The Second City to Host Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase, 6/1

The Second City will kick off the NBCUniversal & Second City Break Out Comedy Festival at their North & Wells campus in Chicago with the Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase to celebrate the next generation of diverse talent in sketch, improvisation and stand-up on Wednesday, June 1st at 8:00pm.

"This is my favorite time of the year," explains Dionna Griffin-Irons, Director of The Second City's Diversity & Inclusion program. "We're so fortunate to have these artists in our community and this is our chance to celebrate their talent and their voice."

The Bob Curry Fellowship Showcase on Wednesday, June 1st at 8:00p in The Second City e.t.c. Theatre (230 W. North Ave, 2nd Floor of Piper's Alley). Named in honor of The Second City's first African American alumnus, the fellowship program offers the best and brightest artists with culturally diverse backgrounds the opportunity to study Second City's unique method of creating original content during an 8 week series of workshops and rehearsals.

Past Bob Curry Fellowship graduates include Rashawn Nadine Scott (The Second City Mainstage's Fool Me Twice, Deja Vu), Lisa Beasley (The Second City e.t.c.'s A Red Line Runs Through It), Travis Turner (Steppenwolf's The Flick), Peter Kim (The Second City e.t.c.'s A Red Line Runs Through It) and Afro-Futurism's Torian Miller, Shantira Jackson and Dewayne Perkins.

On Fri, June 3 - Sat, June 4, the NBCUniveral & Second City Break Out Comedy Festival hosted by Tim Meadows welcomes an exciting line-up of diverse performers to UP Comedy Club. Featured performers for the festival include The Defiant Thomas Brothers, Sammy Arechar, Joel Kim Booster, Erica Clark, Sonia Denis, Alex Kumin, Martin Morrow, Felonious Munk, Marlena Rodriguez, special guest Chris Redd and graduates from the Bob Curry Fellowship program.

Tickets are $20.00 and can be purchased at www.UPComedyClub.com or by calling 312-337-3992.

Bob Curry Fellowship Graduates

Rich Alfonso is very orgulloso and feliz to be part of this year's Fellowship. Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, Rich has completed the Conservatory Program at The Second City Training Center as well as the iO Theater and The Annoyance training programs.. He currently performs with DUMPTRUCK (HouseCo) at The Second City Training Center and is an ensemble member of Heraldo at iO and Daddy at The Playground Theater. You can also catch with his sketch team Shanna's Mom and 2 man group, Spic & Tan across Chicago. Rich is represented by Big Mouth Talent.

Tina Arfaee is so psyched to learn and perform alongside these incredibly talented Fellows. Born in Houston but mostly raised in Nashville, Tina has spent her time in Chicago putting up shows with some of her best friends. Favorite projects include: Robot & Inventor, Matt Damon, and Citizens Abroad's Get There or Try Dying. She is also an ensemble member at Under the Gun Theater.

Tyler Davis is from Columbus, Ohio and outside of the Bob Curry Fellowship performs with The Second City Touring Company, Devil's Daughter (iO), Trigger Happy (The Annoyance), and co-runs the DiOversity improv jam (iO) which seeks to introduce more diverse people to the Chicago comedy community. He is represented by Grossman & Jack Talent and produces his own stuff online (Twitter: @TheMadeUpTruth).

Gaby Dixon hails from Chattanooga, TN and is thrilled/humbled to be part of this ensemble! She is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory, iO Training Program, and has a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. You can catch her improvising with indie team Alterboyz weekly at iO and at festivals all over the States. Twitter: @GabyNotGabby

Michael Gomez, born and raised in Miami, Florida, moved to Chicago to study law and somehow ended up in comedy. Gomez has written and performed two solo shows: Hi, Mijo, It's Your Mom, based on his overprotective Cuban mother's voicemails, and Pardon Me, based on his experiences as a criminal defense attorney. Last year, Gomez won the solo sketch competition at the 2015 SnubFest Comedy Festival. He is represented by Actors Talent Group.

Ray Hui is from NYC and is honored to be working with such a talented group of artists! He is an ensemble member of Stir-Friday Night! and has completed programs at Green Shirt Studio and Paola Coletto's The School for Theater Creators. A former managing editor, his writing has appeared on CNN Sports Illustrated, AOL News and for a showcase at the Japanese American National Museum.

Vernon Mina is excited and honored to be a part of the 2016 Second City Bob Curry Fellowship with such a great cast. He is a graduate of the Second City Improv and Music Conservatory, and has studied at the Annoyance Theatre. Born in Honduras, raised in Chicago, Vernon is a fan of historical alien artifacts and awesome movies, a.k.a. chick flicks. He recently concluded his Solo Show - Solo Yo (Just Me) with Flat Iron Comedy, but you can catch him performing weekly at the Annoyance Theatre with Trigger Happy and Skinprov.

Nic Park is a performer, educator, and filmmaker originally hailing from Pittsburgh, PA. He currently performs regularly with Asian-American comedy group Stir-Friday Night!, with his band Everybody All The Time, and does stand-up comedy when he feels like it. He also helps teach sex-ed with the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health. Also, he's really into MMA. Represented by Lily's Talent Agency. @whydub

Allison Reese hails from Mesa, Arizona and is the middle child of six kids, so this career choice makes sense. Allison is a graduate of The Second City's Conservatory Program (Chicago) and iO Programs (East and West). Allison regularly performs improv and sketch comedy at Under the Gun Theater in Wrigleyville where she is an ensemble member and instructor. Allison is thrilled to be a Bob Curry Fellow and perform with this incredible ensemble. You can follow her at @monsterreese on Twitter.

Jordan Savusa hails from the great State of Hawai'i. He moved to Chicago to pursue a career in theater and comedy, and has completed The Second CIty Conservatory Program. Jordan is honored to be a recipient of this year's Bob Curry Fellowship. He performs regularly at MCL Chicago, The Artist's Lab at Stage 773, and plays the five-string banjo with his band, Basement Bluegrass.

Tien Tran got her start in comedy as an undergrad at Boston College, and since moving to Chicago, has spent the last six years performing with Astronaut Theatre Sketch Comedy. As a stand up, she's performed at showcases around the city, and has been told that she is "brutally funny" and "looks better with bangs."

Geno Walker is beyond excited to be living a dream come true. Being from Chicago and having grown up just down the street from the theater, Geno is seriously honored to have the opportunity to become part of the rich legacy of Second City. Since graduating from Oberlin College, he has been a member of the Charlotte Comedy Theater and his face and voice have found their way onto television and radio. Geno is a SAG-Aftra member represented by Grossman and Jack talent.

Lauren Walker is a Black woman from Chicago. She has worked tirelessly to scare the white man into giving her opportunities. Before being graced with the Bob Curry Fellowship, she studied at iO, The Annoyance and The Second City Training Center. These days, she performs solo material and improv with the team Young and Old at Flatiron Comedy. In 2015, she cofounded The Crowd Theater where she hosts a variety show (Support the Paid) and a solo showcase (For the People). Please let her lead you on Twitter @WellFebrezed.