My Night On Stage With Second City

I have no idea how good or bad I did, but I do know at one point I was on my hands and knees sticking my head between one of the women’s legs.

Have you ever agreed to do something before realizing maybe you bit off more than you could chew? That was my predicament tonight. I’d agreed to go on-stage with the world famous Second City troupe at New Haven’s equally famous Long Wharf Theater.

The Second City cast are pros. They improvise every night. I am just a medium market weatherboy.

Helaine and I showed up early. An intern took me up, over and down through the bowels of Long Wharf to briefly meet the cast and get my instructions. I’d join them on-stage at the very end for their “Freeze” routine.

“Freeze” is 100% improv. Actors just riff until another member of the company taps one on the shoulder and says, “freeze.” The action stops until the tapper restarts the scene–usually in a totally new direction.

It was nerve wracking.

I have no idea how good or bad I did, but I do know at one point I was on my hands and knees sticking my head between one of the women’s legs. Later I played a Don Knottsesque detective wannabe.

You can’t stop and say “I’ve got nothing here,” though I did feel that would have been appropriate more than once.

When I rejoined Helaine and our friends Dennis and Sue they asked how much prep there had been. None! They were surprised.

My job has certain perks. This is one. I got to join Second City for a few minutes. I think I had fun though I’m still not sure!

9 thoughts on “My Night On Stage With Second City”

  1. Hey Geoff, I have watched you for twenty plus years, once a “Ham”, always a “Ham”! Sorry Dude, you’re a “Ham”!! PS. Welcome back to the AirWaves, you are the only one I trust!

  2. They wouldn’t have asked you if they didn’t think you could handle it. And from the looks of those pics, you handled it mightily. Glad you had a great time.

  3. Wow! Great! Though in the pic with you between the womans’s legs the one in the skirt looks terrified you were going to crawl between hers.

  4. Anybody who hasn’t done so, you need to enlarge the pic with Geoff on his knees. His expression is priceless!

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