Second City to Host National Mental Health Awareness Week Events, 10/5-11

The Second City Training Center will celebrate the fun of community during National Mental Health Awareness Week with several activities taking place at Second City's headquarters in Piper's Alley (1616 N Wells St, Chicago), October 5-11, 2014. Events include unique social development experiences through improv games, workshops and showcases. Most events are free and open to the public, a limited number of T-shirts are available for participants; a schedule with dates, times and events is available HERE.

Activities throughout the week will include Laughter Yoga, Laban Movement Analysis for Actors, Vinyasa Yoga, a two-hour Hennessy Whole Body Voice workshop, The Sense of Humor presentation; a premiere event in UP COMEDY CLUB featuring Wellness Program students, graduates and allies directed by Nick Johne with light appetizers and beverages to follow the show.

Wellness Week welcomes Chicagoans to experience the plethora of events above in addition to open mics, jam sessions, other featured shows peppered throughout the week and a full day of brand new music improv workshops focused on connecting with self through music. Other workshops will include Getting Past Writer's Block; Introduction to Improv Fundamentals; Improv for Anxiety and Improv for ASD; Storytelling and The Gift of the Truth; Improv for Older Adults; and I'Mprovising Right featuring some of Chicago's best improv instructors, members of The Second City Training Center's staff and international Wellness Community professionals.

"We are so excited to announce our first-ever Wellness Week at The Second City Training Center. Over the last two years, we've been able to see our Wellness Program grow... first with our Improv for Anxiety classes - now having taught more than 200 students - then our Improv for ASD classes for teens and adults on the Autism spectrum and, most recently, with our Humor Doesn't Retire: Improv for Seniors classes," said Kerry Sheehan, President, Second City Training Centers and Education Programs International. "What does this all mean? Improv is for everyone. It's a fun, accessible and inspiring art form, and I'm not shy to say that I see it changing lives every day. With Wellness Week, I hope we can celebrate and grow this budding community of new and continuing students in these incredible programs."

Improvisation in all forms improves wellness through encouraging teamwork and collaboration, building confidence, tying success to a model of listening and support of others, and creating a safe space to take a risk and encourage creativity. The Second City Training Center invites all interested parties to spend a week and "brave the unknown" with them.