Every Wednesday, join us for a 30 minute show. You bring the lunch and we'll bring the laughs.
It has long been accepted that practicing improv helps people better adapt to change and think more creatively, but there was little scientific evidence to back it up...until now!
The Washington Post noticed that Chicago's typically very serious mayor Lori Lightfoot has turned to humor (and some famous Second City alumi) to spread the word about, and get people to pay attention to, her stay-at-home orders.
Second City Works collaborated with client partners Lennox International, GE, and others to produce Real Biz Shorts Anti-Harassment video content.
The Second City Brings Comedy to Your Couch! New live-streamed entertainment, education & business programming launches online.
Kelly Leonard to deliver webinar 'Developing Leadership At Every Level: An Improvisational Approach' presented by Chief Learning Officer.
I’m writing this from my home. I’ll be here for awhile. Doesn’t feel great. But some of my colleagues at Second City Works reminded me that these can also be lemonade days where we try something new and different.
There is an ever-increasing amount of data and research that shows humor is a vehicle for insight and behavior change. I wouldn't believe us either, so we have proof!
SCW facilitators join the 'Private Equity Funcast,' a podcast hosted by firm ParkerGale to discuss their recent professional development for senior executives to foster growth, teamwork, and innovation. Oh – and don’t miss the end when the crew improvises a song.
ReFED, an innovative nonprofit committed to reducing food waste, wanted to celebrate a year of milestones with their stakeholders in a memorable, entertaining, and uniquely-Chicago way, so they turned to The Second City to host a festive bash for guests.
When building ethical cultures, leaders need to model the behaviors we desire for our employees: we need to operate in a mode of value and respect; we need to be radically candid with one another; and we need to do all of this in a useful and timely manner.
Second City Works is attending the HRPA Annual Conference & Trade Show. Visit us at Booth #633 to discover the different ways Second City Works can power up your HR department.
‘Tis the season for Pumpkin Spice Everything, and companies large and small are gearing up for the last quarter of the year.
As an artist, you long for the day that you finally find your voice; that unique perspective that lends to your experience, observations and opinions.
The irony is not lost on me that I am sitting here with writer’s block while I try to write an essay on creativity – and yet, it is this exact problem that has plagued the creative mind from its inception.
Being bored is my least favorite state of mind.
Because I work for The Second City, a lot of people assume all I do at my job is laugh.
So…I went to Harvard. But honestly, I’m not being modest when I say, I’m not that smart.
When I was starting out in Chicago theater I was fortunate to work with some of the city’s more renowned and well respected actors.
April is Stress Awareness Month, and while stress can loom on the horizon like a rain-cloud or just show up like an uninvited house guest, it’s our awareness of how we handle stress that can be beneficial.
A colleague sent me the blog first thing this morning. I’m guessing it was sent to inspire or incite – it’s not clear which just yet.
There’s not a great way to write about success without seeming self-aggrandizing or falsely humble. So, I’ll attempt to relay a recent success by first explaining a project that was so necessarily a group effort, it defies outright ownership.
Unless you’ve been smart enough to live under a rock for the past year, you know we’ve had sweeping changes in our political leadership.
It’s been almost 25 years since I started writing sketch comedy and performing improvisation
The turn of a new year is always a wonderful time to take stock of lessons learned from the previous year and to celebrate accomplishments.
I spent the last six years in sales at one of Chicago’s major convention hotels.
There is a moment in the creation of every Second City sketch revue where a scene is in precarious shape: The director and the cast know they have something there, but it’s not there yet.
We’re taping a podcast this Friday with Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habitand his newest book Smarter Faster Better.
It’s true – I went back to school and learned to open a door. I promise this is not a metaphor.
The Second City, the world’s premier comedy theater and school of improvisation announced an exclusive partnership today with Vennly, Inc., an audio platform that enables businesses to seamlessly and securely share audio content to their preferred communication channels.
The Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing standards of ethical business practices, announced today a new alliance with Second City Works.
The Washington Post noticed that Chicago's typically very serious mayor Lori Lightfoot has turned to humor (and some famous Second City alumi) to spread the word about, and get people to pay attention to, her stay-at-home orders.
The Second City Brings Comedy to Your Couch! New live-streamed entertainment, education & business programming launches online.
SCW facilitators join the 'Private Equity Funcast,' a podcast hosted by firm ParkerGale to discuss their recent professional development for senior executives to foster growth, teamwork, and innovation. Oh – and don’t miss the end when the crew improvises a song.
Kelly joins the podcast A Sherpa's Guide to Innovation to talk about the connection between improv and innovation, business skills, behavioral science, caregiving and how the principles of improv are deeply connected to the basic principles of functioning better as a human being.
Kelly Leonard joins the #UnlockingInnovation podcast with EX3 Labs to talk about cultivating talent, responding in the face of ambiguity, why improv can help solve problems in communication, and washing dishes with Jon Favreau.
Kelly Leonard visits the PPG Paints Green Room with WGN Radio to talk about how he got his start at The Second City, what he’s learned from his dad, and how improv can help you in your everyday life.
Listen: Kelly Leonard recently shared on the Mission Daily podcast why improv is at the core of what makes us human and how we can use the practice to enhance our own creativity and connection with each other.
Second City Works and Radical Candor bring together learning and development leaders from some of the world’s top organizations to exchange ideas, gather insights and share laughs at a Launch Partner Summit for a workplace comedy online learning program available in early 2020.
Students at the University of Chicago Law School are learning that active listening in 'Hearing One Another,' a workshop developed by the Second Science Project founded at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in collaboration with The Second City.
Kelly Leonard, Executive Director of Insights and Applied Improvisation, sat down with Entrepreneur Weekly to explain how improv is helping entrepreneurs follow their fears, hone their pitches, and learn to collaborate.
Kelly Leonard recently spoke on the Outside In podcast, hosted by Charles Trevail to talk about how applying improv to business teaches us to listen and focus effectively, collaborate with others, and be ready for change.
In a world where rapid change and innovation take center stage, interpersonal skills are now, more than ever, vital in ensuring the success of individuals and organizations.
Since 2008, The Second City and Second City Works have been proud to participate at the Chicago Blackhawks Convention with a live performance that brings together two of the legendary entertainment institution’s favorite things: comedy and hockey.
Radical Candor and Second City Works continue to grow their partnership with Improvising Radical Candor: Digital, a suite of digital videos and support materials that will offer a scalable way for organizations to implement Radical Candor’s proven feedback framework.
Chris Redd is a current cast member on SNL, nationally touring stand-up comedian, and budding movie star. But a lucky few might recognize him from one of the professional gigs he did while working for Second City Works as one of our wildly talented performers.
Learn more about Improvising Radical Candor at the ATD International Conference & Exposition, the world's largest, most comprehensive event for talent development and learning professionals.
Improvising Radical Candor combines the expertise of Radical Candor with the innovation of Second City Works.
On Wednesday, July 24th, Chicago Innovation and The Executives' Club of Chicago will co-host the 4th annual Chicago Innovation Summit where Executive Director of Insights & Applied Improvisation, Kelly Leonard, will be on the panel for "Every Innovation Tells a Story."
Second City Works hosts Members of Association of National Advertisers (ANA) for the ANA Content Marketing Conference on Thursday, July 11 in the UP Theater.