When “Saturday Night Live” launches its 51st season this weekend, local viewers will be trying to spot new cast member Tommy Brennan who hails from St. Paul.
But he’s not the only person with Minnesota ties who will be contributing to the legendary show.
NBC announced earlier this week that Claire McFadden, who graduated from Carleton College in Northfield in 2013, will be among seven newcomers joining the writing staff.
McFadden, who went to high school in Evanston, Ill., previously performed for six years with the Second City comedy troupe and worked for Jackbox Games, the video game developer that came up with “You Don’t Know Jack.”
In February, she returned to Carleton to speak on pursuing a creative career. During the lecture, she mentioned that she had previously auditioned for “SNL.”
She also talked about seeing a 24-hour improv show at Second City the summer before her senior year.
“I felt a powerful ray of desire,” said McFadden, who majored in environmental studies. “I wanted to be up there.”
She’s not the show’s only writer with local connections. Erik Kenward, who was born in Le Sueur, has been with the show since 2001. He also is a producer and is married to Willa Slaughter, who previously worked as an assistant to executive producer Lorne Michaels.
