Second City announces Keegan-Michael Key, Robin Thede, Tim Meadows for advisory board

Comedians join the first-ever board to 'help inform the artistic direction' of the famed acting troupe

Second City has announced its first-ever Artistic Advisory Board, filled with memorable comedic talent, Second City alumni and more.

With a rich 62-year history, The Second City, or as it’s commonly known without the prefix, is the world’s premier comedy club, comedy theater, and school of improvisation. To secure and promote the next 62 years and beyond for the esteemed establishment, they have announced a brand new Artistic Advisory Board consisting of 15 members, including Keegan-Michael Key, Robin Thede and several other comedians.

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Keegan-Michael Key on May 4, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Netflix)

Stephen Colbert, an alumnus of Second City known for The Colbert Report and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, serves as Artistic Advisory Board Chair. “I’m grateful to my fellow Artistic Advisory Board members for being so generous with their time and talent. We all believe that comedy is better off with a vital Second City,” he shared in a statement.

Second City Artistic Advisory Board/Credit: The Second City

Other board members include Steve Carell, Dwayne Colbert, Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jane Lynch, Tim Meadows, Peter Murrieta, Suzy Nakamura, Catherine O’Hara, Sam Richardson, Jeff Richmond, and Jason Sudeikis, in addition to Key and Thede.

“We want to share our experience of this tradition which helped form who we are as comedians and artists and help encourage a new generation to make that tradition their own,” Colbert added.

Together, the board will work with the comedy empire “to discuss the direction of the theater and the ways in which they can support its artists, helping inform the artistic direction of The Second City.”

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Robin Thede attends the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards at L.A. LIVE on Sept. 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Parisa Jalili, COO of The Second City, also shared a statement regarding the brand new board, stating, “We are so incredibly thankful to the alumni who have joined the inaugural Artistic Advisory Board for their generosity and dedication to The Second City and its future. As we look to the next 62 years and beyond, we are thrilled to have the Board’s support and creative vision guiding the way.”

For more on Second City, their programs, and more, head to the official site.

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