Victor Wong Fellowship Showcase to Play at The Second City on Tuesdays in May

The Second City will celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month with its third annual Victor Wong Showcase, Dynasty Babies. The showcase runs every Tuesday through May 27, 2025, at 8pm in the e.t.c. Theater. Tickets are $10,

The Victor Wong Fellowship is dedicated to training and mentoring emerging AAPI comedic talent, creating a space for underrepresented voices and shaping a future of comedy rooted in inclusion, empowerment, and diversity. This year’s showcase features ten rising stars who have spent the past 15 weeks writing, performing, and creating the show.

Dynasty Babies is a fantasy-filled comedy tour through the minds of this year’s fellows. Watch as they share sketches that turn love, longing, power, and catharsis on their heads. A regal comedic buffet awaits audiences!

The 2025 Victor Wong Fellows, selected for their exceptional talent and unique comedic voices, include Carolyn Hu Bradbury, Cameron Cai, Lauren Hugh, Eliot Huh, Marie Molina, Mizha Lee Overn, Sharon Pasia, Mantra Radhakrishnan, Thomas B. Tran, and Rohan Tripathi.

"This fellowship isn’t just about creating comedy - it’s about creating space. Space for AAPI artists to take risks, build community, and shape the future of the art form," said Julie Dumais Osborne, Vice President of The Second City Training Center.  "Through the Victor Wong Fellowship, we’re investing in bold, original voices and equipping them with the tools to thrive both onstage and beyond."

"Comedy connects us by validating our shared experiences and opening our minds to new ones," said Mr. Zhao. "Further diversifying the comedic community will help move this important medium—and the society it serves—forward. We are excited to help bring the unique perspectives of AAPI talent to the stage."

Under the program leadership of Jonald Reyes and Showcase Director Sophia Rafiqi, the fellows will embark on an in-depth master program in improvisation and comedy that will conclude with a series of public and industry showcases. The creative team also includes Zoe Agapinan(assistant director), Renee Hansel (production manager), Kyle Anthony Cortes, M.M (music director) and Dujuan Pritchett (stage manager).

The Victor Wong Fellowship builds on Mr. Zhao and his family’s longstanding commitment to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for the 23 million members of the AAPI community in the United States. Mr. Zhao is a founding board member of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), which has become a catalyzing force for improving AAPI advocacy, power, and representation across American society. Mr. Zhao and family have convened and funded a variety of other initiatives focused on supporting Chicago and the AAPI community, including most recently The Peng Zhao and Cherry Chen Fund for AAPI Voices in partnership with Kartemquin Films.

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