Athletic training freshman Anthony Alfredo is hugged by cast member Kelsey Kinney during a performance by The Second City, Oct. 2, 2013, in the RCAH Theater. Alfredo was pulled from the audience to participate in a short skit. Danyelle Morrow/The State News
The Second City, a legendary comedy theater from Chicago, presented Happily Ever Laughter last night in the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, or RCAH, Theater in the lower level of Snyder Hall.
The theater erupted in laughter and applause as the five members of the show pelvic thrusted their way on to the stage. The group immediately engaged students as they took suggestions from the audience for the improv component of the show.
The Second City has been a training ground for famous comedians, including John Belushi, Tina Fey, Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert.
The performers pulled a student on the stage and performed a gay marriage skit. One of the performers, Chris Redd, dressed up like the artist Prince and pretended to marry the student and a fellow performer.
The Second City had a comedy cube where they rotated comedy skits and took suggestions from the audience members, suggestions which included rival secretaries and prohibition.
Since there were not enough seats in the theater, students were sitting in the aisles watching the performance.
Sam Peters, an RCAH senior, said he came out to the show to get ideas for the on-campus improv group, Roial Players, that he directs. He is familiar with the fame of The Second City.
“They’re a really renowned group,” Peters said. “It’s just the nerve center of comedy and improv.”
The show was a part of a monthly college colloquium, called Wednesday Night Live, or WNL, that began this year for RCAH students and faculty.
Niki Rudolph, director of Student Affairs for RCAH, said the series is restricted to RCAH students because they are required to attend 12 events from the WNL series during their four years in the program.
Rudolph said the performers in WNL come from a variety of professions such as artists, actors, poets and more. After each event, the guests will lead the students in a discussion.
RCAH dean Stephen Esquith said the WNL series serves two purposes.
“One purpose is that (all) of our students can attend a common event, (where) older students have the opportunity to mentor and share with younger students,” Esquith said.
“The second thing is to introduce students to people who have been successful in the arts and humanities, whether they’re artists or scholars.”
Megan Wesner, RCAH and English sophomore, attended last night’s show because she had heard about The Second City’s fame before. She is enthusiastic about the success of the WNL series.
“I love it, it’s one of the greatest things RCAH has done so far,” Wesner said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
