Steppenwolf to Host Pre-Show Event for THE NIGHT ALIVE, 10/23

Steppenwolf Theatre Company hosts its first EXPLORE event of the season on Thursday, October 23 at 5:30pm prior to that evening's 7:30pm performance of The Night Alive. EXPLORE events invite audiences to further engage with the ideas and themes of the play through interactive and fun pre-show gatherings.

EXPLORE: The World of The Night Alive will feature the first-ever McPherson Slam emceed by director Matt Miller featuring Chicago actors performing excerpts from Conor McPherson's plays. Live music will be provided by Kilmaley, a Chicago-based traditional Irish band. Kicking off the event will be a stand-up set from Irish comedian Adam Burke. Participants will have a chance to polish their own Irish brogue with lessons from professional dialect coach Eva Breneman and participate in an Irish whiskey tasting led by a bartender from Fountainhead before heading over to the theater to see the critically acclaimed production of The Night Alive by Conor McPherson. Complimentary drinks and light food provided.

EXPLORE: The World of The Night Alive will take place Thursday, October 23 at 5:30pm in Steppenwolf's Rehearsal Hall, 758 W North Ave., at the corner of North and Halsted. The entrance is located at the back of the building. EXPLORE is free, but RSVPs are required. Please call 312-335-1650. Tickets ($67-$82) to that evening's performance of The Night Alive (curtain at 7:30pm) must be purchased separately through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org. Steppenwolf offers a special EXPLORE 2-for-1 ticket offer only valid for the October 23 performance (use code 18448 when ordering).

Written by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and directed by Henry Wishcamper, The Night Alive features ensemble members Francis Guinan and Tim Hopper with Helen Sadler, Dan Waller and M. Emmet Walsh. The world premiere of The Night Alive was produced at London's Donmar Warehouse in 2013. The production is currently running through November 16 in the Downstairs Theatre. Tickets ($20 - $82) are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted), at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

The kindness of strangers comes with complications. Tommy is getting by-kind of: he is crashing in his uncle's ramshackle house in Dublin, dodging his estranged family, and plotting a parade of get-rich-quick scenes with his buddy Doc. Then one day he defends a destitute woman against a violent attack, and a fragile glimmer of hope appears as Tommy tends to her in his run-down room. From the author of The Weir, Shining City and The Seafarer comes this compelling new drama-by turns funny and frightening, but always deeply human.

Often described as one of the greatest living playwrights, Conor McPherson's plays include The Weir (Laurence Olivier, Evening Standard Award, Critics' Circle and George Devine Awards); Shining City (Tony Award nomination for Best Play); The Seafarer (Laurence Olivier, Evening Standard and Tony Award nominations for Best Play); Rum and Vodka; The Good Thief; This Lime Tree Bower; St. Nicholas; Dublin Carol; Port Authority; Come On Over; Poor Beast in the Rain; and The Veil, among other adaptations and films.

Henry Wishcamper most recently directed Conor McPherson's adaptation of The Dance of Death at Writers Theatre. He also directed McPherson's Port Authority at Atlantic Theater Company; the American premiere of The Birds at Guthrie Theater; The Seafarer at TheaterWorks; and The Good Thief at Portland Stage Company. Wishcamper has served as the assistant director of the Broadway production of McPherson's Shining City as well as August: Osage County by ensemble member Tracy Letts. He is a Resident Artistic Associate at Goodman Theatre, where his directing credits include Animal Crackers, Talking Pictures, Other Desert Cities, A Christmas Carol and Ask Aunt Susan.

The production team for The Night Alive includes: Todd Rosenthal (scenic design), Rachel Anne Healy (costume design), Richard Woodbury (sound design and original music), Keith Parham (lighting design), Matt Hawkins (fight choreography) and Cecilie O'Reilly (dialect coach). Additional credits include: Erica Daniels (casting), Deb Styer (stage manager) and Jonathan Nook (assistant stage manager).

Tickets to The Night Alive are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org. 20 for $20: twenty $20 tickets are available through Audience Services beginning at 11am on the day of each performance (1pm for Sunday performances). Rush Tickets: half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each show. Student Discounts: a limited number of $15 student tickets are available online using promo code "NIGHT15". Limit 2 tickets per student; must present a valid student ID for each ticket. For additional student discounts, visit steppenwolf.org/students. Group Tickets: all groups of 10 or more receive a discounted rate for any performance throughout the season. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org/groups.

Steppenwolf's 2014/15 season explores the question, How did I get here?, through five stories about losing-and finding-your way. Do you ever catch yourself in the rearview mirror and think: How did I get here? A jolt of fear. A flash of inspiration. The past may be a mystery, but the future is up for grabs. Are you completely lost? Or are you exactly where you are supposed to be?

Free post-show discussions are offered after every performance in the Subscription Season. Steppenwolf is located near all forms of public transportation and is wheelchair accessible. Street, lot and valet parking are available. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance.

Accessible performances include an American Sign Language interpretation on October 26 at 7:30pm, open captioning on November 1 at 3pm and an audio description on November 9 at 3pm. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/access.