John Candy News

ZMC said today that it has acquired The Second City, the world's premier brand in improvisation and sketch-based comedy entertainment and education. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

'Pretty soon, there will be more old people than ever before in the history of Canada. We will be like Canada Geese, sitting and squawking everywhere.'

MaryJo Mundy, the highly acclaimed and beloved cabaret singer and founder of the longest running open mic at the famed Gardenia, hosts the 4th night of what celebrates and fosters musical theatre/cabaret performers, while also showcasing her own remarkable talent. On the third Saturday of every month Ms. Mundy (co-hosted monthly by Alexis Gach and singer/songwriter/producer Hillary Rollins ) throws a 'cabaret party' on-stage at the Gardenia along with three guest performers.

Ingenious costume designer, Juul Haalmeyer, will be the 2020 recipient of The Nobis Industry Icon Award.

The Second City returns to the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) Valentine's Day Weekend for a?oeThe Best of the Second Citya?? at 5 and 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 15. Some of the company's rising stars of today will perform a sampling of the best sketches, songs, and improvisations from The Second City's 60-year history. Perfect for date night, attendees will have the chance to enjoy drink specials and free chocolates and, to make the evening extra special, add-on VIP Suite Service, including a private, pre-show cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception, with coffee and dessert at intermission.  

David Rasche began his career at Chicago's famed a?oeSecond City,a?? and is appearing contemporaneously in the first two seasons of a?oeSuccessiona?? on HBO. He has worked, although not frequently enough, both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, most recently at the New Jersey Rep in Fern Hill, by Michael Tucker.

The Second City returns to the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) just in time for the holidays with a?oeThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly Sweatera?? at 5 and 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7. BroadwayWorld calls a?oeThe Good, The Bad & the Ugly Sweater a?oea holiday must.a??

There's a reason the biggest names in laughter all catapulted their careers at The Second City...it's been the funniest place on the planet since '59! Witness the next generation of comedy superstars put their spin on the legendary comedy company's greatest hits, re-booted and re-imagined for today. From sketch comedy to original songs to world-famous improv, The Second City is fresh, fast, and always spectacularly funny

Assassins is never less than engaging and interesting, for all its structural flaws. Worth the ticket price just to see the virtuosity of this super-talented cast.

Juicy. Delicious. Salivate your way through The Art of Dining, a hilarious exploration of tantalizing appetites and desires. Then eat with the cast. Gourmet meals at every show (for V.I.P. ticket holders).

The classic Second City comedy sketches and original songs that launched generations of comedy legends have been re-booted and re-imagined for the company's current cast of future superstars in The Second City Tour: Greatest Hits (Vol. 59). The tour comes to Musco Center for the Arts for one night only, Wednesday, October 16, at 7:30pm.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, in association with Elizabeth Weber, Dale Franzen (Hadestown) and Don Franzen, presents the West Coast Premiere of SISTERS IN LAW, starring Tovah Feldshuh (Golda's Balcony, a?oeThe Walking Dead,a?? a?oeCrazy Ex-Girlfrienda??) as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephanie Faracy (Hocus Pocus, The Great Outdoors with Dan Aykroyd and John Candy, a?oeSneaky Petea?? and a?oeModern Familya??) as Sandra Day O'Connor.  Directed by Patricia McGregor (Lights Out: Nat a?oeKinga?? Cole, Skeleton Crew), with an all-female design  team,  performances begin Wednesday, September 18 through Sunday, October 13, 2019, in The Wallis' Lovelace Studio Theater.

When #thoughtsandprayers had ceased to be enough, society was too busy keeping up with the Kardashians to notice that the end was near! Carpe into my DMs is a post apocalyptic sketch comedy revue written by troupe We are Sports! and directed by Second City alumnus, Alastair Forbes. Now that the dust has settled, our selfie-obsessed survivors are faced with the harsh reality that they can't escape blame for the collapse of civilization. From micro-aggressions to robot roleplay, Carpe into my DMs takes audiences through a politically pointed and hilariously goofy journey to the end of the world!

Trump in Space, winner of the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore! Producer's Award, has announced the final extension of its run of Friday nights at The Second City Hollywood Studio Theatre. The engagement must end August 16.

Ah, the restoration comedy. Those bawdy little comedies from the 1600's and 1700's with ill-mannered aristocrats being put through their paces. Now let's take one of those, spice it up with a bit of modern flair, pepper in some of the funniest damn people in town, and a hilariously ridiculous three person band with some original songs and what you'll have is the joyous, bound to go off the rails at any minute, high-speed train ride that is Seattle Shakespeare Company's current production of "She Stoops to Conquer".

The Second City announces a showcase of the Greatest Hits from previous decades with The Second City's Greatest Hits: 90s Edition, The Second City's Greatest Hits: 80s Edition, and The Second City's Greatest Hits: 70s Edition. Each decade will play for a consecutive month on Tuesday and Wednesdays at 8pm, beginning in March 2019 at UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave.

Yakov Smirnoff, who shot to international fame playing opposite Robin Williams in Moscow on the Hudson, Tom Hanks and Shelly Long in The Money Pit, Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson in Heartburn, Richard Pryor and John Candy in Brewster's Millions, as Yakov Korolenko in the award-winning TV sitcom Night Court, his Showtime Special Yakov Smirnoff From Moscow... Idaho, and starring in the sitcom What A Country!, is back in New York City! The comedy legend will bring his Happily Ever Laughter tour to the beautiful Schimmel Center stage March 23rd for a night of fun and laughter.

Keith and Kenny Lucas, together known as The Lucas Bros, will jump out of TV and onto The Second City's UP Comedy Club stage for three nights of stand-up performances January 4 - 6, 2019.

Trump in Space, winner of the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore! Producer's Award, has announced the extension of its run into 2019 on Friday nights at The Second City Hollywood Studio Theatre. The engagement will now continue through April 26. The book and lyrics are by Gillian Bellinger and Landon Kirksey with music by Tony Gonzalez and Sam Johnides. Frank Caeti is the director.

On Saturday, Dec. 1, Chicago's legendary comedy theatre The Second City will appear at Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison at 8 p.m. Madison native Terrence Carey will return to his hometown for the one-night-only performance.