Steppenwolf Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro Tapped as Associate Artist with CTG

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has shared that Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro is one of three celebrated artists to be invited into an expanded relationship with the Center Theatre Group (CTG) in Los Angeles. CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie announced today Shapiro, as well as Matthew Bourne and Danai Gurira, will be Associate Artists with the company.

Steppenwolf Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro shares, "My relationship with Mike and Center Theatre Group began when I directed Steppenwolf's National touring production of August: Osage County by ensemble member Tracy Letts in 2009, followed by Steppenwolf's A Parallelogram by ensemble member Bruce Norris in 2013, and I'm excited to build on that. This expanded relationship creates a great opportunity to build a bridge between Chicago and Los Angeles, where many of our ensemble members live and work, allowing for more cross-collaboration between two like-minded theaters and exciting opportunities for Steppenwolf to make connections with new artists, which can only enhance the important work we're doing at home."

"We look forward to developing the relationship with Center Theatre Group, and especially to the opportunities this connection will bring to share Steppenwolf's unique work with CTG's Los Angeles audiences. Anna's work as a director continues to have a profound impact on the American Theatre, and we are extremely proud of her achievements at home and nationally. Connecting and exchanging ideas is how we grow stronger-our ensemble and artists are constantly working and traveling across the globe serving as ambassadors for Steppenwolf and our theater community, and we welcome all the new possibilities this added connection brings to our work in Chicago," shares Steppenwolf Executive Director David Schmitz.

"I have been such a fan of Steppenwolf's work for years, and have had the great pleasure of partnering with Anna on shows in the recent past here in Los Angeles. Because of that I felt compelled to see if there was a way to have a somewhat more formal relationship, rather than just assuming we would collaborate again sometime in the future. With Anna as an Associate Artist at Center Theatre Group we can guarantee that conversation and collaboration will be constant, and certainly for us, the Los Angeles audience will have the great benefit of seeing more of the world-class work that Anna and the Steppenwolf Theatre regularly create," shares CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

Anna D. Shapiro joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2005 and became Artistic Director in 2015. She was awarded the 2008 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for August: Osage County (Steppenwolf, Broadway, London), and was nominated in 2011 in the same category for The Motherf**ker with the Hat (Public Theatre, Labyrinth Theater). Other directing credits at Steppenwolf include Visiting Edna, Mary Page Marlowe, Three Sisters, A Parallelogram, Up, The Crucible, The Unmentionables (also at Yale Repertory Theatre), The Pain and the Itch (also in New York), I Never Sang for My Father, Man from Nebraska, Purple Heart (also in Galway, Ireland), The Drawer Boy, Side Man (also in Ireland, Australia and Vail, Colorado), Three Days of Rain, The Infidel and This is Our Youth (which transferred to Broadway). Other Broadway credits include Of Mice and Men (with James Franco) and Fish in the Dark (with Larry David). Off-Broadway credits include Domesticated (Lincoln Center). Shapiro is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Columbia. She is a full professor in Northwestern University's Department of Theatre.

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation's preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles' leading nonprofit theatre company, programming seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the nation's leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics and circumstance to serve Los Angeles.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier ensemble theater-redefining the landscape of acting and performance. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble has grown to 48 members who represent a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County-and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards-have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programing includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago's diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. Steppenwolf's own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks serves coffee, cocktails and light fare day and night. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf's Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.