'''The Second City''' est une troupe d’improvisation théâtrale basée dans le quartier de Chicago’s old town. 
Le théâtre «The Second City» a été inauguré le 16 Decembre 1959. La compagnie a ensuite ouvert de nombreuses autres salles, notamment à Toronto, Metro Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, et New York.
«The Second City» a produit des programmes de télévision aux États-Unis et au Canada dont SCTV, Second City Present et Next Comedy Legend.
Depuis ses débuts, « Second City » a lancé de nombreux comédiens (dont certains ont été primés), des réalisateurs, et beaucoup de personnalités du show business.

== Biographie == 
=== Histoire ===
The second city est une évolution du spectacle de cabaret des années 50 Chicago'' de A.J. Liebling paru dans le magazine The New Yorker en 1952. En 1959, le spectacle inaugural de la troupe «The Second City» eut lieu au 1842 North Wells Street puis il fut déplacée au 1616 North Wells en 1967. Le cofondateur Bernard Sahlins fut propriétaire du théâtre "the second city" de chicago jusqu'en 1985, date à laquelle le théâtre fut racheté par le Canadien Andrew Alexander et Len Stuart.

Le genre de comédie proposé par la troupe a changé avec le temps. Mais le format est resté le même. Les spectacles de Second City comportent un mélange de scènes improvisées et de scènes écrites qui sont enrichies à partir du nouveau matériel ajouté pendant les sessions d’improvisation après le second acte. Développées durant les sessions improvisées du show, ces sessions d’improvisation sont basées sur les suggestions du public. La seconde innovation du Second City est l’ajout de musique live  et improvisée pendant le spectacle.
De nombreux humoristes américains connus ont commencé leur carrière comme membre de la formation historique de la troupe et, plus tard, se sont dirigés vers la télévision et le cinéma. Dans le milieu des années soixante-dix,«Second City» est devenu une source de comiques pour SNL et SCTV, émissions  qui empruntaient de nombreuses techniques d’écriture et d'interprétation inventées par «Second City» et d’autres troupes d’improvisation.

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'''The Second City''' is a long-running improvisational comedy Old Town neighborhood.

right|The Second City logo

The Second City Theatre opened on metro-Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York.  The Second City has produced US and SCTV'', ''Next Comedy Legend''.  The Second City Las Vegas is scheduled to close on Aug. 1, 2008.<ref></ref>Since its debut, Second City has consistently been a starting point for several comedians, award winning actors, directors, and others in show business.

== History ==
Second City evolved from the theater company until 1985, before selling it to Canadian Andrew Alexander.<ref name="EOCTC" />

The style of comedy has changed with time, but the format has remained constant. Second City revues feature a mix of semi-improvised and scripted scenes with new material developed during unscripted improv sessions after the second act where scenes are created based on improvised music during the performance.

A number of well-known performers began careers as part of the historic troupe and later moved to television and film. In the mid-1970s, Second City became a source of cast members for ''Saturday Night Live'' and ''SCTV'', which borrowed many of the writing and performing techniques pioneered by Second City and other improv groups.

Along with its theaters, training centers, and television shows, Second City also produces improv and sketch shows for Norwegian Cruise Lines. <ref name="NCL">[http://www.fodors.com/cruise/Norwegian_Cruise_Line_more.cfm Norwegian Cruise Lines]</ref name="NCL">

== ''SCTV'' ==

''Second City Television'', or ''SCTV'', was a Canadian television sketch comedy show offshoot from the Toronto troupe of the Second City that ran from 1976 to 1984.

The basic premise of ''SCTV'' was modeled on a television station in the fictional city of Melonville. Rather than broadcast the usual TV spoofs such as "Play it Again, Bob" in which Dave Thomas) to star in his next film. In-house media John Candy's vain, bloated variety star character Johnny La Rue, Thomas' acerbic critic Bill Needle and Andrea Martin's flamboyant, leopard-skin clad station manager Mrs. Edith Prickley.

== The Second City Training Center ==

The Second City has training centers located throughout North America, most notably in Chicago, Toronto, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The training centers have grown substantially since the Second City Conservatory was established in the mid-1980s under the tutelage of longtime Chicago improv instructors and mentors comedy writing.  Various Conservatory alumni including Sean Hayes<ref></ref> have gone on to successful careers, with notable performers such as Tim O'Malley (actor) and Steve Carell having taught at these institutions.

=== The Second City Parents School ===