John Zinn News

John Zinn is a free-lance arts marketing consultant and producer. He was Director of Marketing and Communications at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago for 7 years and has worked with the company in some capacity for a total of 15 years.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is pleased to announce their Fall 2018 lineup, which will feature performances from Destinos, The 2nd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival; Our Perspective: Asian American Play Readings; Lucky Plush Productions and Every house has a door.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series and Mark Cortale are pleased to present Christine Ebersole with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. The one-night-only event takes place Monday, July 30, 2018 at 6:30pm in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted).

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is pleased to announce their exciting Summer 2018 lineup, which includes offerings from more than 20 different artists and groups ranging from standup to theatre to live music to a live podcast episode and more! LookOut's Summer 2018 lineup provides audiences with a variety of reasons to step out of the heat, grab a cool drink from Front Bar and head into Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre to experience diverse artists and genres.

Steppenwolf's LookOut series is proud to present The Yard's production ofcolumbinus by the United States Theatre Project, written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli. Directed byMechelle Moe and performed by The Yard's 15 young-person ensemble, columbinus runs Thursday, May 3 - Saturday, May 26 in the 1700 Theatre. Press date is Friday, May 4 at 8pm. Tickets ($15 - $25) to columbinusare on sale now through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org. Red and Black Card Members can use their credits toward columbinus, and Black Card members get 2-for-1 tickets.

Steppenwolf's LookOut series is proud to present The Yard's production of columbinus by the United States Theatre Project, written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli. Directed by Mechelle Moe and performed by The Yard's 15 young-person ensemble, columbinus runs Thursday, May 3 - Saturday, May 26 in the 1700 Theatre.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is pleased to announce their exciting Spring 2018 Lineup, which will feature LookOut Visiting Company The Yard's production of columbinus, by the United States Theatre Project, written by Stephen Karam and PJ Paparelli, directed by Mechelle Moe, performed by The Yard's 18 young-person based Ensemble. columbinus is a docu-drama that probes the psychological warfare of alienation, hostility and social pressure that goes on in high schools across America.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series and Mark Cortale are pleased to present Patti LuPone with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. The one-night-only event is Monday, March 5, 2018 with performances at 6:30pm and 9pm in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted).

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is pleased to present, as part of the Winter 2017-18 lineup, The Accidental Curator, written and performed by ensemble member Molly Regan and directed by Mary B. Robinson. Regan, who was encouraged by former Artistic Director Martha Lavey to write this show, was most recently seen on the Steppenwolf stage in The Herd, Tribes, and Good People.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series has announced their exciting Winter 2017-18 Lineup, which will feature two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera in Concert with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series, now in its second year, announces a thrilling variety of artists for their fall lineup with talent hailing from as far as Cuba and Mexico to our own Chicago community. Since launching in June 2016, the LookOut Series has hosted more than 600 artists in 162 performances of 73 unique engagements, entertaining over 8,300 patrons in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre.

Strawdog Theatre Company and Artistic Directors Michael Dailey, Heath Hays and Anderson Lawfer are proud to announce the company's 30th Anniversary Season: the Chicago premiere of Barbecue, August 17 - September 30, at Steppenwolf Theatre's 1700 Theater,  1700 N. Halsted Street as a LookOut Visiting Company; the Chicago premiere of Pillars of the Community, January 19 - March 30, 2018 and the world premiere of Damascus, May 11 - June 24, 2018 at Strawdog Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave. Subscriptions start at $55 per package, a 25% discount, and are on sale now at Strawdog.org. Subscribers also receive invitations to workshop presentations of Take Me, a new musical by Jon Langford and Mark Guarino, in development with Strawdog throughout Season 30. 

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series, now in its second year, announces a thrilling variety of artists for their fall lineup with talent hailing from as far as Cuba and Mexico to our own Chicago community. Since launching in June 2016, the LookOut Series has hosted more than 600 artists in 162 performances of 73 unique engagements, entertaining over 8,300 patrons in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre.

Strawdog Theatre Company and Artistic Directors Michael Dailey, Heath Hays and Anderson Lawfer are proud to announce the company's 30th Anniversary Season: the Chicago premiere of Barbecue, August 17 - September 30, at Steppenwolf Theatre's 1700 Theater,  1700 N. Halsted Street as a LookOut Visiting Company; the Chicago premiere of Pillars of the Community, January 19 - March 30, 2018 and the world premiere of Damascus, May 11 - June 24, 2018 at Strawdog Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave. Subscriptions start at $55 per package, a 25% discount, and are on sale now at Strawdog.org. Subscribers also receive invitations to workshop presentations of Take Me, a new musical by Jon Langford and Mark Guarino, in development with Strawdog throughout Season 30. 

By popular demand Steppenwolf's LookOut Series extends its rock 'n' roll production of the solo play, How To Be A Rock Critic (Based on the Writings of Lester Bangs) by award-winning theatre artists Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, starring Erik Jensen (The Walking Dead, Mr. Robot) as Lester Bangs and directed by Jessica Blank (Made in Jersey, The Namesake). Described as "a fascinating window into one of the last century's most compelling and fearless critics," (Chicago Tribune), the 80-minute production continues for three additional performances through July 29, 2017 in the 1700 Theatre, situated behind Front Bar: Coffee & Drinks (drinks permitted in the theater).

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces a change in the casting of the LookOut Series Concert Reading of Standup Shakespeare. This event, which is a benefit concert reading for the theatre, will still feature the extraordinary talent of Steppenwolf co-founder Jeff Perry and Broadway legend Alice Ripley. Joining them will be Grammy and Clio Award-winning Opera singer Thomas Young, who was in the original Off-Broadway production directed by Mike Nichols and is featured on the Standup Shakespeare cabaret review album recorded in 1995.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series is excited to announce a surprise summer performance of Standup Shakespeare: A Concert Reading with music by Ray Leslee, book by Kenneth Welsh and words by Shakespeare, of course. This event, which is a benefit concert reading for the theatre, showcases the extraordinary talent of Steppenwolf co-founder Jeff Perry alongside Broadway legends Norm Lewis and Alice Ripley.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center announces its 20th anniversary 2017-18 season with the initial launch of more than 150 performances and special events, all wrapped into a festive new reimagining of the NJPAC brand identity.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series has announced their summer lineup, which will feature a three week run of the acclaimed solo play, How To Be A Rock Critic (Based on the Writings of Lester Bangs) by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, the award-winning writers of The Exonerated and Aftermath. The show will run July 6 - July 22 in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre (1700 N Halsted St); the press performance is Friday, July 7 at 8pm.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series has announced a slate of programming for spring curated by two of Chicago's most talented and prolific theater artists: Actor/Playwright/Musician Sandra Delgado and Actor/Director Sandra Marquez, who is also a Steppenwolf ensemble member. Sandra Delgado is the playwright and star of Teatro Vista's upcoming production of La Havana Madrid, also running this spring in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre (April 14-May 21) as part of the theater's Visiting Company Initiative.