Dance Like There Are Black People Watching: A Black Excellence Revue

The Second City announces a new show at the UP Comedy Club, featuring an all-Black ensemble of writers and performers—confirming it's February, and they are honoring black history month. Showcased as a Black Excellence Revue bursting with brand-new sketches and songs, Dance Like There Are Black People Watching is one of the funniest revues I have seen at Second City. Six comedic rising stars, Kennedy Baldwin, Karl Bradley, Arlieta Hall, Spencer Hodges, Adonis Holmes, and Jason Tolliver, give the crowd a "Dose of Brilliant Black Joy," with a satire and improvisation style that resonated with its audience— with many hysterically laughing all night. 

Making his directorial debut last year at Second City with The SuperAfroWavyDrippyExtraBrillantDope Show, and director of the critically-acclaimed Shamilton and The Dopeness, Rob Wilson, along with, Assistant Director Sabrina Odigie and Musical Director Tony Belsito do an excellent job relating to the audience with this improvisational sketch comedy. This production featured brand-new sketches, like Do You Remember, Black Therapy, Black People Don't, GrandMa, Ken N-Word, Hotep School Bus, and going to the gynecologist.  

Then there is Coma, where a man emerges from a thirty-year coma, asking to watch his black heroes, who have tarnished their reputation. Other great sketches were Girl 6; It's Over, 1-800 Home Training, and the hilarious police confessional church dancing sketch called Interrogation C. There are a plethora of sketches that will make you laugh; however, my top two sketches were Meter Maids and Frito Lay, which had us hysterically laughing. The cast was phenomenal; however, Adonis Holmes, three performers in "Frito Lay, Meter Maids, and Interrogation C, had me in tears.  

Dance Like There Are Black People Watching, which runs around one hour and 50 minutes, including an intermission (shows are only Fridays and Saturdays), is a night of pure enjoyment and well worth the trip to Second City. 

Let's Play Theatrical Review Highly Recommends Dance Like There Are Black People Watching at Second City's UP Comedy Club.

The Second City

Dance Like There Are Black People Watching

Directed by Rob Wilson

February 3- April 1, 2023