The Second City

The Second City Your home for comedy in Chicago. 🌭

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The Second City mourns the passing of Tim O’Malley, a longtime performer, teacher, and beloved member of the comedy comm...
05/12/2026

The Second City mourns the passing of Tim O’Malley, a longtime performer, teacher, and beloved member of the comedy community, whose work left a lasting impact on generations of artists and audiences.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Tim starred in several acclaimed Chicago Mainstage r***es at The Second City, including “Flag Smoking Permitted in Lobby Only,” “Winner Takes Oil,” and “Economy of Errors.”

During his celebrated run on the Mainstage, he performed alongside fellow alumni including Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Steve Carell, and Bob Odenkirk.

Tim also created the original play “Godshow,” a deeply personal work exploring his journey through addiction and recovery. The production played a sold-out run at The Second City e.t.c., earning praise for its honesty, vulnerability, and heart.

Beyond the stage, Tim appeared in film and television projects including Return to Me, Bad Meat, Shift, and Black Days.

Tim O’Malley will be remembered for his immense talent, generosity as a teacher and collaborator, and the authenticity he brought to both comedy and storytelling. He will be deeply missed by The Second City community and all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.

The Second City is sad to report on the passing of alum, Kevin Michael Doyle.Kevin was a proud member of The Second City...
05/09/2026

The Second City is sad to report on the passing of alum, Kevin Michael Doyle.

Kevin was a proud member of The Second City Touring Company and The Second City e.t.c. where he starred in the original r***es: “Small Arts and Crafts Warnings,” “Kukla, Fawn and Ollie,” “Channel This,” and “The Heliotrope Players’ Production of Thornton Wilder’s American Classic ‘Our Town’ As Directed by d’Eric Blakemore, or Cash Stations of the Cross."

He would also go on to star in such television shows at “Early Edition,” and “Dear John” as well as feature films like “My Best Friend's Wedding” and “The Untouchables.”

Kevin took a different starring turn later in life, becoming a member of the Chicago Police Department where he was featured in this 2001 profile piece in the Chicago Tribune: http://bit.ly/4dfV30H

We send condolences to the entire Doyle family as well as Kevin’s many colleagues and friends.

05/09/2026

Have you ever worked with a "brilliant jerk"? 🧠🥊

You know the one—hits 200% of their targets but leaves everyone else wanting to quit. We’ve all been there. But the real "cognitive shock" happens when you realize you are the jerk in the story.

Margaret Andrews shares insights that will humble even a Harvard professor:

✅ "I am Dr. Ventura." Admitting your own toxicity before you get fired is the ultimate leadership flex.

✅ Ugly Gifts. Real feedback rarely comes with a bow. It’s usually a blunt "you lack self-awareness." It hurts, but it’s the medicine you need.

✅ The "Human" Boss. Leadership isn't about meetings (which everyone hates). It’s about walking the floor and actually remembering people's lives.

In improv, we say: "Play the scene you are in." If you are the problem, you can't be the solution until you face the mirror. ✨🧠

Who was your "best" or "worst" boss? What did they teach you about the human condition? Tell us in the comments! 👇

Still together, but feeling lonely? You’ve fallen into the "Stability Trap." 🏚️We’ve been conditioned to think a success...
05/08/2026

Still together, but feeling lonely? You’ve fallen into the "Stability Trap." 🏚️

We’ve been conditioned to think a successful relationship is one without conflict. Psychologist James Cordova says that’s a lie. If you have zero conflict, you’re likely just staying outside of "quill’s distance." You’re safe, but you’re freezing.

Here is the "cognitive shock" you need today:

🛑 Attention is the only currency.
Most people in a cafe are just taking turns talking about themselves. Real love is the fierce, quiet curiosity for the person sitting across from you.

🛑 Vulnerability is the ultimate filter.
It is the only way to find out if your partner (or your team) is actually capable of taking care of you. If you hide your authentic self to stay "safe," you will never be known.

🛑 "It’s my fault" is a superpower.
This phrase saves marriages. By taking responsibility for the "stinging" in a relationship, you grab the steering wheel. You move from being a victim of the moment to being its steward.

In improv, we say: "Play the scene you are in, not the scene you want to be in." 🎭✨

Stop waiting for a "perfect" version of your partner to appear. Start giving your full attention to the human being standing in front of you right now. That is where the healing begins. ✨🧠

Who in your life deserves your full, non-distracted attention today? Tag them or—better yet—put your phone down and go talk to them. 👇

Your kid will come back from camp with a superpower no tutoring can give them. 🎭✨What kids learn at Second City Chicago ...
05/07/2026

Your kid will come back from camp with a superpower no tutoring can give them. 🎭✨

What kids learn at Second City Chicago Summer Comedy Camp:

📍how to actually listen
📍how to think on their feet
📍how to work in a team
📍how to speak in front of people without panicking
📍how to not be afraid of messing up

These aren't acting classes. These are skills HR teams will be hunting for in 15 years. Just here, kids train them through laughter. 😄

5 days. 7 hours a day. Mornings — improv. Afternoons — stand-up and clowning. The same method launched Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. But even if your kid doesn't become the next SNL star — they'll come back different.

Sessions run June, July, and August 2026 in Chicago. Some weeks fill fast. 📅

Would you send your kid to a camp like this? Or would you go yourself? 😄👇

📌 Link in first comment!

Can a simple wooden bench beat a high-end medical clinic? 🌳🛋️Dr. Khameer Kidia shared a story from Zimbabwe that challen...
05/06/2026

Can a simple wooden bench beat a high-end medical clinic? 🌳🛋️

Dr. Khameer Kidia shared a story from Zimbabwe that challenges everything we know about healthcare. Local grandmothers on "Friendship Benches" were proven more effective at treating depression than standard antidepressants in clinical trials.

Why? Because they don't just treat a "pathology"—they treat a human being in their real world.

Here are three truths modern medicine often avoids:

🛑 We are all care providers. In Zimbabwe, grandmothers outperformed psychiatrists. It proves that showing up and listening without judgment isn’t "extra"—it’s the medicine. You don’t need a degree to save a friend; you just need to be present.

🛑 Ubuntu: "I am because we are." Our obsession with "I think, therefore I am" has made us lonely. Your mental distress is often not in your head, but in your environment. Your well-being is inseparable from the well-being of your tribe.

🛑 The 90/10 Rule. 90% of our mental health is determined by our social conditions—housing, bank balance, and safety. Only 10% is clinical. Dr. Kidia argues that we need to start "prescribing" dignity, food, and security as often as we prescribe pills. 🥖🏠

In improv, we use "Yes, And" to build scenes. In life, Dr. Kidia uses it to build people. When we come down to the same level as the person across from us and say, "I’m here for you," the hierarchy vanishes and true healing begins. ✨🧠

Who is the "grandmother on the bench" in your life? Who can you talk to when the world feels like too much? Let’s talk in the comments! 👇

Your new Mainstage r***e just called. "Pandemonium, Please Hold" opens TONIGHT at The Second City. Congrats to the cast ...
05/06/2026

Your new Mainstage r***e just called.

"Pandemonium, Please Hold" opens TONIGHT at The Second City. Congrats to the cast and crew!

"Tell me about yourself" is the worst interview question ever—and your answer is probably making it worse. 🎤🤦‍♀️Most peo...
05/05/2026

"Tell me about yourself" is the worst interview question ever—and your answer is probably making it worse. 🎤🤦‍♀️

Most people ramble, over-explain, or recite their resume like a robot. But Erin McGoff, known to millions as the "Internet’s Big Sister," says there is a secret language to winning at work that they never taught you in school.

It’s called the Hidden Curriculum, and it’s the difference between being a "grunt" and being a "hero."

Here are the harsh truths about your career:

🛑 Networking isn't a stuffy hotel room. If you think networking is standing awkwardly with a name tag, you’re doing it wrong. The best networking happens at the dog park, cousin's weddings, or just making friends. It’s about expanding your circle, not swapping business cards.

🛑 Emails are for information, not debate. Stop trying to brainstorm over email. Use the BLUF method: Bottom Line Up Front. Put the "Ask" in bold at the very top. If it takes more than 10 sentences, pick up the phone. Respecting people's time is the ultimate status play.

🛑 You aren't at work to be "friends." Erin’s hot take? Working with people should be your priority, not being their bestie. Boundaries keep you safe and help you advocate for yourself. Friendly? Absolutely. But don't let "friendship" cloud your professional agency.

Why Improv matters offstage: 🌳🤝 Erin reminds us that "no one knows what they’re doing." We’re all winging it. In improv, we embrace the "Yes, And" of the unknown. You have to be the hero of your own story—don't wait for a director to give you a script. Write your own. 🧠✨

Do you struggle with the "Hidden Curriculum"? What’s one unspoken rule of work you wish you had learned 10 years ago? Let’s talk in the comments! 👇

"If you had told me seven years ago I'd be on a Second City podcast talking about a documentary I made for HBO — I would...
05/04/2026

"If you had told me seven years ago I'd be on a Second City podcast talking about a documentary I made for HBO — I would have told you you're out of your mind." 🎬

Erik LeDrew didn't plan any of this. The army. The Microsoft gig. The reality TV detour. The copywriting bluff. None of it was on a roadmap.

What got him here was one principle: "go through the door that opens."

Not the one you wanted. Not the one that fits your résumé. The one that's actually open.

✨ A reality TV gig he wasn't qualified for
✨ A coding role at Microsoft where he didn't know how to program
✨ A copywriting job he talked his way into

Each door moved him a step closer to the next one.

In improv, we don't pre-write the scene. We say Yes, And to whatever our partner hands us. Real careers work the same way.

What door are you ignoring right now because it's not the one you wanted? 👇

📌 Link in first comment!

Address

1616 N Wells Street
Chicago, IL
60614

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 11pm
Tuesday 9am - 11pm
Wednesday 9am - 11pm
Thursday 9am - 12am
Friday 9am - 1am
Saturday 9am - 1am
Sunday 9am - 10pm

Telephone

+13123373992

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