The 2nd Act Players could not exist without the generous support of our sponsors and patrons. And now we’ve made it easier than ever to join our extended family and to support the growth of the performing arts in our various plays and other endeavors. Simply click through here to our new donation page and […]
Read MoreThe 2nd Act Players evolved out of a class taken at the Actors’ Training Center in Wilmette, Ill., in 2012. Our mission is to feature newly emerging talent and the works of emerging and established playwrights that touch on key turning points in people’s lives. The creative bonds formed in our first class grew as […]
Read MoreWe’ve written already about the positive audience response to the first weekend of performances for Talking with My Dad. Those came from evaluation forms which roughly half of all attendees at our first three performances filled out. In addition to answering questions, we also asked them to supply comments. Here’s a sampling of what they […]
Read MoreRoughly 84% of audience members filling out evaluation forms on Talking with My Dad during our first weekend of performances would recommend it to others, a ringing endorsement for the show. Also, an incredible 98% thought the cast worked together well and 91% liked the pacing of the story. The positives went on — 86% […]
Read MoreAmong those in what is expected to be a sell-out crowd for Sunday’s 3 p.m. matinée performances of Talking with My Dad will be several members of the Mended Hearts Club, a heart disease support group from Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital. They and all audience members will be invited to stay after the performance to […]
Read MoreChris is another Actors Training Center alum who last year brought an uncle of mine back to live in New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House. When cousins saw his performance, they said to me, “oh yeah, that’s Uncle Weeddie,” (called Sonny in the play). But while New Year’s Eve was very much an ensemble production, […]
Read MoreRandy is another alum of my Piven Theatre workshop voice class. He revealed himself as a king of improv in that class as well and I was excited when he said he would be available to do Talking with My Dad. His character, Nurse James, is perhaps the most ethereal of us all, working many […]
Read MoreTalking wiht my Dad is a one-act play set in a fictional hospital in the present day. But to bring you to that time and place, we’re renting the famed Piven Theater in Evanston for our six shows Nov. 15-16 and Nov. 22-23. Here’s what the empty stage looks like. As you can see, audience […]
Read MoreDr. Edward Chasen is the head of cardiac surgery at our fictional St. Francis Hospital, the setting for Talking with My Dad. He’s been a surgeon for almost 40 years, a man widely respected in his field, known throughout the country for some of the heart surgery break-throughs he’s pioneered over the years. But hallway […]
Read MoreThe Evanston 2nd Act Players began in 2013 with the goal of staging new works by undiscovered playwrights looking at critical turning points in people’s lives. What we do would not be possible without the wonderful backing of our sponsors, so we thank them here and before each performance. This year, Dave’s Italian Kitchen will […]
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