LINCOLN PARK — The Second City is hosting its first-ever online auction this holiday season, giving people the chance to win everything from a living room Wilco concert to dinner prepared by iconic rocker Steve Albini.
From Nov. 12 through Dec. 3., people can visit Charitybuzz.com to enter for a chance to win the following prizes:
• A private concert for up to 30 people in your home from Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy.
• Two pairs of SNL tickets and a meet-and-greet with Aidy Bryant or Cecily Strong.
• A private drum lesson with Tweedy and The Blisters’ Spencer Tweedy.
• A personalized outgoing voicemail message from Jack McBrayer, who plays Kenneth on the NBC show "30 Rock," or Natasha Lyonne, who plays Nicky in the Netflix original show "Orange is the New Black."
• Dinner for four hand-delivered by your personal chef, independent music icon Steve Albini, who was a member of Shellac, Big Black, Rapeman and Flour.
• One hour of one-on-one business advice via Skype from Groupon founder Andrew Mason.
• Coffee and industry chat with Andrew Alexander, the CEO and executive producer at Second City and producer of SCTV.
The auction, which people can enter for free, is the newest addition to The Second City's annual tradition of hosting a benefit show to help needy Chicago families.
This year's 24-hour improv/music marathon, "24 Hour: A Site for Sore Eyes," is set for Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $20 as long as seats are available. It marks the 14th annual show for the improv institution.
"Wouldn’t you rather give someone SNL tickets for Christmas than just another thing that sits in a drawer? The money you spend goes directly to a real family in need. It's a really special event,” said the show's creator and curator Heather Whinna in a written statement.
Expect to see performances by alumni, including Vanessa Bayer, Edgar Blackmon, Aidy Bryant, Kevin Dorff, Shelly Gossman, TJ Jagodowski, Kate James, Brendan Jennings, Jerry Minor, Brad Morris, Mike O'Brien, Punam Patel, Chris Redd, Horatio Sanz, Steve Waltien and special guest Fred Armisen.
There will also be performances by Jeff Tweedy, Kim Deal of The Pixies, A.C. Newman, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Robbie Fulks, Thao Nguyen from Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Bobby, Holly & the Ricketts, Nina Nastasia and more.
Tweedy will auction off an additional private concert on Nov. 23 at 9 p.m.
For the past decade, Tweedy has been auctioning off private "Living Room" concerts during The Second City's 24-hour improv/music marathon, raising more than a half million dollars for disadvantaged Chicago families. Tickets from this year's event will benefit families from Onward Neighborhood House and Letters to Santa.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
