We’d like to imagine that one of the best parts of “Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels’ high-powered gig is discovering new talent.
Seeing the next Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley, Mike Myers or Tina Fey before the rest of the world does is likely an exhilarating experience. You’re catching lightning in a bottle. You’re witnessing untapped potential in real time. You’re seeing something truly special live and in person.
Thankfully, Michaels and comedy casting directors know where to seek out these daring performers. More often than not, many of North America’s most gifted rising comedy stars can be found onstage at Chicago or Toronto’s Second City Theater.
For decades — since 1959 (!) — the improv and sketch institution has served as one of the major training grounds for American comedy. Notable alums include the aforementioned “SNL” players as well as household names Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, John Candy and Martin Short to name just a few from their stacked roster.
And now the venerated theater has landed in New York, putting on laugh-out-loud funny, ballsy, personal, physical, immersive shows seven nights a week.
So, we checked it out.
On April 25, the New York Post attended a production of the theater’s ambitious mainstage revue “Ruthless Acts of Kindness.” To give you an idea of what to expect — and we highly recommend you do — here’s everything you need to know and more about getting your inner Lorne Michaels on and catching a show at New York’s newly opened Second City Theater.
How to get to Second City New York
Commuting to the Brooklyn theater from Queens, Manhattan or the Bronx?
If that’s the case, we suggest boarding either an L train and getting off at the Bedford stop for a 5-10 minute walk to the venue or taking the scenic route and strolling over from the G’s Nassau Avenue stop. Either way, you will run into a taco truck or two. There are worse diversions.
Once Google Maps lets you know you’re close, you’ll turn into Ninth Street and find the 12,000 square-foot theater’s modestly designed black-gray exterior with the famous white on brown logo plastered on front and center. You made it. Sigh a breath of relief. It wasn’t as hard to find as you expected.
Should you choose to dawdle around the neighborhood before going inside, the delightful Bushwick Inlet Park is less than a block away. Featuring a busy soccer field, calm swing sets and a gorgeous river view, the public space is a welcome distraction on a warm, spring evening.
Make sure to keep an eye on your watch; show time may spring up before you know it after embarking on a leisurely stroll.
Inside the Second City New York
Once you’ve decided it’s time to head in — for our money, entering roughly 30 minutes before showtime is the move — you’ll hit the compact box office by the door. Give the friendly ticket taker your name, grab your tix and you’re set.
Overachievers that already have hard copy tickets in hand, feel free to advance to the line where the staff seats parties (and pat yourself on the back for skipping the first of two lines).
Although…
If you’re early enough, why not stop at the stylish Bentwood restaurant and bar within the space?
Featuring a menu that includes signature burgers, crab cake sandwiches, steaks and sweets, there’s a little something for everyone. Alternatively, you can also have food delivered to you while watching the show. Double alternatively, you don’t even need a ticket to eat Bentwood, if you enjoy the menu, you can stop in any night of the week.
Anyhow, it’s getting late. Let’s get to the show.
The Second City New York showroom
This is not your typical black box improv theater.
With 190 seats — and a second-story mezzanine with balcony seating — the showroom feels more Broadway theater than comedy club. Chairs are pushed close together, lights are dimly lit and music thrums. The expectations are clear; you’re in for an event, a spectacle, if you will.
As for the stage, it’s a bit more elaborate than one might expect.
In front of a classic comedy brick wall are semicircle and door openings for the cast to emerge from; later in the evening, some bits hinge on their surprise entrances from the mysterious half oval.
Tilt your head up and you’ll notice the stage has stairs a second floor of its own. Spoiler alert: this isn’t just window dressing. The heightened walkway often leads to excellent heightenings within the show’s many, many rapid fire sketches.
“Ruthless Acts of Kindness” show
At 7:10, the lights came down. A hush fell over the crowd. We all collectively agreed “It’s starting.”
Out came “Ruthless Acts of Kindness’” six ensemble players.
They are the fearless punk rock Ashley Leisten (“Saturdays”), smiley, straight-laced father figure Ben Rameaka (“Broad City”), theatrical spark plug Yazmin Ramos (“Toon In With Me”), wiry clown Drew Reilly (“And Then There Were None” off Broadway), boisterous goof Jordan Savusa (“Hot Date”) and plucky triple threat Jackly Uweh (“Smosh”).
Right off the bat, one could see how they resemble Lorne’s original “Not Ready For Primetime Players.”
For the next 2.5 hours — with two intermissions baked in — the gifted sextet moved gracefully as a unit swerving from sketch to improv with a deft hand often calling back to jokes from 10-15 scenes ago with relative ease. This wasn’t their first rodeo; nor was it their 100th. They’d seen it all before and we’re having a blast.
To get things started, the “RAoK” crew launched into a high-concept bit that required audience participation. The cast split into pairs and flapped their arms insisting the crowd match their vocal tones until the room erupted into a harmonious “Also sprach Zarathustra.” It was like something straight out of Andy Kaufman’s madcap comedy playbook. Out of the gate, they were challenging audience expectations, confusing and misdirecting us until we’d been lifted out of our comfort zones into a space we never expected we’d go.
Without giving away too much of what goes down in “RAoK” (although it’d be nearly impossible to spoil the countless sketches built into this high wire act), the show moves quickly from TikTok-sized mini-sketches where female cast members compare “how big it is” to longer form pieces about putting a funny button on a Toastmasters speech.
Truth be told though, those two pieces make up less than 3% of the colossal production. There really is so much inspired lunacy embroiled within the sprawling, anarchic, freewheeling “RAoK” that it must be seen in person to be believed. The live experience is a key component of the Second City brand and it’s more than necessary for this barn burner.
That being said, for our money, the highlight of the evening was the show’s boundless, bouncy physicality. Gags where the ensemble 1) danced in unison to customer service hold music, 2) mimed boredom while fellow partygoers blathered on about politics or 3) raved with tampons, set the show apart from your standard comedy show. “RAoK” is a fully-realized master class in getting gags just right without leaving any fat on the bone; it’s comedy with Swiss Army knife level precision.
Audience participation at Second City New York
Timid folks sitting up close should be aware that there are a number of jokes built into “RAoK” that rely on interaction with spectators. Therefore, it’s certainly possible if you’re seated near the stage that you’ll be asked to toss dodgeballs, sing, dance, answer questions in accents and possibly even throw your trash — or even your half-eaten meal! — away.
After the show at Second City New York
When it’s all over, the cast comes back and asks if you want to stay for a dessert-like third act of free-form improv.
Your answer should undoubtedly be yes; after two-ish hours of tight, polished comedy, it’s a joy to see the cast stretch their legs and loosen up as they bounce from short to long form games, often doubling over at what their pals cook up onstage.
Then, they throw a second encore at you.
Stay for that one, too. It’s even more unhinged than the first.
Final verdict
Whether you dream of cosplaying as Lorne Michaels and picking tomorrow’s next big stars or just want to enjoy a laugh-filled evening, Second City is the place to be.
The jokes are edgy, the yuks are aplenty and the gags, well, they’re unpredictable.
Although Second City is known as a major part of Chicago culture, it already fits in just fine in New York.
Second City New York tickets
Want to go to a show but don’t know what date makes the most sense for your calendar?
Tickets for Second City New York performances all the way up until September can be found here.
We’ll see you there, comedy fans.
Huge comedians on tour in 2024
For those hoping to catch a stand-up show as well this year, you’re in luck.
Many of the biggest names around are on the road this year.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
• Steve Martin with Martin Short
• Seth Meyers and John Oliver
• Impractical Jokers
• Maria Bamford
• Mike Birbiglia
Who else is on the road? Take a look at our list of the 107 biggest comedians on tour in 2024 to find out.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements for your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed Bruce Springsteen and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
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