Steep Theatre Partners with Carnegie Mellon Playwrights; STICK FIGURES Reading Set for Today

Steep Theatre is proud to announce a new partnership with the Dramatic Writing MFA program at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Steep has long been committed to bringing new voices to Chicago theater audiences. Over 13 award winning and critically acclaimed seasons, Steep has produced nearly 30 Chicago, American, and World Premieres. The company has also championed the work of playwrights like Simon Stephens, whose work has been largely unfamiliar to American audiences.

"Steep has made its name by introducing new work to Chicago audiences," says Steep's Artistic Director Peter Moore. "This collaboration is part of a renewed effort to not only bring new work to Chicago, but to bring it into the world."

To inaugurate this new collaboration, Steep Theatre has selected the play Stick Figures by Josh Ginsburg. Ginsburg, who will receive his MFA this Spring, is exemplary of the daring playwrights emerging from CMU, according to playwright and program head Rob Handel. "In Stick Figures," says Handel, "Josh Ginsburg guides us into a world that's nothing like our own except in the depth and nakedness of its emotions." Moore, who personally selected the play from a number of strong submissions, agrees. "We were thrilled from the very beginning to launch this venture with Carnegie Mellon, but now that we have landed on Josh's script, we are all the more so. This is a promising piece and he's an exciting talent; we can't wait to introduce them both to Chicago."

Stick Figures tells the story of Molly, a "surrogate" who takes on the roles of the recently departed to help their families find the closure they never could. She dresses like them, talks like them, she even listens to their favorite music. She gives her "families" the chance to say goodbye, to say, "I'm sorry", to hold their child one more time. And then she leaves. But as the end of her contract approaches, and her clients prepare to lose their loved one again, Molly and the families are forced to determine the true cost of what she does - and if it's worth it.

Steep will host a public reading of the play at their theater tonight, May 28 at 7:30pm. The reading will be followed by refreshments and a chance to talk with the playwright, who will be in attendance. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. Call (773) 649-3186 or email info@steeptheatre.com for reservations. For more information, visit Steep's website: www.steeptheatre.com.