Second City: Backstage at the World's Greatest Comedy Theater

Second City: Backstage at the World's Greatest Comedy Theater chronicles the history and inner workings of Chicago's renowned improvisational comedy institution. Author Sheldon Patinkin, a key figure in Second City's development since 1959, draws from firsthand experience to document the theater's evolution from a small cabaret to a comedic powerhouse. The book tracks Second City's major artistic periods, creative breakthroughs, and the development of its signature performance style. Through interviews and behind-the-scenes accounts, readers learn about the training methods, creative processes, and philosophical approaches that shaped generations of comedic performers. The story features many performers who started at Second City before achieving mainstream success, including John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, and others. Patinkin details the theater's connections to Saturday Night Live and its influence on American comedy. This account serves as both a historical record and an examination of how creative communities foster talent and innovation. The book illuminates the relationship between improvisation, collaboration, and the development of authentic comedic voices.

Readers value this book as a historical record of Second City's development and influence, with many appreciating the behind-the-scenes stories about notable alumni like Bill Murray, John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd. Likes: - Comprehensive collection of photographs - First-hand accounts from performers and staff - Details about the theater's training methods - Inclusion of actual sketches and scripts Dislikes: - Writing style can be dry and academic - Organization feels scattered - Too much focus on early years versus recent history - Some readers wanted more personal anecdotes One reader noted it "reads more like a textbook than an entertainment book." Another mentioned it "lacks the humor you'd expect from a comedy book." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (156 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) The book receives stronger reviews from theater students and comedy historians than from casual readers seeking entertainment.

Live From New York by James Andrew Miller, Tom Shales. The oral history of Saturday Night Live covers decades of behind-the-scenes stories from performers, writers, and staff who shaped American sketch comedy.

Yes, And by Kelly Leonard, Tom Yorton. Two Second City executives share the theater's principles of improvisation and ensemble work through stories of alumni and performances.

Truth in Comedy by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim Johnson. The creators of long-form improvisation detail the development of The Harold and the foundations of Chicago-style improv comedy.

Something Wonderful Right Away by Jeffrey Sweet. First-hand accounts from the founders and early members of Second City and its predecessor, Compass Players, reveal the origins of modern improvisational theater.

Improv Nation by Sam Wasson. A historical examination traces how improvisational theater grew from a Chicago experiment to a national art form that changed American comedy.

🎭 The Second City theater, founded in 1959, got its name from A. J. Liebling's derisive New Yorker articles about Chicago being America's "second city" - the founders turned the insult into a badge of pride. 🎬 Author Sheldon Patinkin was involved with Second City from its very beginning, serving as artistic consultant and working closely with legendary figures like Del Close and Bernie Sahlins. 🌟 The book reveals how some of comedy's biggest names - including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Gilda Radner - developed their signature styles through Second City's unique improvisational methods. 🎪 Second City's revolutionary approach to comedy training included "Yes, and..." - a fundamental improv principle that requires performers to accept and build upon their scene partners' ideas. 📺 The theater's success directly influenced the creation and style of Saturday Night Live, with Second City alumni making up much of the original cast and continuing to feed talent to the show for decades.