The 2nd Act Players ended 2024 on an incredible high note, having jsut completed its second production of a play in New York. The play which began as a one-act called New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House has evolved and grown over the past 11 years to finally debut where its story takes place, in […]
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The Evanston 2nd Act Players will be holding a table read Sept. 22, Sunday, with a New York cast and director for its founder John N. Frank’s original play It’s My Brooklyn Too! Veteran New York actor and director Giacoma Bonello has been hired to direct and act in the show. The invitation-only reading is […]
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New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House garnered an 85% positive ranking from those who saw it during its three-week run this November, saying they would recommend it to a friend. Also, 96% said in audience feedback forms that they found the characters true-to-life and 99% said they found the story of an immigrant family struggling […]
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Act II of New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House takes place at the end of 1961, a time when fashion was changing thanks to the style influences of then First Lady Jackie Kennedy. 2nd Act Cofounder and costume designer Carolyn Calzavara sought to reflect that in her choices for women’s dresses in Act II. Hear […]
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New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House spans two fashion decades, the 1950s and the 1960s, each very different and distinct in the looks it became remembered for. 2nd Act Players’ Cofounder Carolyn Calzavara took on the monumental task of creating outfits for the women in New Year’s Eve that would represent each of these decades. […]
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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: […]
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Phil Troyk plays Sonny in New Year’s Eve at Grandma’s House. Sonny is momma’s oldest son, a big, blustery man who revels in telling of his glory days as an amateur boxer. Sonny wants to be accepted as American despite his Italian roots. But the price he will have to pay for that may be […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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, […]
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