A 2nd Act Players’ spotlight on — Bryan Jansen

Bryan Jansen, left, looking for love in "Boys in the Basement."

Bryan Jansen played The Whiz Kid in our 2015 production of Boys in the Basement. His character was a relative innocent in a world of male sharks, an innocent who looked at back issues of Playboy on stage every night. Bryan still holds the 2nd Act Players’ record for getting hit the hardest on stage […]

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Final week to enter the 2nd Act Players Short-Script competition

A scene from "Last Days of Wonder," a winner of our 2016 script comeptition.

For all you Chicago-area playwrights who love writing on deadline, the deadline is here for the 2nd Act Players Short-Script Competition, so send in your entry today! Friday, June 30 at midnight is the last second you can submit an entry. We’ll be producing staged readings of six winning scripts on Sept. 23 and Sept. […]

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A 2nd Act Players’ spotlight on — Peter Nerad

Peter Nerad, as The Player in "Boys in the Basement" contemplates a fine bottle of beer.

Peter Nerad portrayed a character who was one of my favorites to write, The Player in our 2015 production of Boys in the Basement. Player was the leader of the boys, regaling them nightly with stories of his female conquests. The Player had no shame, and no limits. Aren’t there times we’ve all wished we […]

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A 2nd Act Players’ spotlight on — Julie Mitre

Julie Mitre has graced the 2nd Act Players’ stage twice in the past two years, first in The Institute and then as a dying mother in our early 2017 one-act play Last Days of Wonder. Writing us in late May, Julie tells us today “I am more involved with my role as Artistic Associate with Akvavit […]

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Donate your gently used treasures to the 2nd Act Players’ yard sale

Spring cleaning is an annual ritual in our house, and one we’ve turned into a great fund-raising opportunity for our 2nd Act Players. If you;re in the midst of cleaning out your closets as well, here’s a perfect opportunity to donate your gently used treasures to the 2nd Act Players Annual Yard Sale which will […]

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A 2nd Act Players’ spotlight on — Jean Waller

Jean Waller as Kathy O"Malley in "The Institute."

Jean Waller had the challenge in the 2nd Act Players’ 2016 production of The Institute of playing the same character, Kathy O’Malley, at two different points in her life, when she was in high school, and in the present day.And she did it masterfully. Today, “The next show I am in is London Assurance, by Irish […]

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