If you are into comedy in Chicago at all you have been to one of these three influential places. Second City, io, or Improv Olympic whichever you prefer, and The Annoyance all three are great places for sketch comedy. Chicago is the sketch comedy capital of the world. Sure Saturday Night Live is in New York but just about every performer has gotten there start here. If you are serious about getting into the comedy business start attending shows here as soon as possible. All three places are connected with each other in some way but are also very different from each other. In this series of articles I hope to illuminate the difference between them and how might fit you best.
I am a comedy director in the city of Chicago so to say I am familiar with these places is an understatement. I work with actors from all three majors places not to mention having seen about a hundred shows between all three. I know some of the teachers and have worked on sets for some of there more corporate gigs. I find each one to have there own merits. But first we must have a little short history lesson on improv comedy here in Chicago. 
Imrprov has a long history. But I am going to give you the abbreviated version of it here in Chicago. Second City formed out of the Compass Players in Chicago. Some of the original members were Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Alan Arkin. They set up a lot of the standards and practices of most improv still used today. Second City at the beginning was more what considered short form improv is. This involved more games and gags and suggestions from the audience.  The bigger shows are most theaters are scripted through using improv and then allow for interactions with the audience to change some of the scenes. The next big topic in Chicago improv history is Long form improv. You can’t talk about long form improv without talking about Del Close is considered the Godfather of it; with his method of improvising called the “Harold”. The Harold works off a suggestion from the audience and then builds a half-hour show to an hour out of it. This is typically featured at the Io Theater which was started by Del Close and Charna Halpern.  The Annoyance is its own creature but tends to be a hybrid of both Second City and long form improv. There are also a million other places to see improvised comedy in Chicago done a million different ways, but for the focus of the article we are going to focus on the big three. I am done with the history lesson and on with the discussion of the three main theaters.
    So first up the king of comedy in Chicago Second City. Second City will always be the top tier in the city. It was the first one, it has all the big names, the prestige, and let’s face it they also have the most money. If you want to catch a Saturday night sketch revue expect to pay through the nose.  Second City main stage has some expensive show. But if you want to at least just check out Second City and not pay high price try the ETC stage. This is there secondary stage. You have to be chosen to be on it. It’s the place to catch the talent on the way up before they are on the expensive main stage. The shows themselves are a little more hit or miss. Some of the shows will be amazing but then a few are not quite ready for prime time. This is a good place to get a good idea on what Second City does. If you want to get famous in comedy for better or worse at some point you will probably be on stage at Second City.
    I do like Second City a lot. There main stage show when it’s a great I never stop laughing. I’ll end up quoting it for weeks. You see great performers doing a high wire act on stage. It’s truly a great experience that sums up everything Improv has to offer. Now, I do have a litany of problems with Second City. For all its great performers they tend to hold them back. Second City is a brand; that means people from the suburbs are driving all the way into the city to go and see a show. There going to pay high prices and expensive valet to enjoy the epicenter of comedy. Only it was the epicenter. Now they have to play it safe with there comedy. People don’t want to pay all that money just to be shocked, or see something they might not like. Great comedy takes chances. People want to go there and laugh and not be forced out of there comfort zone. They did that when they left the suburbs. The jokes are little more down the middle. They take the easy shots the soft balls. It’s still really funny but it’s not cutting edge. It’s not changing the face of comedy anymore they are face.
    My other problem with Second City is the classes. Second City has a school where they teach you to become an improviser. These are expensive classes and they go up quite a few levels.  This is where Second City makes the bulk of there money. My problem is that you get a lot of the funny guys from your office, or some dork who wants to tell jokes better by the office cooler. They know Second City as a brand and home that its coolness will wear off on them. And that’s fine Second City shouldn’t be punished because people want to come and take a class at there school. My problem is that as long as there check clears they keep passing them through the classes and up the levels. Even if they aren’t any good they still let them get into the upper level classes. These people start to think they are better than they really are. And Second City is culpable in leading them on. I’m not saying it’s a crime but if you are trying to create great improviser maybe the top performers in the top level classes should be practicing with people who should have been bounced early on. And in the end that’s my assessment of Second City; it’s where you want to end up but it might not be the place for you to start out.  If you really want to learn the ropes and be great on the stage you might want to try Improv Olympic better know as io or the Annoyance Theater; more on them in part two.

See Part 2