Martha Lavey News

By popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company extends the celebrated summer revival of This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan, directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro, and featuring Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin and Tavi Gevinson. The play, featuring performances from Cera, Culkin and Gevinson continues for two additional performances July 13 and July 20 at 7:30pm.

Casting is complete for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Chicago-premiere production of The Night Alive by Conor McPherson. Henry Wishcamper directs a cast featuring ensemble members Francis Guinan and Tim Hopper with Helen Sadler, Dan Waller and M. Emmet Walsh. The world premiere of The Night Alive was produced at the Donmar Warehouse in 2013. The Night Alive begins previews September 18, 2014 (opening night is September 28; press performances are September 27 at 3pm and September 30 at 7:30pm) and runs through November 16, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St).

The second annual Arts Alliance Illinois benefit luncheon, 'Voices of a Creative State,' welcomed more than 400 artists, creatives and civic + corporate leaders to the Palmer House Hilton,Monday, June 2, 2014. Highlights of the luncheon included a special keynote address by MacArthur "Genius" and Steppenwolf Ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney and the presentation of Arts Alliance Illinois' "Citizen Advocate" Award to Richard and Susan Kiphart in recognition of their vision and civic leadership in providing heightened visibility to the value of the arts. The event raised more than $275,000 to help the organization promote widespread support for the arts throughout the state.

Rehearsals are underway for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's world-premiere production of The Qualms by ensemble member Bruce Norris.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company's world-renowned ensemble will join more than 600 members of Chicago's corporate, civic and cultural communities for Gala 2014 tonight, May 3, 2014.

Chicago audiences depart for the country's western edge to experience the reality of the modern-day American dream in the world premiere of Mona Mansour's funny and insightful new play, The Way West, at Steppenwolf TheatreCompany. Ensemble member Amy Morton is at the helm following her Tony Award-nominated portrayal of Martha in Steppenwolf's production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway. The cast of six features Ira Amyx, ensemble member Martha Lavey, Caroline Neff, Deirdre O'Connell, Zoe Perry and Gabriel Ruiz. The Way West opens April 13 and runs through June 8, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Check out a first look at highlights below!

The Steppenwolf Theatre Company Ensemble has announced its newest member, playwright Bruce Norris. Among his many accomplishments, Norris is the author of The Qualms, playing July 3 - August 31 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre. Since 2000, Steppenwolf has produced seven of Norris's plays, including Clybourne Park and the world premieres of A Parallelogram, The Unmentionables, The Pain and the Itch, We All Went Down to Amsterdam, Purple Heart and The Infidel.

Chicago audiences depart for the country's western edge to experience the reality of the modern-day American dream in the world premiere of Mona Mansour's funny and insightful new play, The Way West, at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Ensemble member Amy Morton is at the helm following her Tony Award-nominated portrayal of Martha in Steppenwolf's production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway. The cast of six features Ira Amyx, ensemble member Martha Lavey, Caroline Neff, Deirdre O'Connell, Zoe Perry and Gabriel Ruiz. The Way West opens April 13 and runs through June 8, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St).

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is now accepting applications for Garage Rep 2015, which presents the work of three of Chicago's most innovative emerging theater companies in rotating repertory under Steppenwolf's banner. Chicago theater companies with a track record of production excellence and inventive approaches to attracting multigenerational audiences are encouraged to apply. The sixth annual Garage Rep is presented in Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre, March - April 2015 (specific dates to be announced at a later date).

Casting is nearly complete for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's world-premiere production of The Way West by Mona Mansour. Ensemble member Amy Morton directs a cast of six featuring ensemble member Martha Lavey with Ira Amyx, Caroline Neff, Deirdre O'Connell, Zoe Perry and Gabe Ruiz. This wryly funny play-with music-about the contemporary quirks of our American spirit is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. The Way West begins previews tonight, April 3, 2014 (opening night is April 13; press performances are April 12 at 3pm and April 15 at 7:30pm) and runs through June 8, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St).

Hundreds of Chicago's young arts supporters gather for a high-energy evening of music, dancing, cocktails, impressive local cuisine and auction at Steppenwolf Auxiliary Council's 2014 Red or White Ball tonight, March 28, 2014 at 9pm, with the highly anticipated VIP Reception beginning at 7:30pm.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include a first look at the Broadway company of MOTHERS AND SONS, a peek into rehearsals of THE WAY WEST with Amy Morton, coverage of opening night of BLITHE SPIRIT starring Angela Lansbury, and more!

Chicago audiences depart for the country's western edge to experience the reality of the modern-day American dream in the world premiere of Mona Mansour's funny and insightful new play, The Way West, at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Ensemble member Amy Morton is at the helm following her Tony Award-nominated portrayal of Martha in Steppenwolf's production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway. The cast of six features Ira Amyx, ensemble member Martha Lavey, Caroline Neff, Deirdre O'Connell,Zoe Perry and Gabe Ruiz. The Way West begins previews April 3, 2014 (opening night is April 13; press performances are April 12 at 3pm and April 15 at 7:30pm) and runs through June 8, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast and creative team in rehearsal below!

Chicago audiences depart for the country's western edge to experience the reality of the modern-day American dream in the world premiere of Mona Mansour's funny and insightful new play, The Way West, at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Ensemble member Amy Morton is at the helm following her Tony Award-nominated portrayal of Martha in Steppenwolf's production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway. The cast of six features Ira Amyx, ensemble member Martha Lavey, Caroline Neff, Deirdre O'Connell, Zoe Perry and Gabe Ruiz. The Way West begins previews April 3, 2014 (opening night is April 13; press performances are April 12 at 3pm and April 15 at 7:30pm) and runs through June 8, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - 78) are on sale now at steppenwolf.org.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced the line-up for Late Night @ Garage Rep, a series of cross-genre performances Today nights during Garage Rep 2014, starting tonight, March 6. The line-up includes a performance by Salonathon; the play with music, Duo: 1 Is 1, 2 Is Math; Kevin Coval and Young Chicago Authors; James Anthony Zoccoli's Wiggerlover [whiteboy+blackdad=greyareas]; Ian Belknap's one-man Bring Me The Head Of James Franco, That I May Prepare a Savory Goulash In The Narrow And Misshapen Pot Of His Skull; The Gift Theatre's improv group, Natural Gas; and Chicago Dance Crash's Follow The Reader.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Martha Lavey announced today the 2014/15 Subscription Season, including a series of premieres; one remaining title will be announced at a later date. The season begins in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre with Conor McPherson's The Night Alive, directed by Henry Wishcamper. Up next, Joe Mantello directs the world premiere of Airline Highway by Lisa D'Amour. In the Upstairs Theatre, Robert O'Hara directs Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi. And in April 2015, ensemble member K. Todd Freeman directs The Herd by Rory Kinnear.

Hundreds of Chicago's young arts supporters gather for a high-energy evening of music, dancing, cocktails, impressive local cuisine and auction at Steppenwolf Auxiliary Council's 2014 Red or White Ball on Friday, March 28, 2014 at 9pm, with the highly anticipated VIP Reception beginning at 7:30pm. The signature event for the city's most active young professionals will be hosted at Chicago's sleek, contemporary Venue One (1044 W Randolph St). Proceeds from the Red or White Ball benefit Steppenwolf for Young Adults, the theater's nationally recognized arts education program, which annually impacts more than 15,000 students, teachers and families. This year's event takes it to the next level, in line with the Steppenwolf for Young Adults' production, Leveling Up.

Previews are underway for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Chicago-premiere production of Russian Transport by Erika Sheffer, "a gritty but often humorous portrait of the immigrant nuclear family" (Time Out New York). Bulgarian-born ensemble member Yasen Peyankov is at the helm of what Variety declared a "thoughtful, well-written domestic drama with something original to say about immigrant families living by old world values in a new world culture." The cast of five features ensemble members Tim Hopper, Mariann Mayberry and Alan Wilder with Aaron Himelstein andMelanie Neilan. Russian Transport opens February 16; press performances are February 15 at 3pm and February 18 at 7:30pm) and runs through May 11, 2014 in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - 78) are on sale now at steppenwolf.org.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents Garage Rep 2014, featuring The New Colony's reWILDing Genius, Prologue Theatre Company's Saturday Night/Sunday Morning and Walkabout Theater Company's The Wild.