John Candy News

Ah, the restoration comedy. Those bawdy little comedies from the 1600's and 1700's with ill-mannered aristocrats being put through their paces. Now let's take one of those, spice it up with a bit of modern flair, pepper in some of the funniest damn people in town, and a hilariously ridiculous three person band with some original songs and what you'll have is the joyous, bound to go off the rails at any minute, high-speed train ride that is Seattle Shakespeare Company's current production of "She Stoops to Conquer".

The Second City announces a showcase of the Greatest Hits from previous decades with The Second City's Greatest Hits: 90s Edition, The Second City's Greatest Hits: 80s Edition, and The Second City's Greatest Hits: 70s Edition. Each decade will play for a consecutive month on Tuesday and Wednesdays at 8pm, beginning in March 2019 at UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave.

Yakov Smirnoff, who shot to international fame playing opposite Robin Williams in Moscow on the Hudson, Tom Hanks and Shelly Long in The Money Pit, Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson in Heartburn, Richard Pryor and John Candy in Brewster's Millions, as Yakov Korolenko in the award-winning TV sitcom Night Court, his Showtime Special Yakov Smirnoff From Moscow... Idaho, and starring in the sitcom What A Country!, is back in New York City! The comedy legend will bring his Happily Ever Laughter tour to the beautiful Schimmel Center stage March 23rd for a night of fun and laughter.

Keith and Kenny Lucas, together known as The Lucas Bros, will jump out of TV and onto The Second City's UP Comedy Club stage for three nights of stand-up performances January 4 - 6, 2019.

Trump in Space, winner of the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore! Producer's Award, has announced the extension of its run into 2019 on Friday nights at The Second City Hollywood Studio Theatre. The engagement will now continue through April 26. The book and lyrics are by Gillian Bellinger and Landon Kirksey with music by Tony Gonzalez and Sam Johnides. Frank Caeti is the director.

REELZ today announced new original programming for winter 2019 including four new specials, three new series and three returning series. Highlighting the specials is the U.S. premiere of Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie shot guerrilla style on the streets of Brooklyn with a BeeGees soundtrack and a fledgling 23-year-old John Travolta that became a cultural phenomenon. At the heart of '70s disco fever is one of the biggest voices that shaped contemporary music in Donna Summer and the new special Donna Summer: Disco Queenshows how she became the queen of disco ushering in a new era of sound that is still heard today. Donna Summer: Disco Queen leads a week packed with '70s themed programming starting Monday, January 14 with shows about the celebrities, music and movies that defined a generation.

REELZ today announced new original programming for winter 2019 including four new specials, three new series and three returning series. Highlighting the specials is the U.S. premiere of Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie shot guerrilla style on the streets of Brooklyn with a BeeGees soundtrack and a fledgling 23-year-old John Travolta that became a cultural phenomenon. At the heart of '70s disco fever is one of the biggest voices that shaped contemporary music in Donna Summer and the new special Donna Summer: Disco Queen shows how she became the queen of disco ushering in a new era of sound that is still heard today. Donna Summer: Disco Queen leads a week packed with '70s themed programming starting Monday, January 14 with shows about the celebrities, music and movies that defined a generation.

On Saturday, Dec. 1, Chicago's legendary comedy theatre The Second City will appear at Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison at 8 p.m. Madison native Terrence Carey will return to his hometown for the one-night-only performance.

The Second City's A Christmas Carol: Twist Your Dickens returns to Portland Center Stage at The Armory with a new Scrooge played by Isaac Lamb, new jokes, and the same uproariously funny experience Portland audiences have come to expect. Twist Your Dickens begins preview performances on Nov. 27, opens on Nov. 30, and runs through Dec. 23 on the U.S. Bank Main Stage. Ron West returns to direct. Rebecca Sohn joins the cast, while Darius Pierce, Sam Dinkowitz, Chantal DeGroat, Laura Modica, and Nicholas Kessler return with their signature,irreverent take on some of the season's most iconic characters. Written by The Colbert Report alumni and improv comedy veterans Peter Gwinn and Bobby Mort, Twist Your Dickens cuts through the typical sweetness of the season to offer something bold, fresh, and acerbically funny. 

Four-time Emmy award winning director and puppeteer Frank Oz will give a post-screening Q&A session at the Schimmel Center at Pace University's Halloween screening of the rarely seen Director's Cut of the cult class 1986 musical film he directed, Little Shop of Horrors on Tuesday, October 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Already wondering how to entertain your visiting relatives this holiday season? The Second City has you covered with its new holiday revue, The Second City's The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Sweater. This hilarious show pulls a festive mix of material from The Second City archives and is the perfect way to celebrate winter in Chicago.

Jessie Hoffman, Producer & Artistic Director for Lightning Bolt Productions, today announced the theatrical company's first major production this season, Little Shop of Horrors.

26 year old Toronto actor Hannah Engelhardt sits in a sweltering rehearsal studio just off of Pape and Danforth. Like many others, she has been acting since being dragged to her first class as a child. Today she is waiting for her cast to rehearse, as they gear up to perform at the John Candy Box Theatre in just a few short weeks. For all three members of The M Word, this will be their official introduction to the Toronto theatre scene.

Trump in Space, winner of the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore! Producer's Award, has announced the third extension of its run on Friday nights at The Second City Hollywood Studio Theatre. The engagement will now continue through December 14. The book and lyrics are by Gillian Bellinger and Landon Kirksey with music by Tony Gonzalez and Sam Johnides. Frank Caeti is the director.

Schimmel Center-located in the heart of downtown Manhattan at Pace University-today announces programming for its 2018-2019 season, featuring 30 events spanning multiple genres including award-winning comedy, dance, cabaret, folk and rock, documentaries, world music, and family programming.

The Historic North Theatre in Danville, VA announces its new Celebrity Series starring Nationally Known Talent. The first show in the new series is ALRIGHT THEN starring veteran TV stars Orson Bean and Alley Mills on July 14-7:30 PM-One Show Only. Tickets are $25.00, 20.00 &15.00. A Meet & Greet at 6:00 PM-$35.00 includes one drink & light appetizers plus a front orchestra ticket to the show. Reservations may be made by calling 434-793-SHOW (7469). This show is presently (and has been for over 6 months) playing sold-out in Hollywood. Ms. Mills has a week off of TV's The Bold and Beautiful and she and Orson are kindly flying to Danville to present the show.

After a successful premier at the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival, and an officially selected run at The Second City Toronto's John Candy Box Series, very woke musical comedian Anesti Danelis, makes his Montreal Fringe debut with his delightfully dark acoustic comedy Songs for a New World Order, playing at the Black Theatre Workshop Studio from June 7 - 17.

On Friday, June 1, Governor General Julie Payette presented a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award to Second City CEO and Executive Producer Andrew Alexander. The ceremony took place at Ottawa's Rideau Hall as part of the 2018 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA), Canada's most prestigious recognition for the performing arts. The following evening, Alexander and his fellow laureates were feted at the GGPAA's annual star-studded gala, held at the National Arts Centre.

Lewis & Tolkien: Of Wardrobes and Rings, written by and featuring David Payne and directed by Marc Whitmore,will make its New York debut at the Black Box Theater at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture. Performances began on May 23 with opening night scheduled for May 31, the engagement runs throughJune 14.

After a successful premier at the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival, and an officially selected run at The Second City Toronto's John Candy Box Series, very woke musical comedian Anesti Danelis, makes his Montreal Fringe debut with his delightfully dark acoustic comedy Songs for a New World Order, playing at the Black Theatre Workshop Studio from June 7 - 17.