The Second City, Chicago’s comedy sketch group, will hold three performances of “The Second City Does Northwestern: Wildcat on a Hot Tin Roof,” a show satirizing Northwestern student life, this Homecoming weekend.
The show is an addition to Theater and Interpretation Center’s 2011-12 main stage season and will be presented with the support of the Office of Alumni Relations and Development, Homecoming and Reunion Weekend.
Since 1959, The Second City has performed in Chicago and throughout the country. It has the largest improvisation training center, which has produced comedians such as Tina Fey, Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, an NU alumnus.
Unlike The Second City’s other appearances at NU, which revolved around college life, Managing Director of TIC Diane Claussen commissioned The Second City this year to write about specific NU traditions and experiences for this performance.
Before working at NU, Claussen commissioned the comedy group to write about certain cities across the country. She said she thought the same method might work for colleges.
“Why not bring The Second City to a university?” Claussen said. “Students love comedy.”
Two writers came to campus in August to interview NU students and faculty for information for sketches.
Claussen said the show will include sketches about Dance Marathon and Waa-Mu. The five-person cast will also sing, dance, act and rap.
Homecoming co-chair Elisse Kavensky said the committee was thrilled to help TIC facilitate a comedy show for students. Homecoming secured Cahn Auditorium and is advertising the show to all NU students and the public. Kavensky said it is a great Homecoming event partially because it is an affordable break from midterms for students.
“Second City has a lot of personality that students will love,” Kavensky said. “But it is also a great way for students to connect to the Chicago community and experience what talent Chicago has to offer.”
The Second City has performed at the 2010 and 2011 Wildcat Welcome Weeks. Other appearances at NU include a 2008 show and a January 2011 show at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, which had about 900 student attendees.
The Second City will perform at Cahn Auditorium Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The Thursday show will offer discounted tickets for students. This performance will also include a walk-on guest appearance by NU’s women’s lacrosse coach Kelly Amonte Hiller and Willie the Wildcat.
