Comedy hub plans new productions at its Piper’s Alley venue, with audiences subject to COVID-19 restrictions.
Live from Chicago — it’s The Second City.
The iconic comedy hub, shuttered for a year, said Thursday it will reopen its doors on May 7 to in-person performances at the Piper’s Alley location. Tickets go on sale March 25 for new hourlong shows, Thursdays through Sundays, at both the Mainstage and e.t.c. theaters, according to reports. Seating limits, per COVID-19 protocols, will be adhered to.
In addition, in-person classes at The Second City Training Center are scheduled to return May 3, also with limited capacity.
“We realize that most people have binge-watched every TV show ever made at this point, so it’s exciting that live, in-person experiences are set to make their long-awaited return,” said The Second City’s executive producer Jon Carr.
Other safety measures include mask wearing, mask-friendly drinking straws, social distancing, audience limits based on state and local guidelines, and enhanced cleaning before and between performances, Thursday’s announcement said.
For tickets, visit secondcity.com.
In February it was announced that the company had been sold for only the second time in its 62-year history, in this instance to ZMC, a New York firm run by private equity investor Strauss Zelnick. The Financial Times cited sources saying the deal could be worth $50 million. The company has additional operations in Hollywood and Toronto.
In 2020, Second City appointed Carr as executive producer, succeeding interim executive producer Anthony LeBlanc. LeBlanc had replaced Andrew Alexander, co-owner and longtime executive producer, who exited the company earlier that year amid allegations of systemic racism.