Martha Lavey News

What does it mean to be a stranger in your own skin? In a foreign land? Steppenwolf Theatre Company encourages audiences to confront these difficult questions of deceit, displacement and dependency in Amy Herzog's Belleville, directed by Anne Kauffman. The conversation continues with Explore: The World of Belleville, when Steppenwolf brings together Northwestern University professor Laura Kipnis and Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey for a deeper discussion of Belleville.

Performances begin today for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's eighth annual First Look Repertory of New Work, featuring three developmental productions of new plays presented in rotating repertory today, July 29 - August 25, 2013 in the Garage Theatre (1624 N Halsted St).

What does it mean to be a stranger in your own skin? In a foreign land? Steppenwolf Theatre Company encourages audiences to confront these difficult questions of deceit, displacement and dependency in Amy Herzog's Belleville, directed by Anne Kauffman. The conversation continues with Explore: The World of Belleville, when Steppenwolf brings together Northwestern University professor Laura Kipnis and Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey for a deeper discussion of Belleville.

This summer, Steppenwolf ensemble member-and former artistic director--Randall Arney returns to Chicago to stage Greg Pierce's hit play, Slowgirl, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theater in 2012. Arney reunites with fellow ensemble member William Petersen in the role of Sterling (the two first appeared on stage together in Steppenwolf's 1980 production of Balm in Gilead); the two-hander also includes Rae Gray (The Book Thief) as Becky. A playwright with 'impressive writing chops' who 'builds suspense, releases tension through laughs and grabs your attention with life-or-death stakes' (NY1), Pierce's plays later travels to Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, where Arney currently serves as artistic director, as part of the 2013/14 season.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company today announces the appointment of Aaron Carter as the theater's new Director of New Play Development effective July 8, 2013. Carter has served as Steppenwolf's literary manager since 2011.

Performances begin in three weeks for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's upcoming eighth annual First Look Repertory of New Work, featuring three developmental productions of new plays presented in rotating repertory July 29 - August 25, 2013 in the Garage Theatre (1624 N Halsted St).

Steppenwolf for Young Adults is pleased to announce casting for the upcoming production of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Halena Kays directs a cast featuring William Burke, Spencer Curnutt, Lane Flores, Rudy Galvan, Ryan Heindl, Cale Manning, Brendan Meyer, Lance Newton,Ty Olwin, Adam Shalzi and Dan Smeriglio in Nigel Williams's stage adaption of Golding's classic novel. Lord of the Flies runs October 16 - November 10, 2013.

Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's season-concluding, Chicago-premiere production of Belleville by Amy Herzog begin June 27. Obie Award-winning director Anne Kauffman-who staged the play's acclaimed world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2011 and earlier this season Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop-makes her Steppenwolf debut directing ensemble members Alana Arenas and Kate Arrington with Chris Boykin andCliff Chamberlain. Belleville begins previews tonight, June 27, 2013 (Opening night is July 7 and runs through August 25 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - $78) are on sale now.

The Dramatists Guild of America is pleased to announce their Second National Conference Having Our Say: Our History, Our Future, which will be held from August 22-25, 2013 in Chicago, IL. The conference will include keynote speeches, legal and business seminars, workshops, and conversations with theatre elite. Participating Council and visiting artists include Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Gretchen Cryer, Rebecca Gilman, Carol Hall, Winnie Holzman, David Ives, Lisa Kron, Martha Lavey, Bobby Lopez, Terrence McNally, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Marsha Norman, Theresa Rebeck, Stephen Schwartz, Jeff Sweet, John Weidman, George C. Wolfe, and Charlayne Woodard.

Casting is complete for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's American-premiere production of The Wheel by Zinnie Harris. Ensemble member Tina Landau directs a cast of 17 featuring ensemble members Joan Allen (in her first appearance on stage at Steppenwolf since 1991), Robert Breuler,Tim Hopper, Ora Jones and Yasen Peyankov with Kareem Bandealy, La Shawn Banks, Chaon Cross, Emma Gordon, Mark L. Montgomery, Erin Oechsel,Stephanie Park, Daniel Pass, Edgar Sanchez, Scott Stangland, Demetrios Troy and Matthew Yee.

This summer, Steppenwolf ensemble member-and former artistic director--Randall Arney returns to Chicago to stage Greg Pierce's hit play, Slowgirl, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theater in 2012. Arney reunites with fellow ensemble member William Petersen in the role of Sterling (the two first appeared on stage together in Steppenwolf's 1980 production of Balm in Gilead); the two-hander also includes Rae Gray (The Book Thief) as Becky. A playwright with 'impressive writing chops' who 'builds suspense, releases tension through laughs and grabs your attention with life-or-death stakes' (NY1), Pierce's plays later travels to Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, where Arney currently serves as artistic director, as part of the 2013/14 season.

Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's season-concluding, Chicago-premiere production of Belleville by Amy Herzog begin June 27. Obie Award-winning director Anne Kauffman-who staged the play's acclaimed world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2011 and earlier this season Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop-makes her Steppenwolf debut directing ensemble members Alana Arenas and Kate Arrington with Chris Boykin andCliff Chamberlain. Belleville begins previews June 27, 2013 (Opening night is July 7 and runs through August 25 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - $78) are on sale now.

The critically-acclaimed 50th anniversary Broadway revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

Casting is complete for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Chicago-premiere production of Tribes by Nina Raine. Ensemble member Austin Pendleton directs a cast featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Francis Guinan and Molly Regan with Steve Haggard, Russell Harvard and Helen Sadler. The American premiere of Tribes was Off-Broadway at Barrow Street Theater in 2012, and also featured Harvard, alongside ensemble member Jeff Perry; Harvard was recently featured in the Mark Taper Forum production as well.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company will host two initiatives giving behind-the-scenes looks at the process of developing and producing new plays for local theatergoers and theater professionals from around the country alike. As part of the eighth annual First Look Repertory of New Work, Steppenwolf continues First Look 101, a unique two-month experience from June 1 - August 10 that takes enrolled participants on a backstage journey through all aspects of the new play development process-from the first rehearsal to the final performance. In addition, Steppenwolf hosts a Professionals' Weekend, August 8 - 11, during which theater practitioners join Steppenwolf in conversation about new plays, and attend First Look productions and readings in addition to special industry events.

Performances begin in just five weeks for the third annual Next Up, continuing Steppenwolf Theatre Company's commitment to Chicago's next generation of theater artists. Next Up features three productions presented in rotating repertory, in collaboration with Northwestern University's MFA programs in Direction and Design. Next Up 2013 showcases the work of graduates of those programs with casts of professional Chicago actors-including nine alumni of the School at Steppenwolf: Fat Pig by Neil LaBute, directed by David Prete; The Drunken City by Adam Bock, directed by Johnny Michael DiResta; and The Internationalist by Anne Washburn, directed by Erin Murray.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) has announced its 2013/14 season: William Golding's Lord of the Flies, adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams, directed by The Hypocrites Artistic Director Halena Kays; and the Chicago premiere of Leveling Up by Deborah Zoe Laufer, directed by Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) Artistic and Educational Director Hallie Gordon. Tickets to William Golding's Lord of the Flies are on sale now.

Performances begin in just five weeks for the third annual Next Up, continuing Steppenwolf Theatre Company's commitment to Chicago's next generation of theater artists. Next Up features three productions presented in rotating repertory, in collaboration with Northwestern University's MFA programs in Direction and Design. Next Up 2013 showcases the work of graduates of those programs with casts of professional Chicago actors-including nine alumni of the School at Steppenwolf: Fat Pig by Neil LaBute, directed by David Prete; The Drunken City by Adam Bock, directed by Johnny Michael DiResta; and The Internationalist by Anne Washburn, directed by Erin Murray.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is now accepting applications for Garage Rep 2014, which presents the work of three of Chicago's most innovative storefront theater companies in rotating repertory under Steppenwolf's banner. Chicago theater companies with a track record of production excellence and inventive approaches to attracting millennial audiences are encouraged to apply. The fifth annual Garage Rep is presented in Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre, March - April 2014 (specific dates to be announced at a later date). For applications and more information about Garage Rep 2014, visit steppenwolf.org/apply4grep. Applications are due by5pm on May 31, 2013.