The Second City announced today that it's forming a “Creative Collective” of eight current and former performers to oversee creative, serving as the company's artistic director.
“In addition to focusing on the company’s staunch commitment to diversity and inclusion,” Second City said in a press release this afternoon, “the Creative Collective will develop and nurture new Second City Theatrical and video projects and, in the continued tradition of the ensemble, will oversee the creative processes of the Mainstage and e.t.c. theaters.” The members of this collective have yet to be named.
Andrew Alexander, Second City's longtime owner, also announced the promotions of two current staff members. Steve Johnston, currently president of the company's business arm Second City Works, will become president of the company as a whole. Bob Knuth, the company's art director, becomes “creative director of marketing and brand.”
The Chicago Tribune first reported the moves earlier today, suggesting they were tied to the recent departures of cast members Lisa Beasley, Aasia LaShay Bullock and Scott Morehead from the current Second City e.t.c. revue, A Red Line Runs Through It. Alexander told the Tribune the departures were the result of backstage disagreements; he also noted there have been some issues with audience members behaving inappropriately of late, in “this moment of Trump.” It's unclear what the new creative collective could do to regulate audience behavior. The three performers declined to comment to the Tribune.
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