The 2nd Act Players has joined the League of Chicago Theatres, joining more than 250 other professional theater companies in the Chicago area.
“We were humbled to be accepted, given our small size, but I think this recognizes we are small but growing and dedicated to presenting entertaining, insightful new stage works about 2nd Acts in people’s lives,” says 2nd Act Players’ Founder John N. Frank.
League of Chicago Theatres’ Director of Member Services Ben Theim wrote in notifying the 2nd Act Players of its acceptance, “We are thrilled to have you as a member.”
“Its been a long road for me from our first play back in 2013,” says Frank, who has survived two heart surgeries in the past five years while writing, acting in and directing plays. “Hopefully, this will help expose us to a wider Chicago-area audience for our works — works our small and devoted audiences have universally loved in the past.”
The 2nd Act Players 2017 season begins the weekend of Sept. 23-24 with staged readings of seven new short plays. It will be followed in November by the world premiere of Moving Boxes, a look at the challenges of aging and caring for loved ones whle rediscovering the meaning of family. The play is coauthored by Frank and his daughter and 2nd Act Board Member Jenny Frank.
“We’re almost ready to announce our cast for Moving Boxes, I have been so impressed by the talent we’ve seen in auditions this year,” says Frank.
Tickets for both the staged readings and Moving Boxes, which will play Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons from Nov. 4 through Nov. 19, are available on the 2nd Act Players website.