Second City ready for prime time, and especially for Des Moines

The mecca of improvisational comedy has prepared something special for the Temple Theater later this month, but it doesn't want to spoil the surprise.

For 21 shows, the Second City will transplant from Chicago, creating a rare residency filled with sketches, songs and satire, including moments show director Jeff Griggs promises have been specifically "tailored to Des Moines."

Since 1959, the Second City's combination nightclub, theater and intense training center has earned an unparalleled legacy for nurturing dozens of major comedy stars and built an unofficial farm team to supply decades of talent to late-night talk shows and "Saturday Night Live." The new touring production, "Look Both Ways Before Talking,” will test the limits of the company’s improvisational skills and each evening, “go where the audience takes it."

A veteran performer and teacher since 1996, Griggs is thrilled by this opportunity to settle into a long stretch of shows: "We don't do it that often. It's always great for us, because we can really become ingrained in the community, eat where the locals eat, hang out, get comfortable.”

Making his way to a rehearsal for the Iowa performances, Griggs shared his admiration for the team.

"I know I'm going to sit for next three hours and laugh at everything they do," he said. "They all really talented, sharp and charismatic. It's just a wonderful cast. You can tell they are having as much fun as the audience, and that's when you know it’s really great.”

With plots and punchlines deliberately kept under wraps, each performance will make time to lampoon “hot-button issues” head-on, and Griggs has witnessed reluctant audience members "see it and they end up laughing at the end. That’s the whole mission of satire, to put you in a position to talk about topics."

"I know people think of Chicago and Second City as very liberal, extreme institutions. I'm incredibly proud that we hit all sides. We are not just holding the mirror up to one part of the world; we want to hold it up to all parts," Griggs said.

Able to dip into almost 60 years of inspiration, routines written by Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, Steve Carell and other famous alumni are already planned. While a sketch might start out on familiar ground, nightly suggestions from the audience will spin the laughs into uncharted territory. And early attendees are encouraged to return at a later date and discover how living in Des Moines has transformed the production.

"Every show is a special moment between the cast and the audience and it will never be replicated again," Griggs said. "It makes everyone feel really special."

As a director, he sees a key to the longevity of the Second City live work has been the inclusion of relatable humor inspired by "people who you recognize.”

“You don’t always have wacky, bizarre, crazy characters," he said. "You have people with whom you can identify. You go, 'Oh my gosh, I've done that' or 'My mom has done that,' or 'The guy at the desk next to me annoys the hell out of me and has done that.’”

If you go

WHAT: The Second City: Look Both Ways Before Talking

WHEN: Performances run from Tuesday to Sunday, April 10 to 29, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday.

WHERE: Temple Theater, 1011 Locust St., Des Moines.

TICKETS: $28 to $45.

INFO: 515-246-2300, desmoinesperformingarts.org.