Interview: Artistic Director Audrey Francis On Steppenwolf's 2026/27 Season

Fresh off its landmark 50th Anniversary Season, Steppenwolf Theatre Company is looking ahead to its 51st, a slate of five productions that includes two world premieres, a Chicago premiere, an English-language premiere, and a modern masterpiece. The season opens with Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning TOPDOG/UNDERDOG and continues with the world premiere of Stephanie Alison Walker's ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE.

Guiding the company alongside Glenn Davis is Audrey Francis, co-Artistic Director and a Steppenwolf Ensemble member since 2017. Francis directed YOU WILL GET SICK and POTUS in recent seasons and has performed on the Steppenwolf stage in NOISES OFF, THE THANKSGIVING PLAY, THE HERD, BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY, THE FUNDAMENTALS, THE DOPPELGANGER (AN INTERNATIONAL FARCE), and DANCE NATION. Her television and film credits include JUSTIFIED: CITY PRIMEVAL, CHICAGO MED, CHICAGO FIRE, and EMPIRE. This season, she takes the stage herself in ELLEN B., the psychological thriller by Marius von Mayenburg.

BroadwayWorld spoke with Francis about the highlights of the 50th anniversary, the balance of leading the company while performing in it, and the vision she and Davis brought to building the next chapter of Steppenwolf.

---

What were some highlights for you from Steppenwolf's 50th Anniversary Season?

One of the biggest highlights for me was having so many ensemble members back in the building. In particular, seeing ensemble members like Katie Erbe and Gary Cole, who hadn't been back for decades, be received with such love by our Chicago audiences. Also, having 18 artists, a sublime combination of ensemble members and Chicago actors, bring our new arena-style Ensemble Theater to life with AMADEUS was an absolute joy to witness. It also helped that the show broke all of Steppenwolf's single-ticket sales records. I can't think of a better way to celebrate 50 years than with a bit of record-breaking history.

As someone who both leads the organization and performs in and directs its productions, how do you balance your responsibilities as Artistic Director while also preparing for a role in the season?

Trying to lead the organization as an Artistic Director and be an artist at the same time is a dynamic feat that is not for the faint of heart. Both jobs require (and deserve) all of the person doing them. So, I try to think of those "dual-responsibility moments" as fleeting intervals that I will look back on as deeply meaningful, impactful, and fulfilling. It would be much easier to stay in the AD chair throughout the entire season, but a major part of Steppenwolf's ethos is that we are artist-led. For me, having the opportunity to be in (or direct) a show means we have to practice what we preach. We also get a boots-on-the-ground perspective, experiencing how it feels to create art at the company we're privileged enough to lead. It's imperative (to me) that I can see the company from all angles. It helps me celebrate the excellence happening all over the building, in the costume and scene shops, backstage, stage management, and with our front-of-house teams, to name a few. And at my core, I am an artist, so I'm eternally grateful when that part of my soul can be fed.

There are two world premieres and two Chicago premieres in this season. What does it mean to Steppenwolf to be the first company to bring these stories to life or to the city, and what responsibilities come with that?

One of our greatest values at Steppenwolf is to believe in the unlimited potential of our fellow artists. To premiere new plays means we're investing in something that doesn't guarantee success. For me, that is one of the most vital investments an institution can make right now. We must keep supporting, celebrating, and amplifying artists who are creating something we haven't seen yet. It keeps our industry going and brings people together in a way that makes theatre feel like an extreme team sport. As for the Chicago premieres, I care so deeply that Chicago is not only served, but also recognized as the exceptional cultural landscape it is. I appreciate when we can bring some of the greatest shows that have premiered in New York, LA, London, Berlin, etc., so we can share that experience with theater lovers beyond Chicago.

You will be on stage yourself in ELLEN B. Tell us a bit about that show.

I'm not sure I can describe this better than our Marketing team has, so I'll follow their lead. Wolfram is coming over, and Astrid doesn't know why. Astrid, a teacher, lives with Klara, her considerably younger partner, and also her former student. When Wolfram, the school's headmaster, drops by for a visit, he brings with him uncomfortable accusations, and the search for truth erupts into a wicked game of power and desire. In this psychological thriller with no easy answers, internationally lauded playwright Marius von Mayenburg touches the nerve between past and present, professional and private, truth and lie.

What drew you to this particular role, and how are you finding the balance between performing and your Artistic Director duties while working on it?

It's not often that a woman is at the center of a scandal and not the victim. It's not often that audiences walk into a play thinking they know exactly where their moral compass points, but walk out confused and disturbed by the version of themselves they just learned existed. This is a psychological thriller. It's a play about power, doubt, accountability, and the ethics, or lack thereof, of academia. The answers to the very uncomfortable questions are not easily attained. It's what excited me to program the play, and what excites (and terrifies) me to be in it. The words that kept coming up when our teams were discussing ELLEN B. were "cage match." Well, I guess cage matches are my thing.

How does co-leading Steppenwolf with Glenn Davis shape the artistic decision-making process, and how do your individual perspectives complement each other in building a season?

Glenn has a great quote where he says, "If we always agree, we don't both need to be here." That shapes our artistic decision-making process. We have been friends for so long and have survived countless fires together, so building a season is the fun part of our job, especially given our unique perspectives, backgrounds, and tastes. We also have outstanding teams in our Artistic and Educational/Engagement departments. When we discuss plays as a team, we believe dynamic, passionate, and radically honest discussions are a sign of respect. We view a difference of opinion as an opportunity to learn and understand each other and discern how or why a play is (or isn't) an exciting endeavor for Steppenwolf. The wildly different perspectives in our AD partnership and among our teams are our strength. We do everything we can to protect and enjoy that.

As you curated the 2026-27 season alongside Glenn Davis, what was the overarching vision or theme you were hoping to express through the selections?

We always think about the fact that people are giving us their free time. It's not always easy to leave the comfort of your home and choose to experience something where you can't press the pause button. We keep that at the forefront of our minds. We program the plays we would leave our house for. We program plays that will give people something to talk about. We program plays that we want to see.

What can audiences expect from TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, and why was now the right time to bring it to Steppenwolf?

One of the things that makes being in an ensemble theatre special is that our ensemble members get to play roles they might never have been offered at other theaters. It's rare for an actor to get to say, "This is one of my dream roles," and then get to play that role. That's what our audiences can expect: two extraordinary artists, who Chicago has celebrated for years, sink their teeth into something they've dreamed about. I love the way Chicago audiences support the repeated relationships they have with our ensemble members. In TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, our audiences will see a version of Namir and Glenn they have never seen before.

What can you share about ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE and why it earned a place in this season?

ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE is a blast. It's biting comedy that also hits close to home. Based on real events in a suburb outside of Chicago, Stephanie Alison Walker walks a beautiful tightrope that every parent, teacher, and citizen of a society they care for must ask. With Pam MacKinnon signing on as director, and with Caroline Neff in the cast, this was a no-brainer. The play is uncomfortably relevant, laugh-out-loud funny, and has a crow as a character. How could we not program this? Stephanie's play is the perfect combination of pleasure and punch that Steppenwolf loves to deliver.

What is the best way for people to experience Steppenwolf's 2026/27 Season?

Of course, I hope people experience the entire Steppenwolf season because we have programmed such a range of topics and tones. The best ways to do that are through our different types of memberships, which can be found on our website.

Looking at the full season lineup, what are you most excited for audiences to discover?

Each season that goes by, I watch our audiences remember why they love live theatre, and Steppenwolf in particular. So, it's less about what we're putting on stage and more about seeing the impact it's having on our community.

What do you hope this season communicates about where Steppenwolf is headed as it moves beyond its 50th anniversary?

If we're lucky enough to be around for 100 years, this season is the first year of our next 50 years. We take that very seriously. We strongly hold on to our roots while at the same time, challenging ourselves to grow, evolve, and be a beneficial contributor to our industry.

---

Don't Miss a Chicago News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...