Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Stephen Colbert, John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, John Candy, Steve Carell, and Bob Odenkirk. The previous list is a small sample of some of the funniest people who have ever lived, and every one of them spent time performing at Chicago's Second City. By walking south to the Merchandise Mart train station and taking the purple line north to the Sedgwick stop, you'll be dropped off right around the corner from the place that popularized sketch comedy and the art form known as improv. It's safe to say that there would be no Saturday Night Live without the creation and success of Second City. All of it happened at 1616 North Wells. Second City features a variety of shows available every night of the week, but none is better than their mainstage revue. Hundreds of hours of writing, improvising, and rehearsing go into their revues and are usually much funnier than the latest episode of SNL. The performers featured in their revues are savvied professionals occasionally on the cusp of stardom. You saw the list of names above, right? Second City is so much more than just their mainstage revue. Their mainstage theater and secondary theater, known as E.T.C., feature phenomenal shows and a variety of improv that is guaranteed to be fresh and unique each time – they are just making it up on the spot, after all. The UP Comedy Theater featured at Second City is also quickly turning into the best place in the entire city to view up and coming comedians. The cost is relatively low, but the comedians featured are mid-to-high range talents, with some being visible stars. Chicago is a hotbed for funny people. Why not spend a weekend in Chicago, buy tickets to a show at Second City, and let some of those people make you laugh?
