Since 1959, Chicago's The Second City improvisational comedy troupe has played a critical role in developing some of the most successful comedians in the United States and Canada. Comedians such as Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, James Belushi, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, and Richard Kind, to name a few, have all performed with The Second City. Between 1991 and 1997, L.A. Theatre Works, in conjunction with Chicago Theatres on the Air, had the pleasure of producing a number of Second City performances featuring Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Amy Sedaris, Marsha Mason, Edward Asner and Paul Dinelo.

Colbert, Dinelo, and Sedaris went on to create the hit show Strangers With Candy for Comedy Central and Amy's best-selling book, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence is both witty and hilarious. More recently, both Carell and Colbert have enjoyed immense success beginning with their supporting roles in The Daily Show. Carell's show, The Office, is a hit on NBC, and his movies are box office boffos. Colbert has spun his Daily Show character off into his own highly successful The Colbert Report.

Hear these budding young comedians in some of their most hilarious work before they became the stars they are today.