Desperate for the next audience suggestion.

So here’s what you need to know about The Second City: they’re based out of Chicago and they’re in the business of being funny. They’ve been in that business for 50 years now, and in that time the sketch comedy group has counted people with names like Belushi, Akroyd, Murray, Carell, Colbert, and Fey among its number. So you know that when I say they’re in the business of being funny, I don’t just mean that they’re going to make you giggle a little. If you attend a Second City show, it’s entirely possible that your gut will literally bust open. I recommend bringing duct tape, just in case. Thankfully for those of us who can’t drive all the way to Chicago, Second City’s got 11 touring ensembles, and one of them is bringing the troupe’s “Fair and Unbalanced” tour to The State. The show includes a bunch of original sketches, along with some of the best material from Second City’s lengthy past. Those in attendance can expect a skewering of American society on every level as, according to the group’s website, “no institution escapes the satiric eye of The Second City – from the blowhards of the Beltway to the Hollywood elite.” Tickets for the show are only $15, but remember to budget a little extra if you’re planning on attending. Hospitals don’t just fix up busted guts for nuthin.’

Second City Touring Company • May 12 • The State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St. • 7:30pm • $15 • 832-ARTS • EauClaireArts.com