Second City's Power of Laughter

Second City’s Power of Laughter

By Rob Biter

Ever since that fateful day in seventh grade when the nerdy class clown stole the head cheerleader’s heart, the power of laughter became painfully clear to me. The talented members of Second City’s national comedy touring company would certainly agree. Since 1959, The Second City comedy troupe has used laughter as an attempt to change the way we view our world, events of national importance and even ourselves. As cast member Al Samuels put it, “We help people to have a good time, but after they leave the theatre, we also help them to think about the way they live and why they hold certain things sacred.”

The company got its start when a group of politically active students from the University of Chicago began expressing their views in the form of comedic theatre. Since that time, Second City has grown to include such past notables as Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Joan Rivers, Mike Myers, John Belushi, Chris Farley, John Candy, and a long list of others.

Featuring a blend of songs, improvisations, and sketch comedy in the spirit of “Saturday Night Live,” the six member touring ensemble will continue this tradition of wit and irreverent comedy. For Samuels, who studied theatre and economics at Dartmouth and Stanford universities, the opportunity to take his place in the history of Second City brings “memories of sneaking into the free improvs that seemed bigger than life” as a child in Chicago. For the audience members who are lucky enough to see him perform and willing to consider why they are laughing, the opportunity offers a chance to “question their everyday lives without even realizing it.” In fact, a comedy routine created by Samuels revisits John Kennedy’s assassination and the famous Zapruder film with the troupe giving its own twisted take on the event.

While some of Second City’s two-act performance will include rehearsed scenes, the majority will depend upon the ability of the actors to engage the audience in improvisation. It is precisely this skill for which Second City is famous, and with little more than a single audience suggestion, these actors create hilarious worlds on stage.

The Second City company will take to the Allen Theatre stage in Annville at 7:30pm on April 6, so get your tickets now and don’t miss out. If you haven’t been to the beautifully restored Allen Theatre or shared the delicious baked goods at the adjoining MJ’s Coffeehouse, then this is your opportunity. The event is cosponsored by Lebanon Valley College and Open Stage of Harrisburg. Advance tickets for The Second City performance may be obtained by calling the Mund College Center at 867-6100 or Open Stage at 232-6736. Cost is $18 for general admission and $12 for students and senior citizens.

Cast member Al Samuels promises that it will be “one of the few times in the world that out of seemingly nothing, magic comes. You can’t see the strings, and there are no scripts, rehearsals or directors.” But you will hear plenty of laughter.

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