[NEohioPAL]Second City Comes to Cleveland/Summer Dance previews

[Roy Berko]

SECOND CITY OPENS NEW HOME IN CLEVELAND/SUMMER DANCE
PREVIEW

	Roy Berko

	(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

	--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

	Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

	     What do Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein,
John Belushi, John Candy, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd,
Gilda Radner, George Wendt, Shelley Long, Jim Belushi
and Chris Farley have in common?  They are all former
members of The Second City.    What do George Pete
Caleodis, Cody Dove, Coleen Doyle, Jack Hourigan,
Quinn Patterson and Dana Quercioli have in common? 
They too are members of The Second City.  Except,
instead of their having cut their teeth in Chicago, at
the company’ s original home, the latter group is here
in Cleveland at the newest setting for the famed
comedy organization. 
     	Second City has been called “A Temple of Satire”
by Time Magazine.  The New York Times stated that,
“the entire recent tradition of American satire can be
summed up in three words: The Second City.”  
 	    Recently opened in the Hanna Building in the
heart of Playhouse Square, the Cleveland venue is the
fifth location in North American to feature a Second
City troupe.  Other cities include Chicago, Detroit,
Las Vegas and Toronto.  The local performance space is
a newly built contemporary large black box theatre,
which seats 300.  Patrons sit at tables in comfortable
chairs in an arrangement which makes for easy viewing.
 Food and drink are available at moderate prices. 
Acoustics are adequate though it was sometimes hard to
hear some of the members when the music was played as
they spoke.
     	The show consists of two-40 minute acts
interspersed with 30 to 45 minutes of improvisation in
which cast members create scenes based on suggestions
from the audience.  (Think the TV show “Whose Line Is
It Anyway?”) The shows, which will change about every
three months, are written by the cast and the
director.  
	     The opening production, is entitled “Rivercan’t
or The Traficanterbury Tales or A Humorless Celtic
Dance Company Made Us Change the Title of Our Show.”
The latter segment of the title refers to complaints
by Riverdance organization over the show’s original
title, “Burning Riverdance or The Traficanterbury
Tales.” The title is a little misleading.  There was a
takeoff on Riverdance, but the Traficant reference is
misleading, as there was only one reference to the
errant Congressman.  
	     In fact, the Cleveland connection, as a whole,
was not very well developed.  There were references to
 Mayor Jane Campbell, Halle Berry and Art Modell but
there is so much more that makes up the humor of this
area.  
    	The improv segments didn’t work as well as should
be expected. The cast didn’t seem swift enough to
fully develop clever concepts.  Hopefully their skills
will improve with experience.
	    During the scripted segments some cast members
and the production were inconsistent.  Cody Dove and
Jack Hourigan were wonderfully funny and totally
involved in their presentations.  The other cast
members varied greatly in their comedy abilities. 
Again, hopefully this will improve with experience.
	     Show highlights included a hysterical game of
“Pictionary” where gender roles were exposed; the
audience’s participation as high school band members;
the dancing wheels which was performed while sitting
on office chairs; a visit to the psychiatrist; and the
sounds of Riverdance.  
    	Weaker sections were the firefighter segment, a
high school graduation ceremony, a space walk, a
stripper scene, and a chaotic final number which
attempted to take the audience on a drive around the
area.
	     Here’s hoping that the troupe continues to do
what it does well and grows in their presentational
abilities. If that happens, Second City will become an
exciting place for Clevelanders to go on a regular
basis. 
	    The comedy troupe performs Wednesday through
Sunday at 8 PM with additional shows on Friday and
Saturday at 11 PM.  Admission is $17 per person with a
dollar additional for Friday and Saturday
performances.  There is no age limit and no drink or
food minimum.  Tickets are available at 216-466-2222,
at Tops Markets or Ctix Ticketing outlet on Star Plaza
in the Theatre District.  For more information on The
Second City Cleveland visit www.secondcity.com.

	SUMMER SCHEDULE INCLUDES STRONG DANCE PROGRAMS

     	GROUNDWORKS DANCE THEATER, David Shimotakahara’s
splendid troupe, will perform at Cleveland Public
Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue on June 7, 8, 14 and 15
at 8 PM and on June 9 and 16 at 3 PM.  For information
and tickets call 216-631-2727.  Don’t miss one of the
most talented and exciing dance companies in the
country.
	    CAIN PARK presents:
	     IN.LET DANCE THEATRE, a new high energy
contemporary dance company founded and directed by
Bill Wade.  Performances on July 24 are at 1 PM (this
is a Kidzart presentation) and 8:30 PM.  These are
FREE.  
	    On July 26 at 1 PM (a Kidzart presentation) and
on the 27th at 8:30 PM the SEAN CURRAN COMPANY, a
young contemporary dance troupe which combines complex
musicality with powerful emotion, will perform. 
Curran appeared in Broadway show STOMP.  
     	On August 15 at 8:30 PM POINT OF DEPARTURE, an
evening of ballet  staring former Cleveland Ballet
lead dancers Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, will
be presented.  This is a “back by popular demand”
performance by two of the country’s best ballet
dancers.  They will be accompanied by members of the
Cleveland Orchestra.  This is a MUST SEE!
    	For tickets to any Cain Park show call
216-371-3000 or go online to www.cainpark.com.


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