Improvising as they laugh along

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

The Second City troupe — training ground of such noted alumni as Gilda Radner, John Belushi and Shelley Long — is a constantly changing ensemble that creates much of its own material. Second City 8:15 p.m. Thursday and Jan. 31, and Feb. 1 and 2 Gussie L'Amour's $25 general, $20 in advance at Gussie's and at Hawai'i's Natural High 836-7883, 926-3000 Also: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3, Castle Theatre, Maui Arts & Cultural Center; $10, $20, $25. (808) 242-7469

"It's been a delight," said Sue Salvi, who marks two years with the troupe in April. "Making people laugh is fun work."

"The challenge is working amid changes," said Rob Janas, a company member since September. "New blood "changes the show a little bit."

Indeed, Second City is about change, about new performers, about adapting and updating.

"You would think it's tough to do material that others have done before," said Salvi. "It all kinda depends on what the material is."

The company, founded in Chicago in 1959, has evolved into a premiere training ground for some of the nation's top comedians. Its illustrious alumni roster includes Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Robert Klein, Peter Boyle, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, George Wendt, Martin Short, Shelley Long and Mike Myers; the late John Belushi, Gilda Radner, John Candy and Chris Farley, among others.

Salvi said the format for Second City lets troupers often contribute material and scenes to suit their interests or styles.

"We pretty much contribute a lot of stuff, but we also perform a lot of archival stuff," she said. The trick is to make a revival your own, trying to force the audience to forget the original. "Of course, if you're doing a Chris Farley piece, it's all Chris Farley, and some people would get mad if you don't do it his way."

Janas, who said he's a "little bit of both actor and comedian," remembered his singing stints in high school. "I did a lot of musicals, and opera, too, but improv with Second City was something I wanted to try," he said.

Audience members often suggest material and themes for the company. This means a quick wit, a fast response, a swift delivery for the performers.

"The interesting thing about improv is that a lot of people, my mother included, don't understand what it is," Salvi said. "I would be uncomfortable doing stand-up, because I don't tell jokes. In improv, we all need each other, to play off each other. A lot of funny stuff comes out of truthful situations."

Since 9/11, Salvi said, Americans still need the humor pill. "I performed before and after 9/11, and at a show on Sept. 13, 2001, it occurred to me how valuable comedy was at a time the world needed it. Laughter is the universal language. It is such a special experience to be in a room with 500 people who don't know each other, and everyone's laughing at the same time."

The show's material can get a bit raunchy, depending on the venue and the city. "You don't do certain material while you're in the Bible belt, but some swear words could be heard in other shows in other cities," Salvi said. "In fact, sometimes people are begging for it. Some people like to shout out dirty suggestions. Like, they'll yell 'vibrator.' "

Age, said Janas, often is a factor. "The younger audiences dig it (the vulgarities)."

The improv section produces a melange of topics. "Snow jokes have been popular lately," Salvi said, referring to Mainland weather.

"But we won't have any snow jokes in Hawai'i," Janas cautioned.

Performers who leave the Second City ranks frequently come back to reflect or share their experiences with wannabes. "Alan Arkin recently did a workshop on improvisation on stage," Janas said.