Julianna’s Irish boyfriend, Bill (portrayed by Jeff Watkins) grew up in the exclusive Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn,a world away from the hard-scrabble Italian neighborhood he now finds himself about to visit with Julianna. His father had been a long-time Naval officer before starting his civilian law career, so Bill came from a professional family, […]
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Julianna (portrayed by Olivia Cinquepalmi) is the youngest of the Smaldone sisters and brothers, the family baby who came along long after momma and poppa thought they were done growing their already large family. She represents another generation from most of her siblings, having been only a child during the Great Depression and a young […]
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New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House marks a major first for the 2nd Act Players — we are making costumes for all the female actors in our play for the first time. 2nd Act cofounder Carolyn Calzavara is designing and sewing dresses, based on 1950s and 1960s patterns and some she designed herself. Act One takes […]
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AN IMMIGRANT FAMILY IN 1960 — TWO GENERATIONS — CLASHING DREAMS. Tickets are now on sale for the 2nd Act Players’ fall show, New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House. Buy tickets in advance to secure the online $5 per ticket discount. Tickets are $17 in advance, $22 at the door. Simply click here to […]
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Dave’s Italian Kitchen, which has evolved into Dave’s New Kitchen, was the first sponsor for the first show the 2nd Act Players ever did in 2013. And he’s back with us again this year for New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House Nov. 3-18. In fact, we just recently had Dave’s pizza to help us celebrate […]
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Roughly 16 million Americans served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, which last for the United States from December 1941 until August 1945. But our story takes placed on Dec. 31, 1960 and Dec. 31, 1961, so why is World War II a part of it? The reason the war is spoken […]
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For almost half a century, beginning in 1929 and going through the early 1970s, Guy Lombardo was Mr New Year’s Eve for millions of Americans. Before Dick Clark and now Ryan Seacreast, it was Lombardo Americans listened to and watched as they prepared to bring in the New Year. He and his band first played […]
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North suburban merchants and service providers, let your customers and potential customers know you support the performing arts in their community by donating a product or service to the Evanston 2nd Act Players’ 2018 fund-raising auction. Donations with face values of at least $25 are greatly appreciated. Join returning donors Temperance Beer Co., F.E.W. Spirits […]
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The 2nd Act Players’ fall production of the all-new New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House will be supported by the five-year-old theater’s first integrated advertising and marketing campaign. Ads for the show will start appearing at the CTA’s Davis Street L station in October. Print advertising will include the Chicago Tribune’s fall play preview and […]
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Join the 2nd Act Players this November for a unique look at the American immigrant experience in this all-new, two-act drama, New Year’ Eve at Grandma’s House. An Italian-American family gathers to celebrate New Year’s Eve 1960, its first without the family patriarch. The country is changing with the election of the first Catholic president […]
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2ND ACT Players 