the troupe’s most talented members as well as alumni from around the country for an in-house improv party. Tuesday nights is a “Girls Night In” theme party. “It’s an all-female, feminist satirical comedy night,” Pishnak said. The Saturday shows are freewheeling events with lots of improv games.
‘The Really Awesome Improv Show’
When: 11 a.m. Thursdays
Details: If you and the kids want to laugh together, this is the show for you since it’s all about family-friendly comedy. Similar to “Whose Line is it Anyway,” this improv show has been playing live on stage at the Second City for about a decade, but due to the pandemic it’s now online. Just like the live stage version, the live online show brings kids into the fun by asking them for improv theme suggestions, and some kids are even included as participants in the improv sketches.
‘The Last Show Left on Earth’
When: Streaming
Details: This four-episode series is the only non-live show on the lineup and is made up of musical performances, sketches and animation put together by troupe members and alumni, plus archival footage from Second City shows. “It’s highly produced. It’s very different than our live shows…it’s a wonderful 30-40 minutes of cultivated satire,” Pishnak said.
‘The Wednesday Works Break’
When: 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays
Details: This is your excuse to take a breather while working from home on hump day. “It’s designed to help you unplug and take a break. We’re offering this as a sort of forced work break,” she said. During the 30-minute show you can check out archival videos, see live comedy and play some interactive games with the troupe.
Stand-up open mic
When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays
Details: Aspiring comics can still get discovered during the quarantine thanks to this open mic night. And yes, it’s an actual open mic where you can try out your material on the virtual stage. People just need to register to be one of the comics. Every Wednesday night several people will be chosen and given up to five minutes to wow the crowd.
The Second City online
Cost: Free
Where: secondcity.com/hollywood-shows.
