“The Second City” Troupe to Perform at Saint Mary’s and Work with Students
Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
(574) 284-4579
March 26, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)— The Saint Mary’s College Department of Communication Studies, Dance and Theatre will welcome The Second City improvisational troupe to campus as this academic year’s Margaret M. Hill Endowed Visiting Artists. “An Evening with The Second City” will take place on Monday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in O’Laughlin Auditorium.
General admission tickets are $12 a person, but complimentary to Saint Mary’s College, Holy Cross College, and University of Notre Dame students, faculty, and staff with IDs. For tickets, go to moreaucenter.com or stop by the box office in O'Laughlin. You may also call (574) 284-4626 for more information.
The Second City is Chicago’s legendary sketch and improv comedy theater ensemble. The evening will feature the best sketches and songs from The Second City’s 55-year history made famous by superstars like Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray and more-- as well as their trademark improvisation.
“Celebrate spring with some laughter and amazement at how quickly these artists can think on their feet and come up with witty retorts, gags, and punch lines,” said Katie Sullivan, associate professor of theatre, who serves as the endowment’s steward and coordinates the artist visits.
A troupe, made up of three female and three male actors, a director, and technical crew, will arrive on campus on Friday, April 24 to begin a long weekend of six three-hour classes for Saint Mary’s theatre students. “Through the generosity of Saint Mary’s alumna and Broadway producer Peggy Hill, students in our program will have another incredible learning opportunity not offered at most colleges, and one that they will always remember,” Sullivan said.
Typically there is just one Margaret M. Hill Endowed Visiting Artist in a given academic year. Past artists in the series include Glenn Close, Lily Tomlin, Sigourney Weaver, Audra McDonald, and Dianne Wiest. “This is a significant expansion of the amount of contact time that the students will have with a guest artist—six times more time and six times the number of artists,” noted Mark Abram-Copenhaver, associate professor of theatre.
“This is the educational sector of Second City,” added Melissa Bialko, the College’s professional specialist of costume design. “Not only are these people exceptionally talented, but they teach as well so they work with students all of the time.”
The troupe is invited into schools with its lessons on improvisation. Businesses and hospitals also hire the ensemble to inspire employees to work together more creatively. “Improvisation is not just about comedy and being funny. It’s an innovation tool. How to approach a blank canvas is what improv is all about. It’s about the immediacy of ideas and being able to recognize impulse in yourself. What does impulse feel like and then, how do you follow it and guide it?” said Abram-Copenhaver.
The company’s visit to campus will then culminate with the Monday night performance, “An Evening with The Second City,” where the six professionals will perform.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. By the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.