Steppenwolf Theatre Will Host GALA 2026 at Rockwell on the River

Steppenwolf Theatre Company will host Steppenwolf Gala 2026, an unforgettable evening that continues the theater's 50th Anniversary celebration. This year's Gala will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Rockwell on the River, 3057 N. Rockwell St. in Chicago.

Join Steppenwolf's famed artists alongside civic and business leaders and raise a glass to the trailblazers and risk-takers that have come before and step into the next 50 years of bold and courageous theatre. The star-studded evening includes cocktails and a progressive dinner followed by a live auction featuring once-in-a-lifetime experiences with Steppenwolf's artists. Cap off the evening with an after-hours lounge, DJ and dancing. Luxe fashion-forward cocktail attire. Sneakers welcome. 

Steppenwolf's Gala generates vital funding to provide an artistic home for our Ensemble, bring bold and innovative theatrical experiences to the stage, and create educational programs that reach thousands of teens throughout the Chicago region.

This year's honorees include Douglas R. Brown and Rachel E. Kraft.

Steppenwolf Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan comments, “It is our great honor to celebrate Doug and Rachel at this year's Gala. Their individual and collective impact on Steppenwolf and the larger Chicago theater community is an exemplary showcase of philanthropy, leadership and engagement. Their work has impacted a generation and will continue to make a lasting mark on the spaces where we make art, the artists who take our stages and our lasting position as a great treasure in American theatre.”

Gala 2026 Co-Chairs include Aimee Graham and Nigel Caine, Christopher Keogh and Verett Mims.