THE SECOND CITY DOES DALLAS Kicks Off Dallas Theater Center's 2012-13 Season, 8/29

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Dallas Theater Center kicks of its 2012-2013 season with the outrageous new comedy The Second City Does Dallas written specifically for Dallas by members of The Second City and directed by Matt Hovde. The worlds of Chicago and Dallas collide on DTC's stage in a satirical take on all that makes Dallas great (and not so great). It's a fully produced sketch comedy experience in a theatrical, no-holds-barred look at Big D.

The Second City Does Dallas runs at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre Wednesday, August 29 – Sunday, September 30. Single tickets to The Second City Does Dallas are on sale now online at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org and by phone at (214) 880-0202.

"The Second City is known worldwide for its sketch and improvisational comedy shows that comment on current events, social standards and elected officials," says DTC artistic director Kevin Moriarty. "Dallas Theater Center's goal is to spark a conversation within the community. The Second City Does Dallas was written about Dallas and for Dallas audiences. Amidst the hilarity and in between explosions of laughter it will spark fun conversations for our audiences about who we are and how we're perceived as a city."

Diane and Hal Brierley Acting Company member and long-time Dallas favorite Liz Mikel is joined by The Second City's Frank Caeti, Amanda Blake Davis, Martin Garcia, Scott Morehead and John Sabine. Texas roots run deep with this group – Garcia graduated from the University of Texas in Austin and Sabine is a Lake Highlands native who attended Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. The group takes on Dallas in a hilarious, two-act production of live music, song and scripted comedy on the Wyly stage with Dallas as the backdrop.

"This show is a combination of scenes from the The Second City archive and scenes written specifically to reflect Dallas issues - from culture to politics to social situations - with a loose theme of satirical self-reflection that permeates throughout," says The Second City Does Dallas director and TCU graduate Matt Hovde. "We've assembled a diverse and talented bunch to lead audiences from topic to topic. Three ensemble members are resident alums of The Second City, two are rising stars in the company's performing pool and one is Liz Mikel, whose skills and personality are a joy to work with."

Director Matt Hovde, an alumnus of The Second City, is making his DTC debut with The Second City Does Dallas. Original music and musical direction for the production are by Matthew Loren Cohen, another Second City veteran making his DTC debut. Creating a lounge seat and cabaret style setting so often found in comedy houses is scenic designer Bob Lavallee (DTC: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat; A Christmas Carol). DTC's Jennifer Ables (To Kill a Mockingbird; Henry IV); Aaron Johansen (A Christmas Carol); and Charles Parsley II (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat; The Wiz) will provide costume support, lighting design and sound support, respectively.

The Second City Does Dallas begins previews on Wednesday, August 29 at 7:30pm with a Pay-What-You-Can performance. Tickets to this performance will be available for purchase online at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org. Only unsold tickets to the PWYC performance will be available for purchase at the box office the night of the show. DTC's Stay Late program will alternate between facilitated dialogue with the audience and a member of the cast and a The Second City Third Act. Tickets for The Second City Does Dallas are on sale now. Ticket prices start at $15 and are available online at www.DallasTheaterCenter.org or by phone at (214) 880-0202.

CAST

FRANK CAETI (Ensemble) Second City credits include: Touring Company, two resident company stages (Chicago e.t.c. & Las Vegas), and Reverie, a nonverbal sketch comedy show. He was a series regular on the FOX's long running sketch show MADtv. Other credits include: Key and Peele, Reno 911, NCIS, The Jay Leno Show, numerous commercials, iO West, and UCBLA. Frank is one half of the acclaimed duo, FrankenMatt with former Saturday Night Live writer Matt Craig.

Amanda Blake Davis (Ensemble) is a veteran of The Second City, where she wrote and performed in 5 original revues. Shows included Disposable Nation, Campaign Supernova and Studs Terkel's Not Working, for which she received a Jeff Award for Best Actress in a revue. In Chicago she improvises with Armando Diaz Experience, Virgin Daquiri, and Baby Wants Candy. She performed in the History of Chicago and Sex, Love & The Second City at the UP Comedy Club and the original musical Broads on Boards at the Annoyance Theater. Amanda is from Auburn, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Providence College in Rhode Island.

MARTIN GARCIA (Ensemble) is a proud graduate of The University of Texas in Austin, Martin moved to Chicago in 1994 to study improv and sketch comedy. He traveled with The Second City Touring Company before going on to write and perform in six revues with The Second City, receiving Best Actor nominations for his first two revues. He also performed with The Second City in Las Vegas and in 2010 directed an all Latino Second City revue. TV credits include Early Edition and ER. He recently filmed an independent film entitled Los Scavengers and was proud to write and perform his first one-man show: Martin Garcia: It's a One-Man Show ... for a Reason. See Martin on the web in a short he wrote called BANG! @ http://youtu.be/9ks5yzR_vgI.

Liz Mikel (Ensemble) is a member of the Brierley Resident Acting Company. DTC roles include: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat; The Wiz; Dividing the Estate; A Christmas Carol; Death of a Salesman; Give It Up!; A Midsummer Night's Dream (2009 & 1991); In the Beginning; The Who's Tommy; Crowns; Ain't Misbehavin'. Broadway and Off-Broadway: Lysistrata Jones. Regional: Cape Playhouse, A Contemporary Theater, Arkansas Repertory Theater. Local: Casa Mañana, Dallas Children's Theater, Jubilee Theater, Theatre Three, WaterTower Theatre. Tours: Ain't I a Woman; Blind Lemon Blues (Geneva and Paris); Blues in the Night. TV/Film: Past Life, Friday Night Lights, Sordid Lives The Series, It's in the Water, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. Awards: Leon Rabin Award, DFW Theater Critics Forum Award, D Magazine, Dallas Observer, Dallas Voice, Column Award.

SCOTT MOREHEAD (Ensemble) If you happen to find yourself in Chicago, get a slice of deep dish pizza then go see Scott perform at The Second City's UP Comedy Club, iO Chicago with The Late 90s, or The Apollo Theatre with Baby Wants Candy: The Completely Improvised Musical!

JOHN SABINE (Ensemble) grew up in the Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas and attended Dallas Jesuit. After graduating from Santa Clara University with a BA in Theatre and Dance, he moved to Chicago to attend Second City's Comedy Studies Program. He has studied at the Second City Training Center and iO. He can be seen around Chicago performing with The Late 90s and Second City's Improv Extravaganza Explosion. He recently performed in The Second City 2: Less Pride... More Pork in Cincinnati.

BROOKE BREIT (Co-writer) has written and performed with The Second City in the Touring Company, One Nation Under 1% and several revues at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, DC and CENTERSTAGE in Baltimore. She also performs at iO Chicago and the Annoyance. Originally from North Carolina, Brooke graduated from Washington University in St. Louis.

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