Since its inception in the 1950s, The Second City has been a comedy powerhouse, producing some of the most iconic names in entertainment. John Belushi, Amy Poehler, John Candy, Tina Fey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus – just to name a few – all honed their improvisational skills at The Second City, and on Nov. 17 at the Davidson Theatre, Columbus has the opportunity to see the latest and greatest that the troupe has to offer.
Second City performers start out by practicing group comedy with their peers and learning the tricks of the trade. Some spend years in classes before they are selected for a spot on the roster of paid and traveling comics.
George Elrod is one such performer. He trained for several years before starting to work with the theater more professionally for five years.
“I think that the great names are very attractive, but I think once you start working here, the people that you are working with feel like the rock stars,” Elrod says.
The Second City has been successful because it fosters an environment that supports its performers and utilizes feedback to keep the laughs rolling, he says. Trusting your fellow performers and thinking on your feet are essential for pulling off an enjoyable improv show.
“I think what makes Second City work is definitely having comedian-focused content, so shows let comedians write and generate their own voice,” Elrod says. “We get to tour material that’s kind of worked, which other people in the theater have written, but we also get to generate our own sketches.”
Comedian Rhapsody is the show the company is bringing to Columbus. Elrod describes it as PG-13, perfect for any audience looking for a night of laughs “with a little bit of everything for everyone.”
The show is filled with sketches and songs that deal with all kinds of funny and relatable
situations, from relationships and working at home to sketches intended to appeal to Columbus natives. The audience – and the performers themselves – have no way of knowing where a sketch may end once it gets off the ground.
“With improv, it’s the spontaneity. It’s the idea that this is being created for the first time and might not happen the same way ever again, which is exciting,” Elrod says. “From an actor’s perspective, we have to listen, and I think the audience can tell when something is super fresh.”
Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com.
