Second City comes to our city
Sam Sottosanto / Senior Verge Reporter
Issue date: 10/24/08 Section: The Verge
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Her mother is looking out the window, listening to her daughter talk to herself about the next recipe she will make.
Almost an hour has passed, and Sohm is still at it, with an entire set-up of "food."
This is a typical day in the Sohm household.
Looking back at the memory, Sohm laughed.
"I was really obsessed with being one of those TV cooking show hosts," she said. "I was a giant weirdo! My mom tells me that she'd catch me playing by myself but having this whole set-up, she said I would do talk shows, my friends would come over."
Sohm has turned her obsession with creativity into a full-time job.
Sohm performs with The Second City, a nationally touring improvisational group out of Chicago. The Second City will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Doudna Fine Arts Center.
The group is known for its social and political jokes, according to its director, Andy Miara. The Second City counts Tina Fey, Steve Carrell and Stephen Colbert among its alumni.
Sohm has been there for two years.
College years
Sohm always had an interest in theater.
But she had not thought of it as an actual career choice until she went to college at University of Illinois at Chicago. She first majored in nutrition, but changed when she realized how difficult the classes were.
"I was really bad at chemistry," Sohm said.
Shortly thereafter, Sohm decided to major in theater.
Her parents were confused by the switch. They grew up in Korea and went to the best colleges there.
"I think they were just so confused about what I was doing - 'Wait, you're going to college to act?' They thought that was strange," Sohm said. "But they were very supportive, surprisingly."
To this day, Sohm's parents tell all their friends about The Second City and their daughter's acting job.
Though the two are proud of her, Sohm said they sometimes still worry.
"My dad would like it if I had a job a little bit more secure," she said.
Coming to Second City
About four years ago, one of Sohm's college professors, Bernie Sahlins, who was a co-founder of The Second City, suggested Sohm take classes there.
Sohm took his advice and shortly thereafter began working on The Second City Cruise Ship, where she and a group of others did improv shows once a week.
"For the rest of the time we got to hang out," Sohm said. "I (was) getting paid to sit and hang out on this beach. It was the greatest."
Since Sohm is now a part of the actual improv group, she travels across the country.
However, Sohm loves the improv.
Sohm's favorite improv game is called "scene tag," which is when there are three scenes, and three pairs of two.
The first pair will perform a scene, and the last line of dialogue that they say will have to be the first line of dialogue in the second pair's scene.
Sohm also likes the game "Sing it."
"You start a scene and then someone who is moderating the game, they say freeze - you are creating a song from the top of your head," Sohm said. "I love 'Sing it.'"
Unique moments
Another aspect of improv that Sohm enjoys is its unpredictability.
"There's always every show, something you are like 'Wow - I can't believe that happened," Sohm said.
Sohm said that her most unique experience onstage has happened more than once.
"I wasn't used to wearing lobby ears - small mics on clothes," Sohm said. "The first time I wore it, I went to the bathroom (and) I forgot to take my mic off."
It was during a serious scene, and while the audience was trying to pay attention, all they could hear were the noises from the bathroom through Sohm's mic.
Director's point of view
Andy Miara has directed The Second City cast and has been a teacher in the training center for three years.
According to Miara, 80 percent of the show's material is based on scenes from the group's archives, which covers the past 50 years, and 20 percent is original material written by the company.
"With regards to the archival material, it's my job to select the scenes that will be in the show, rehearse those scenes with the cast, and then put it into the order it's presented to audience," he said. "With the original material, I help shape the raw ideas the cast generates into finished pieces that go on the stage."
Although Miara won't accompany the group to Eastern, he said he is excited for students to see the show.
Different things, such as the presidential race and other hot topics will be embedded into the show.
"In addition to that, you'll get to see some of our favorite scenes the Second City has created, as well as lots of hilarious improvisation by the cast," Miara said.
The cast
Sohm is especially excited to come to Eastern.
"I grew up in Champaign, (and) I feel like Eastern is a jump away," Sohm said.
She said she could remember coming to Eastern on band competitions in high school.
Right now, Sohm and her castmates are writing a holiday show, which Sohm admits is stressful at times.
No matter how stressful it can get, however, it doesn't change the amount of support she gets from her co-workers.
"They're more than my best friends, they're like my family," Sohm said. "Everyone gets annoyed with everyone, (but) deep down everyone is supportive."
Since they work together everyday, and travel together almost constantly, the group has gotten close really fast.
"Sharing rooms, going out afterwards partying like we're 20," Sohm listed. "It's so much fun, we get along so well."
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