Overview
The Second City is a professional improvisational and sketch comedy theatre and training institution founded in Chicago. Established as an ensemble-based company, it is credited with popularizing improv techniques that influenced modern sketch comedy and the development of comedy training programs. The organization stages satirical revues, offers structured courses in improvisation and writing, and operates multiple regional programs.
Founding and early years
The Second City opened on December 16, 1959, as a resident troupe that combined improvisational workshops with scripted sketch revues. It was founded by Bernard Sahlins and co-founded by Paul Sills and Barbara Harris. Early work drew on ensemble creation methods and techniques adapted from theatre workshops, giving rise to a rehearsal process that privileged spontaneity, listening, and collective invention. From its first productions the company emphasized social satire and character-driven comedy.
Methods, style, and training
Improvisation is central to the company’s creative approach; performers generate material through scene work and then refine choices into scripted sketches. The company’s conservatory and training programs teach core principles such as the "yes, and" approach, character development, strong interpersonal dynamics, and the transformation of improvised moments into polished sketches. The curriculum is designed for beginners through professional comedians and writers and underpins many modern improv schools and companies.
Locations and programs
Chicago remains the flagship venue, but The Second City expanded to operate programs and resident companies in other cities. Notable regional centers and schools have included branches in Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles. These centers have run mainstage revues, touring ensembles, conservatory classes, corporate workshops, and youth programs. Touring productions and specialty shows help bring the company’s repertory to national and international audiences.
Television, film, and media
The Second City and its alumni have contributed to numerous television and film projects. The company’s television legacy includes the Canadian sketch series SCTV and other televised revues and showcases developed to highlight company performers. Many alumni moved into television writing, late-night comedy, sketch shows, and feature films, bringing Second City techniques to broader media formats.
Notable alumni
Many performers who trained or performed with The Second City have become prominent in comedy and entertainment. Well-known alumni include Bill Murray, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and Aidy Bryant, among many others. Alumni have gone on to careers as performers, writers, directors, and producers in television, film and theatre.
Impact and legacy
The Second City is widely regarded as one of North America’s most influential comedy theatres. Its ensemble-based philosophy and structured training programs have been widely imitated and adapted. The company helped legitimize improvisation as a professional discipline, provided a pipeline of writers and performers to mainstream comedy, and shaped formats for sketch and satirical performance. Its history is often cited in studies of modern improvisational theatre and comedy education.
Contemporary activities and resources
Today The Second City continues to produce stage revues, run training programs, operate regional centers, and develop digital and touring projects. Those interested in the company’s history or contemporary offerings can consult biographies of its founders and histories of improvisational theatre, as well as program listings at the company’s regional schools. For primary-source material and archival records, see resources related to Bernard Sahlins and the early ensemble work of Paul Sills and Barbara Harris, and materials describing the company’s long association with improvisation (improvisation).
Further reading
To explore The Second City’s media projects and alumni careers, research specific television series and wider comedy industry histories. Notable entries include documentation of SCTV and accounts of alumni trajectories such as Bill Murray and Tina Fey. Regional program details and contemporary training offerings are available through links associated with the company’s Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles centers.