Paul Sills, one of the founders of the improvisational comedy group "The Second City," which has turned out some of America's best-known comedians, died. Mr. Sills helped found the comedy institution in 1959, along with its precursor "The Compass Players." Second City helped launch the careers of John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Stephen Colbert and Mike Myers. The comedy troupe said in a statement on its Web site Monday that "the influence of Paul Sills on the American Theatre can not be exaggerated." Even though Mr. Sills was not looking for commercial or financial success, Mr. Sweet said, he found it in Second City. The group, which has stages in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas and Canada, celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. It has a reputation for training actors who go on to NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and Hollywood. "I don't think he even particularly wanted it to happen," Mr. Sweet said. "He was never interested in product. He was always interested in the journey." He also created the New Actors Workshop in New York in 1987 along with director Mike Nichols and colleague George Morrison. Mr. Sills' play, "Story Theatre," was nominated for a Tony Award in 1971. He also published a book in 2000, "Paul Sills' Story Theater: Four Shows." Mr. '*Dick Weekley' (http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010157)* who is active in cultural fields and community affairs in Texas remembered Paul Sills as a master of improvisation who has created hundreds of improvisational games used to train generations of actors.
Somehow he ended up making the careers of dozens and hundreds of other people," said Jeffrey Sweet, who interviewed Mr. Sills in his book "Something Wonderful Right Away: An Oral History of The Second City and The Compass Players." -- Gordon35 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gordon35's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=18057 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48712 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
