NBCUniversal & Inclusion Partner with Chicago's Comic Troupe SECOND CITY

As part of its continued commitment to increasing inclusivity both on the air and behind the scenes, NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion has partnered with The Second City, the legendary Chicago-based comedy theatre with the world's largest training program for improvisation, performance and writing, to invest in a series of programs to broaden our pool of comedic voices.

"NBCUniversal is honored and excited to partner with The Second City to encourage and nurture emerging and diverse comedic talent," said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBCUniversal. "The Second City has historically been a premier training ground for comedic and improv talent - and NBCUniversal is delighted, through this partnership, to help make this incredible learning opportunity and exposure more accessible to the diverse talent who represent the comedy voices of the future."

"We are thrilled that NBCUniversal shares our passion and commitment to diversifying the comedy community," said Andrew Alexander, CEO/President for The Second City. "We are excited to have them as a partner on these initiatives and appreciate their support in the efforts of our Outreach and Diversity division."

Three programs will debut as part of this partnership:

NBCUniversal Second City Bob Curry Fellowships: Sixteen fellowships will be awarded to emerging talent to hone their comedic and sketch writing skills. Named after the first African American ensemble member of The Second City, the fellowship is an eight-week master class series, which culminates in a showcase performance at The Second City. This fellowship program will begin on April 7, 2015.

NBCUniversal Second City Emerging Voices Scholarship Awards: Three scholarships, one in each of the cities with The Second City training programs -- Chicago, Toronto and Hollywood, will be awarded for one year of advanced improvisation or sketch writing training. Applications are particularly welcome from candidates from diverse communities.

NBCUniversal Second City Break Out Festival: In 2015, The Second City will launch a new comedy festival spotlighting some of the country's best emerging talent in sketch, improvisation and stand-up, sponsored by NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion. Headlined by comedians Al Madrigal (NBC's "About a Boy") and Ron Funches (NBC's "Undateable"), the event will feature performances and workshops spotlighting emerging comedic talent.
NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion

NBCUniversal Talent Development & Inclusion hosts a variety of programs and events and partners with other entertainment entities to develop, nurture, showcase and provide networking opportunities for new and diverse actors, writers, directors and other talent. The programs include Late Night Writers Workshop, NBCUniversal Short Film Festival, the Directing Fellowship Program, Writers on the Verge, StandUp NBC, Scene Showcase, the Casting Apprentice Program and the Diverse Staff Writer Initiative, among others. For more information, please log onto www.nbcunitips.com.

The Second City

Beginning as a small cabaret theatre on Chicago's north side in 1959, The Second City has grown to become a comedy EMPIRE - building a robust $40+ million business based on its core improvisational methodologies. Resident theatres in Chicago and Toronto create topical sketch comedy revues that satirize politics, culture and news of the day. Additionally, Second City performs thousands of shows each year in regional theatres, colleges, performing arts centers and through an exclusive partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line. Beyond its stages, The Second City created the foremost school of improvisation-based arts in the world - with training facilities in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles that currently enroll over 11,000 students annually; a corporate division that works with hundreds of Fortune 500 companies in areas of training, marketing, entertainment and brand services; and The Second City's forays into television and new media include the classic, Emmy Award-winning comedy series SCTV and continues to produce new content and programming originating from The Second City Entertainment's offices in Los Angeles.