Steep Theatre Commissions New Work from Calamity West

Steep Theatre Company is thrilled to announce that it is commissioning a new play by Calamity West. This project will be the first collaboration between the Chicago-based playwright and the fifteen-year-old ensemble, as well as Steep's first commission.

Steep has a long history of bringing new stories and new theatrical voices to Chicago audiences and has produced almost exclusively U.S. and Midwest premieres since opening its Berwyn Avenue storefront in 2008. In recent years the ensemble, lead by Artistic Director Peter Moore, has focused its energy on cultivating and supporting the development of new work. The 2015 world premiere of Hamish Linklater's The Cheats was a landmark production for Steep in its journey to become a home for new play development. This commission will be an exciting next step, as will Steep's 16th season, scheduled to be announced in June, which will include the ensemble's second world premiere in as many seasons.

In addition to producing new plays, Steep has been working with university playwriting programs to provide students with professional development opportunities. The program began with workshops of Carnegie Mellon University MFA student Josh Ginsburg's Stick Figures and Northwestern University MFA student Sofya Weitz' The Gleaming, and it will continue in May with a workshop of Northwestern University MFA student Roger Mason's Blackjack. A public reading of Blackjack will be held at Steep Theatre on May 16 at 7:30pm. The reading will be followed by refreshments and a chance to talk with the playwright and Steep ensemble members. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. Please call (773) 649-3186 or email info@steeptheatre.com for reservations.

"We're committed to bringing new work into the world, and we're thrilled to be making this big step forward with Calamity, who is not only one of the most exciting writers going, but a writer whose sensibility and energy align so well with Steep's aesthetic. Roger is a unique and immensely talented new voice, and we're honored to have the opportunity to help shape Blackjack and introduce this play to Chicago audiences." -Artistic Director Peter Moore