Angela McMahon
Bio
I am a faculty member at The Second City where I teach writing. I have been working in store front theatre in Chicago as a producer, director, writer, and performer for nearly two decades. I am a mom of two lovely ladies.
Stories (5)
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Audition Is Just a Fancy Way of Saying Interview
So when I started taking classes at The Second City, it was a much smaller company than it is today. You had basically two choices of year-long programs that you could take. Either basic improv (they call it Level A-E) or advanced improv (the Conservatory). They had one student theater, and it wasn't just for students. They had maybe eight classrooms and maybe a total of 15 teachers. Today, they still have those two programs, but they also offer year-long programs in writing, musical improv, filmmaking, and acting. They also have classes in just about anything you can think of, from movement classes to making online content. Not to mention, you can now major in comedy as part of your degree through the Second City Comedy Studies program.
By Angela McMahon8 years ago in Journal
Improv Looks Easy Right?
My last semester at Columbia I was told by my adviser, Marty, I had to start to make some choices as to what I wanted my next steps to be. He was one of the first people involved at Second City. He suggested for me to take a hard look at Second City as my next steps in my education.
By Angela McMahon8 years ago in Journal
'You Will Never Be a Star!'
As my time at community college was coming to a close, I had done three acting classes, one improv class, three musicals, and one drama. To date, it is the only dramatic play I have ever done. It was Landford Wilson's Balm in Gilead; a very large cast, 20 or so characters, set in a NYC diner in the 60s (granted I could Google for accuracy but won't. Going off memory on this one). The diner was filled with hookers and drug addicts, and ME; the waitress. The story is not at all about the waitress, but of course it was. My director's name was Craig. He would be the first of many teachers I would look up to during my journey. He was never a creepy guy, but he did day-drink a lot, so that did color his overall approach a lot of times. After the show wrapped up, we had an exit professional survival audition where we would get direct, pointed feedback on what our teachers thought our next steps should be. I did a monologue I found from some soap opera. In my head, soaps were the first stop on a long road to a big career, so it would be important for me to get used to that style of performing. I finished my monologue, proud as punch, waiting to be told all the star power I hold inside of me.
By Angela McMahon8 years ago in Education
Follow Your Dreams?
To be young and unaware... When I was 16-years-old, I was sitting at dinner with my family when my baby sister asked "Angie, what are you gonna be when you grow up?" Without thinking or heisitaing in the least, I claimed loud and proud "I am gonna be a Broadway dancer!" What came next would be the drum beat that would not stop in my head for the rest of my life.
By Angela McMahon8 years ago in Journal
