Long Wharf Theatre Presents The Second City June 15-19

Long Wharf Theatre will present the improv and sketch comedy show The Best of Second City from June 15-19 on the Mainstage.

Tickets are $40. The performance schedule is Wednesday, June 15 through Saturday, June 18 at 8 p.m., with additional performances at on Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19 at 4 p.m. The production sponsor is First Niagara.

The Second City Touring Company is a mind explosion of political and social satire cropping up in every delicious nook and cranny of this great nation. Armed from Chicago with a battery of the most hilarious sketch comedy and improvisation on any continent, they've loaded up the tour bus to mock the millennial generation and beyond. Belushi, Colbert, Carell, Murray, Radner, Myers, Fey, Meadows, Farley, Aykroyd all came through Second City.

The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959. No one could have guessed that this small cabaret theatre would become the most influential and prolific comedy theatre in the world.

With its roots in the improvisational games of Viola Spolin, The Second City developed an entirely unique way of creating and performing comedy. Founded by Spolin's son, Paul Sills, along with Howard Alk and Bernie Sahlins, The Second City was experimental and unconventional in its approach to both theatre and comedy. At a time when mother-in-law jokes were more the fashion, The Second City railed against the conformist culture with scenes that spoke to a younger generation.

The Broadway success of Mike Nichols and Elaine May - members of The Second City's predecessor, The Compass Players - put attention on the fledgling company. Soon, alumni of The Second City - such as Alan Arkin, Barbara Harris, Robert Klein, David Steinberg and Fred Willard - began to cement the theatre's reputation for developing the finest comedic voices of each and every generation. With the debut of NBC's Saturday Night Live, populated by Second City Alums John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner, the theatre became internationally known for its ever increasing roster of comedy superstars.

Soon, Second City's sister-theatre in Canada developed its own sketch comedy series, SCTV, hailed as one of the greatest comedy series of all time and featuring an all-star cast that included Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Joe Flaherty and Rick Moranis.

Today, The Second City continues to produce the premiere comic talent in the industry. From Mike Myers to Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert to Tina Fey - The Second City imprint is felt across every entertainment medium. Additionally, The Second City has grown well beyond a single stage to become a diversified entertainment company. Second City Training Centers in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles teach thousands of students every week; four touring companies perform Second City revues all over North America and abroad; Second City Communications has become an industry leader in bringing improv-based methodologies to the corporate sector; and Second City continues to create unique media in television, film and the digital realm.

To buy tickets, visit www.longwharf.org or call 203-787-4282. For more information about Second City, visit www.secondcity.com.

THE CAST
WARREN PHYNIX JOHNSON* is (freakishly) honored to be a part of Second City 's Touring Company, an ensemble member of The Second City Does Baltimore, and alum of the Outreach and Diversity ensemble. Other credits: Cocktail Hour at Comedy Sportz, BLACKOUT presents: White People at iO Chicago and Radio on the 89.5FM: Vocalo.org, and iO Chicago Harold Teams. He's hosted Chicago Public School 's television series, CPS RIGHT NOW. He was an ensemble member in McDonald's traveling improv show, America's Next Success Story and seen in Comcast Sportsnet and McDonald's commercials. Thanks to my family/friends who've supported me; love ya'll crazy.
KEVIN SCIRETTA is honored to be a part of The Second City Touring Company. Originally from Queens, NY, he graduated from State University of New York College at Fredonia with a BA in Theatre in 2002. Previous Second City credits are Rush Limbaugh! The Musical (in the Second City e.t.c.) Rod Blagojevich Superstar!; Jewsical! The Musical; Peach Drop, Stop and Roll (Alliance Theater/Atlanta) and The Best of The Second City (Norwegian Pearl,Norwegian Jewel). Chicago credits include performing with The Cupid Players, Black TEd Williams, the Deltones, Bullet Lounge and Challenger at iO Chicago and The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Thanks to his actual family, his Chicago family and of course, Carisa.

DEREK SHIPMAN* is thrilled to be performing with the cast of The Second City Touring Company. After getting a BFA in Performance from Northern Kentucky University, this good ol' Tennessee boy went on to study with The Second City in Vegas. Derek then traded in his loaded dice for a peg leg to join the casts of the NCL Spirit, Star, and Dawn out at sea. Derek would like to thank his family and friends including Jones, Uhlir, Neffinski, Koala, Bryson, Paulie, The Inedibles, and SCLV!

CECILY STRONG* is super excited and honored to be working with the Second City! After receiving her BFA in theatre from Calarts, she returned to Chicago where she has studied at the Second City Conservatory and iO. She has performed at the Goodman, Bailiwick, and Mercury Theater in Chicago; the REDCAT in Los Angeles; the Theatre Nationale in Paris; and she just got off the Norwegian Jewel where she performed with the Second City at Sea! In Chicago, she also performs with her sketch group GERMANS. Lots of love to family, friends, and Alex.

NATALIE SULLIVAN* hails from the Sunshine State of Florida, but is very happy in the Midwest. In Chicago, she has written and performed several sketch revues with Firecracker, Johnny's Regret and Hopelessly Devoted, and played games with ComedySportz Chicago. Her credits abroad include performing aboard the Norwegian Spirit with Second City at Sea, improvising at Maine's ImprovAcadia, and performing in DeFace the Nation at Second City Detroit. She constantly thanks, mentally if not verbally, her friends and family for their love and support.

DAWN WILSON* (Stage Manager) has been stage managing in Chicago since her arrival in 2005. She is a graduateof Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Technical Theater, concentrating in Stage Management. Throughout her career in the city, she has had the opportunity to work with many Chicago Theater companies such as The Hypocrites, The NeoFuturists, Chicago Children's Theater, Redmoon, The Building Stage, and more. She is the Company Touring Stage Manager for 500 Clown and the technical director for A Crew of Patches Theater

Company.

TILLISKI RAMEY (Musical Director) is excited to be part of the Second City Touring Company. Hailing from Athens, GA, he traveled to Chicago to go to the School of The Art Institute of Chicago and graduated with a BFA in 2005. A year later he decided to put his degree in Video Production and Illustration to good use by playing piano at improve theaters. He has performed at iO, Comedy Sportz, and performed for Second City at Sea for about a year on the NCL Star. He would like to thanks his mother for the forced piano lessons, all his friends, family, and anyone else who would like to be in a bio.

Scott Goldstein (Director) A native and perpetual Chicagoan. Scott is honored to be directing for the Second City. A graduate of Northwestern University as well as the training centers of Second City, IO, and the Annoyance, previous directing credits include Color Deaf, Buckle, Disappointed Men, Tommy's Place, and Bodyslam! The Rise and Fall of CAWC. As a performer he as appeared in dozens of shows at the Annoyance Theatre including Chicago's Longest Running Original Musical, Co?Ed Prison Sluts. He has also improvised with Deep Schwa, The Amateur Show Offs, and a gaggle of other groups around town. When he grows up he wants to be Sam Fuller, Richard Widmark, Dale Hawerchuk or Al Secord. Thanks to the entire Second City family and to Ella, for the constant inspiration and support.

About First Niagara

As of April 25th, First Niagara Financial Group, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., has $30 billion in assets, 346 branches and $18 billion in deposits. First Niagara Bank, N.A. is a multi-state community-oriented bank providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.fnfg.com.

 

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