Travis Turner, Frank Caeti, and Andel Sudik in The Good, the Bad, and the I-5

From left to right: Travis Turner, Frank Caeti, and Andel Sudik in The Good, the Bad, and the I-5

Chicago’s famous sketch comedy troupe The Second City is currently performing a San Diego-themed show at the La Jolla Playhouse. It’s called The Good, the Bad, and the I-5.

In our annual list of the Best of San Diego, we cited this production as “the Best Show to Laugh at Ourselves.” And it definitely lives up to the hype.

There’s Filner fodder a plenty, plus jokes about East County, the La Jolla seals, Shamu, and so much more. No zip code or zoo animal is safe.

Warning: Audience participation is a big part of the show. And if you’re seated in the first few rows, you might get pulled on stage or interviewed during one of the question and answer sketches. The cast members are masters of improvisation, which makes for lots of laughs. But if this is the kind of thing that makes you anxious, request seats in the back.

The cast of The Good, the Bad, and the I-5

The cast of the Good, the Bad, and the I-5

The Second City is well known as a training ground for Saturday Night Live, and has jump-started the careers of superstars like Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and John Belushi.

Back in May, we met with two Second City writers who were in town doing research for the show. We were happy to lend our expertise on all things San Diego. (Read more about that encounter here.)

The Good, the Bad, and the I-5 runs through September 1 at the La Jolla Playhouse. Don’t miss your chance to see it. It is absolutely hysterical. I laughed so hard I cried!

And who knows? You might catch a glimpse of the next Tina Fey in the making. We think Frank Caeti has superstar written all over him. He is so funny that I laughed even when he was just standing there doing nothing.

For tickets, visit lajollaplayhouse.org.

The post LOL with Chicago’s Second City appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

The Second City

Photo: Dave Rentauskas

One of the many perks of being an editor at San Diego Magazine is that we occasionally get asked to do some super cool stuff—and meet with really cool people.

Last night Erin Meanley and I had drinks with two writers from Chicago’s famed sketch comedy troupe The Second City, which recently visited La Jolla Playhouse on its national tour. Rumor has it the hilarious bunch is coming back later this summer, and they’re currently gathering intel for a San Diego-specific show.

The Playhouse asked if we would share our breadth of knowledge about this city with them, and naturally, we were happy to oblige. We are big fans. Many of The Second City’s alums have gone on to mega stardom at Saturday Night Live. And if you read Tina Fey’s book, Bossypants, you’ll remember that she called her time at The Second City “the best job she ever had.”

We met them in the Gaslamp at Croce’s—an iconic San Diego spot—where we proceeded to pontificate about all things SD: the craft beer movement, the homeless problem, the great seal/Children’s Pool dilemma, the border, the comeback of Tijuana, North County vs. the rest of San Diego, fish tacos, Shamu, Norv Turner, and more.

I’m pretty sure they thought we were nuts. Or heavy drinkers. Or both.

Either way, we had fun singing the praises (and problems) of our hometown. It was an honor just to be asked—to be considered resources of information. And we’re looking forward to seeing the new show when it comes in August.

Check with La Jolla Playhouse for updates and ticket info.

P.S. If you see the show, and there happens to be two magazine-editor characters downing martinis and rambling on about San Diego circa 1995… we have no idea who they are! (wink, wink)

The post On Playwrights and Playwriting appeared first on San Diego Magazine.