Présenté dans le cadre du Festival de films Juste pour rire. 

The Second City pulls back the curtain to give you a backstage look at its first 50 years. For one night only a stellar line-up of Second City Alumni, including Fred Willard, Colin Mochrie, President and C.E.O Andrew Alexander and more, will share some of their funniest stories in a live (and lively) panel discussion. It’s an irreverent and affectionate look back at a half century of legendary sketch and improv comedy. 

Beginning as a small cabaret theatre on Chicago’s north side in 1959, The Second City has grown to become a comedy empire – building a robust business based on its core improvisational methodologies. Resident theatres in Chicago and Toronto create topical sketch comedy revues that satirize politics, culture and news of the day. Beyond its stages, The Second City created the foremost school of improvisation-based arts in the world – with training facilities in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles that currently enroll over 15,000 students; a corporate division works with hundreds of Fortune 500 companies in areas of training, marketing, entertainment and brand services; and The Second City’s forays into television and new media include the classic, Emmy-award winning comedy series “SCTV” as well as a number of new productions originating from The Second City Entertainment’s offices in Los Angeles. 

The Second City is best known as the incubator for North America’s best and brightest comedy superstars: Alan Arkin, Ed Asner, Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, John Belushi, Peter Boyle, John Candy, Steve Carell, Dan Castellaneta, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Bonnie Hunt, Robert Klein, Andrea Martin, Elaine May, Jack McBrayer, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Mike Nichols, Catherine O’Hare, Amy Poehler, Gilda Radner, Harold Ramis, Joan Rivers, Amy Sedaris, Martin Short, Nia Vardalos, Fred Willard and many, many more all have roots extending to The Second City.