SECOND CITY SUCCESS LEADS TO TRENDY EXPANSION

With the huge amount of growth the Second City Training Centre has gained since opening 20 years ago, they have decided to expand from their small studio on Adelaide to much nicer digs on 51 Mercer Street and expanding to 99 Blue Jays Way just recently. The new location has seven studios to work with and The John Candy Box Theatre for small  theatre productions and access to 50+ years of Second City’s hilarious archives. As you walk in the lounge is quite spacious and clean looking with white walls surrounded by smaller studios. On the walls hang old pictures of some of their most famous alumni: Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Martin Short, Gilda Radner,John Candy and Tina Fey.

Thursday, July 30th, they hosted their big grand opening/ ribbon cutting ceremony provided with wine, cheese and charcuterie plates, macaroons galore and a DJ. I was exaggerating the macaroons part, only because that part of the night excited me the most. They had the ribbon cutting ceremony in the main lobby and left the studios open for the guests to explore.

Studio 1 was the Photography Room; Studio 2 hosted the Candy Bar; Studio 3 was the lounge space and had really chill vibe; Studio 4 was were you could share your memories of The Second City; Studio 5 was my favourite room: the wine bar; Studio 6 had more lounge space and Studio 7 was my second favourite with its Moosehead Bar, the room also had tea.

Overall the expansion is quite trendy while paying homage to The Second City roots. The new centre purposes is to accommodate the demand for additional classes in the existing programs as well as brand new classes including Stagecraft, Public Speaking, Stand Up and Improv for Anxiety.