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This weekend I found myself at Navy Pier, probably one of the biggest tourist traps the city of Chicago has to offer and an exceptional resource for street food (really, who can pass up elephant ears?), entertainment, and silly sites! More than eight and a half million people visit the pier each year, whether its to take a boat ride, explore the funhouse, eat at Bubba Gumps, see an IMAX movie, ride some rides, or watch the fireworks!
This time around though I wasn’t there for any of that…I was there to see another icon of Chicago: The Second City.
The Second City is one of the most well-known improvisational comedy troupes in America. Their alumni have gone on to many big projects including sitcoms, movies, and cast members on Saturday Night Live. One of their current productions was so popular that it had to move from its normal location to the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier to extend its run: Rod Blagojevich Superstar! A mix of the (not-so-silly) corrupt Chicago politics (Rod Blagojevich is the former Illinois governor accused of trying to sell Obama’s senate seat) set to the score of Jesus Christ Superstar and other musicals of that era, Rod Blagojevich Superstar took the best of the worst traits of our famed governor and his scandalous tenure and made them both hilarious and rocking.
You know you are in for a treat when you walk into a theater and the first thing you see is a sign that says “In today’s performance the role of Roland Burris will be played by…” And when the lights drop and come back up to a man in a perfectly coiffed wig singing about “pay to play” you know that the next hour will be a strange and funny journey. The show, like many of their works is both entertaining and insightful.
After the scripted show the cast performed another half hour of improv using audience suggestions. What I always admire most about improvisers is that they not only have to be both comical and think on their feet, but they also have to have a strong knowledge of everything that is going on in the world. When the audience yells a suggestion of “Somali Pirates” they have to know the current news on that. When the audience yells the suggestion of ShamWow, they have to know just what that is.
The Second City has theaters in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto, along with a touring cast, so if you want a heavy dose of comedy I highly recommend checking them out, whether you want political spoofing or humorous improv, I guarantee you’ll be rolling with laughter.
Learn more about The Second City.
Learn more about Chicago Shakespeare Theater
The Second City’s Rod Blagojevich Superstar is playing through May 3, 2009 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier. Tickets are $25. Visit Chicago Shakespeare Theater to order.