Founded in Chicago in 1959, improv troupe The Second City is responsible for launching the careers of countless iconic comedians and actors. The troupe recently expanded into New York City – a bit ironic considering the origin of Chicago's "Second City" nickname, which was coined by a journalist from The New Yorker who meant it as an insult to Chicago in comparison to New York City.

The troupe's theater space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is owned by one of Broadway Stages' affiliates and was once a record shop and club. Today, it is a 12,000 square-foot facility that includes a 200-seat mainstage, 60-seat second stage, several classrooms, and a restaurant.

While the six current players are making new history in Brooklyn, the original troupe's origins go back nearly seven decades and include a brief stint in the Big Apple.

Howard Alk, Bernie Sahlins, and Paul Sills, the University of Chicago students who founded The Second City, began their improv careers with The Compass Players (named after the bar where they first performed in 1955). Members of The Compass Players included future EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winner Mike Nichols and his comedy partner Elaine May, the husband-and-wife comedy team of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and future six-time Emmy Award winner Alan Alda.

By 1959, the troupe was performing as The Second City in a new location near Lincoln Park. Two years later, members of the ensemble (including future Oscar winner Alan Arkin) performed the musical "From the Second City" at the Royale Theatre on Broadway (now the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre). The production ran for 87 performances and earned two Tony Award nominations. That same year, future comedy legend Joan Rivers joined the troupe and made her sole appearance in its seventh revue, "Alarums and Excursions."

In 1973, the theater company opened its first location outside of Chicago, at "The Old Fire Hall" in Toronto. Many future comedy stars would go on to perform there, including "Saturday Night Live" alums Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and Mike Myers, and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" regulars Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie.

In 1976, members of the Toronto outpost established the sketch comedy show "Second City Television" (also known as "SCTV"), which launched the careers of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short, and Dave Thomas, among others.

Over the decades, the original Chicago location drew the likes of future "Saturday Night Live" stars John Belushi, Bill Murray, Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and Aidy Bryant, as well as beloved comedic performers Fred Willard, Harold Ramis, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Bob Odenkirk, Richard Kind, Amy Sedaris, Jane Lynch, and Keegan-Michael Key. Even "Cheers" alums George Wendt and Shelley Long performed with the troupe in the 1970s.

We are so excited to support the next generation of comedy legends by playing a role in bringing the group to Brooklyn. The troupe is currently performing "Ruthless Acts of Kindness" on the mainstage, and tickets can be purchased here. If you'd like to learn more about the history of The Second City and its legendary alums, click here.