The winners of the 2nd Act Players spring new script competition, 2021 isn’t 2020, or is it? include award-winning playwrights, returning 2nd Act Players’ competition winners, and the first winner of a 2nd Act Players’ new script competition who resides outside the United States. Both Craig Gustafson and John Mabey had scripts performed by the […]
Read MoreThe Evanston 2nd Act Players plans a March online fundraiser entitled Broadway Blingo. Participants will play online bingo for jewelry prizes and hear about jewelry they can purchase, with a portion of proceeds being donated to the 2nd Act Players. “We’re adapting to life online during the pandemic,” says 2nd Act Players’ cofounder John N. […]
Read MoreMore than 100 entries have poured in for the 2nd Act Players’ 2021 Script Competition with two weeks to go until the final entry deadline. This makrs the fifth year the 2nd Act Players have put out a call for new scripts and will likely be the year that sets a record for most entries. […]
Read More2nd Act Players Cofounder John N. Frank has been named a 2020 top executive by Marquis’ Who’s Who in recognition of his work in starting the 2nd Act Players, and in keeping the theater alive in these times of Covid-19 which has devastated the theater business. Frank’s long-time first career as a journalist also is […]
Read MoreThe Evanston 2nd Act Players has been blessed with a theater home at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Northwest Evanston for the past four years. We have always found the members of the church to be open, inviting and progressive, showing concern for all those around them and throughout the area. So we were saddened in […]
Read More
Audience reaction to our recent 60 is the New 40 Play Festival was so positive we’ve decided to make the plays available for on-demand viewing through Jan. 31, 2021. So if you missed our shows in November, you can still see thier brillant short plays about poeple redefining themselves in their Golden Years. Audiences raved […]
Read MoreThe 2nd Act Players is using an online platform called Crowdcast to stream its 60 is the new 40 Play Festival. Crowdcast was created for business meetings, so registration is fairly straight-forward, a person goes to an event page and registers, paying the fee specified. Some of our ticket buyers last week wanted to buy […]
Read More
Four short plays about characters redefining themselves in their Golden Years. The Sensational SistersBy John MabeyTwo superhero sisters face the challenges of early retirement. Spot the CamelCraig GustafsonA husband and wife fret about Alzheimer’s and aging with a surprise twist. In Her Golden YearsSteven KorbarA daughter learns a long-held secret of her mother’s and sees […]
Read MoreBev Coscarelli joins the 2nd Act Players ensemble for the first time in our 60 is the New 40 Play Festival, acting in two plays that present quite the acting challenges for her. Come see Bev along with five other cast members, online Nov. 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7 p.m. For details, check out […]
Read MoreSheena Laird joins the 2nd Act Players for our 60 is the New 40 Play Festival, playing two characters in two different short plays. Come see Sheena along with five other cast members, online Nov. 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7 p.m. For details, check out our 60 is the New 40 Festival page. For tickets, click here. […]
Read MoreNick Dorado is new to the 2nd Act Players’ virtual stage and will be taking on the challenge of playing characters in four different plays over two weekends. Come see Nick along with five other cast members, online Nov. 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7 p.m. For details, check out our 60 is the New 40 […]
Read More2nd Act Players Cofounders John Frank and Carolyn Calzavara will be discussing their 60 is the New 40 Play Festival this Sunday, Nov. 8 on Playtime with Bill Turck and Kerri Kendall on WCGO radio. You can hear the show on WCGO 1590 AM, 95.9 FM and online athttp://www.wcgoradio.com The 2nd Act Players are scheduled […]
Read MoreMatt Schufrieder is making his 2nd Act Players debut with our 60 is the new 40 Play Festival, Matt has roles in teo of our short plays and will definitely show his acting range. In one, he plays an aspiring Broadway composer while in the other, he plays a high school senior anxious to conquer […]
Read MoreDeb Rodkin is a veteran of the 2nd Act Players stage, having acted in two of our previous productions, including our 2019 hit Old Ringers.. She’ll be playing multiple characters in three of the eight short plays that make up our 60 is the New 40 Play Festival this month. Come see Deb along with […]
Read MoreLiz Lauren is a veteran of the 2nd Act Players stage, having acted in two of our previous productions. She’ll be playing multiple characters in four of the eight short plays that make up our 60 is the New 40 Play Festival this month. Come see Liz along with five other cast members, online Nov. […]
Read MoreIan Patrick Williams won the Chicago Emmy award for acting in and co-authoring the teleplay Bleacher Bums for PBS-TV; the script was later produced as a TV movie by Showtime. His one-act play Provenance was produced last year at Ensemble Studio Theater in L.A. Here, he talks about his 2nd Act Players’ festival award-winning play, Normal Shnormal, and his expectations […]
Read MoreMark Contorno (playwright, composer and lyricist) is a native of Chicago, who has also lived in New York and Los Angeles. He has written numerous plays and musicals some of which were produced in Chicago as well as New York and Charleston, South Carolina. Come see us perform Mark’s play, Egil Foss and His Left Hand, […]
Read MoreCraig Gustafson has been writing 10-minute plays for the past two years. His Lending a Hand has been published in Best Ten Minute Plays of 2019 and Save Me, Myron Glick! will be published in The Best Ten-Minute Plays 2021. Here. Craig shares with us his thoughts on his festival play, Spot the Camel, and on the future of theater during and after […]
Read MoreSteven Korbar’s full-length and one-act plays have been produced throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. His short plays, Table for Four, Mrs. Jansen Isn’t Here Now and What are You Going to Be? have all been published in Smith and Kraus’ Best Short Plays series. Come see us perform Steven’s play, In […]
Read MoreKen Preuss is a Florida-based playwright, performer and teacher. His one-acts for teens and assorted short plays have been produced in Australia, Canada, England, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and 48 of 50 States. Come see us perform Ken’s play, The Elusive Pursuit of Maximum Bliss, along with seven other […]
Read MoreElizabeth DeSchryver is a published poet and short story writer as well as a playwright. Her short plays have been performed at Chicago Dramatists, Cold Basement Dramatics, and 2nd Act Players. Now that she is retired, she is looking forward to writing more. Come see us perform Beth’s play, Symphony, along with seven other short […]
Read MoreRobin Baron’s produced plays include: Mother’s Day, Seoul Players, Seoul, Korea (2019); Gus, Otherworld Theatre, Chicago, IL (2019); About Time, 4th Street Theater, Chesterton, IN (2019); Bruce, Funhouse IV, Seattle, WA (2018); and Downsizing, Stage Left, Spokane, WA (2018). Robin’s plays have been part of Page to Stage at The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. (2014-2019). […]
Read MoreJohn Mabey started his career as a mental health counselor and infuses everything he’s learned about relationships and emotions into his characters. His work has been produced in Los Angeles and New York as well as overseas in Amsterdam. Here, he gives an overview of his play and looks ahead to theater in the post-covid […]
Read More
Two returning 2nd Act Players are joined by four newcomers to our virtual stage in the 2nd Act Players November online 60 is the New 40 Short-Play Festival. Deb Rodkin acted with the 2nd Act Players in 2019 in Old Ringers and also was in the cast for its 2019 Women’s Empowerment One-Act Play Festival. […]
Read More
We wanted to do more than just issue another statement after the death of George Floyd and subsequent demonstrations across America, we wanted to do something tangible to help.
Read More
The 2nd Act Players will present its first online production the evenings of July 24th and 25th entitled More Rivers Will I to Cross — A look at twin pandemics – Racism & Covid-19. The streaming presentation will feature two short plays by Chicago playwright Andre Richardson Hogan II, Raisin Puffs and Line of Duties. […]
Read More
The Evanston 2nd Act Players spring 2021 production, Pandemic Stories: 7 tales of love, life and loss will open online Friday, April 23, with shows running Friday, Saturday and Sundays through May 2. The production features seven 10-minute plays, the winners of the 2nd Act Players spring 2021 new script competition, which examine the […]
Read More
The 2nd Act Players have selected seven winning scripts for its spring 2021 production entitled 2021 isn’t 2020, or is it? The seven 10-minute plays examine the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s lives. “These winners were selected from nearly 200 entries we received from playwrights around the globe,” explains 2nd Act Players’ […]
Read MoreThe Evanston 2nd Act Players received nearly 200 entries for its spring festival entitled 2021: It’s not 2020, or is it? Plays that look at people changing in a changing world. The entry deadline has now passed and no new entries are being accepted. Scripts are going through three rounds of judging before the winners […]
Read MoreTo clarify here, we’re looking for scripts that touch on the past year, so if you wrote something before 2020 and have not updated it, it likely will not be considered. Scripts should deal with issues of the past year — Covid, racial injustice, the election, etc. Thanks. The Evanston 2nd Act Players is announcing […]
Read More
This has been a year like few others. Yet, despite all the adversity around us, the 2nd Act Players has remained true to its mission —- thanks to the help of our donors, our sponsors, ticket buyers, actors, graphic designer, wardrobe director, show directors, our board members, and playwrights. When we shut our theater in […]
Read More