Watch Liz Lauren talk about her character in New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House

November 9, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Stella is an outsider to the clanish Smaldone family who you’ll meet in New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House.She’s not Italian, as the family is, so she has to constantly fight to be taken seriously as the wife of the oldest son in the family, sonny. But she has plans to change her situation. Listen […]

Watch Melissa Reeves talk about her character in New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House

November 8, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Del is the oldest sister in the Smaldone family, who you’ll meet in the 2nd Act Players’ production of New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House. There’s a lot of pressure on her to live up to her parents’ expectations. Life has not worked out as she hoped. Hear Melissa Reeves talk about her character, Del: […]

Hear about the costumes for New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House

November 7, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

The costumes for the 2nd Act Players’ fall premiere of New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House are the most elaborate the theater has done in its five years in existence. 2nd Act Players’ Cofounder Carolyn Calzavara has made dresses for all the women in the Smaldone family who you’ll meet in our story. The time […]

Vote to help end fear, panelists advise

November 6, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

American immigrants, even those with green cards and those who have become naturalized citizens, today are living in fear for their own well-being and that of their families, said speakers at the 2nd Act Players’ post-show panel on immigration Sunday, Nov. 4. What the rest of us need to do to end the nightmare they […]

Opening Weekend Audiences Rave about New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House

November 5, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Opening weekend audiences were almost universal in their praise for the new 2nd Act Players’ show, New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House. Comments such as “Great, it was great!” and “The acting was really good,” were common on audience feedback forms during the first two shows Nov. 3 and Nov. 4. Other comments: “Timely, serious, […]

Hear about New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House on WFMT

October 31, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The 2nd Act Players, in its ongoing efforts to reach a wider audience with its dynamic new works for the stage, this season is advertising on Chicago classical station WFMT, in addition to running ads in the Pioneer Press north suburban papers, in the Chicago Tribune, on Evanston’s own WCGO and with the CTA. Our […]

Speakers added to 2nd Act Players’ Nov. 11 immigration panel

October 30, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

The 2nd Act Players’ November play, New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House looks at the American immigrant experience circa 1960. Its first two Sunday shows, Nov. 4 and Nov. 11, will be followed by panel discussions on issues immigrants face today. Speakers for the Nov. 11 panel will include: Fernando Moreno, chief operations officer, SpanishPublicRadio.org […]

Watch Ryan Hall discuss his character in New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House

October 26, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Ryan Hall this year finds himself playing a character in New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House who is based on the father of the character he played last year in the 2nd Act Players’ drama Moving Boxes.It’s not often an actor gets to play two generations of characters from the same family. Watch what Ryan […]

Watch Anne Tracy talk about her character, Faye

October 25, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Faye is one of the Smaldone sisters you’ll meet when you come to see New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House, a look at the American immigrant experience through the eyes of an Italian-American family in 1960 and 1961. Faye tries to honor her father’s wishes even after his death, but doing so comes with a […]

Listen for the 2nd Act Players Sunday on WCGO’s Playtime with Bill & Kerri

October 23, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Listen for 2nd Act Players’ cofounders John N. Frank and Carolyn Calzavara this Sunday, Oct. 28, on WCGO radio’s PLAYTIME with Bill Turck and Kerri Kendall. Discussion will revolve around New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House, the 2nd Act Players’ world premiere play that opens Nov.3 at Northminster Presbyterian Church’s theater in Evanston. “PLAYTIME is […]