Ayanna Bria Bakari and Sydney Charles of LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE at Steppenwolf Theatre Take Over Our Instagram Today!

Tune into our Instagram story as Ayanna Bria Bakari and Sydney Charles of Last Night And The Night Before at Steppenwolf Theatre take you behind the scenes of their day!

Ayanna Bria Bakari (Monique) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Debut. Chicago: Relentless, Too Heavy for Your Pocket (TimeLine Theatre); Relentless, How to Catch Creation (Goodman Theatre); As You Like It (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); The Niceties - Black Theater Alliance Award, Stickfly (Writers Theatre). Regional: Sunflowered (Northern Sky Theater); The Rainmaker (Peninsula Players Theatre); The Orginalist (Indiana Repertory Theatre). Television: Wu-Tang: An American Saga (HULU); The CHI (Showtime); Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Empire (FOX), 61st Street (AMC). Film: Holiday Heist (BET). Education: BFA, The Theatre School at DePaul University. Ayanna Bria is a governing ensemble member of The Story Theatre and is represented by Stewart Talent. "BLACK LIVES MATTER."

Sydney Charles (Rachel) is excited to return to Steppenwolf. Previously appeared in Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! and Wally World. Served as assistant director and dramaturg for Bug. She has worked with several theatres across the city of Chicagoland area, including but not limited to: Victory Gardens Theatre, Goodman Theatre Lookingglass Theatre, Court Theatre, Drury Lane, and Northlight Theatre. Regional credits Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. Television credits include South Side, The Chi, Shameless, The T and The Haven. Her other work includes associate director at 16th Street Theater and Red Tape Theatre. For a complete list of her work, accolades and awards, visit www.sydneycharlesexp.com. Active member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. Represented by Stewart Talent.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is continuing its 47th season with the Chicago premiere of Donnetta Lavinia Grays' Last Night and the Night Before, a moving exploration of love - Black, queer, familial - and what must be sacrificed to raise a child. Directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton, Last Night and the Night Before will play through May 14, 2023 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Single tickets starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. The press opening is Sunday, April 16 at 6 pm.

Last Night and the Night Before features ensemble member Namir Smallwood with Ayanna Bria Bakari, Sydney Charles, Kylah Renee Jones, Aliyana Nicole and Jessica Dean Turner.

Monique and her daughter Sam are on the run. From what, they will not say. Showing up on their family's doorstep in Brooklyn, the surprise visit raises more questions than it answers. As the specter of their abandoned life in Georgia creeps back into focus, the family is forced to consider what must be sacrificed to raise a child in an often-cruel world. Donnetta Lavinia Grays's heartbreaking and poetic portrait of love - Black, queer, familial - is a bold tribute to the enduring promise of tomorrow.

The creative team includes Regina García (Scenic Design), Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Mary Louise Geiger (Lighting Design), Larry Fowler (Sound Design), Kirsten Baity (Intimacy Choreographer), Maya Vinice Prentiss (Fight Choreographer), Gigi Buffington (Company Voice, Text & Dialect Coach), Tom Pearl (Producing Director), JC Clemntz, CSA (Casting Director), Laura D. Glenn (Production Stage Manager) and Jaclynn Joslin (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, visit steppenwolf.org/tickets--events/seasons-/2022-23/last-night-and-the-night-before/.