David Hawkanson News

Steppenwolf Theatre Company and ensemble member Tracy Letts, Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright of August: Osage County, hosts Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale and Julianne Nicholson as the guests of honor at the fifth annual Steppenwolf Salutes Women in the Arts fundraising luncheon on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 12 noon at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago (120 E Delaware Pl).

Steppenwolf Theatre Company and ensemble member Tracy Letts, Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright ofAugust: Osage County, will host Juliette Lewis, Margo Martindale and Julianne Nicholson as the guests of honor at the fifth annual Steppenwolf Salutes Women in the Arts fundraising luncheon on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 12 noon (location TBD). All three of these dynamic women are featured in Letts's highly anticipated film adaptation of August: Osage County. This year's event will featured a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the film, in addition to an insightful conversation with Lewis, Martindale and Nicholson, moderated by Letts in a format similar to Inside the Actors Studio. Previous honorees at Steppenwolf Salutes Women in the Arts include ensemble members Joan Allen and Martha Plimpton, Julianna Margulies and Mary-Louise Parker.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the American premiere of The Wheel by Zinnie Harris. Ensemble member Tina Landau directs Harris's epic, a work of magic realism chronicling the trials of Beatriz as she attempts to reunite a young girl with her father in nineteenth-century Spain. Landau's cast of 17 features ensemble members Joan Allen (in her first appearance on stage at Steppenwolf since 1991), Robert Breuler, Tim Hopper, Ora Jones and Yasen Peyankov. The National Theatre of Scotland commissioned and produced the world premiere of The Wheel in 2011. The Wheel begins previews tonight, September 12, 2013 (Opening night is September 22; Press performances are September 21 at 3pm and September 24 at 7:30pm) and runs through November 10 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St).

Rehearsals begin next week at Steppenwolf Theatre Company for the American premiere of The Wheel by Zinnie Harris. Ensemble member Tina Landau directs Harris's epic, a work of magic realism chronicling the trials of Beatriz as she attempts to reunite a young girl with her father in nineteenth-century Spain. Landau's cast of 17 features ensemble members Joan Allen (in her first appearance on stage at Steppenwolf since 1991), Robert Breuler, Tim Hopper, Ora Jones and Yasen Peyankov. The National Theatre of Scotland commissioned and produced the world premiere of The Wheel in 2011. The Wheel begins previews September 12, 2013 (Opening night is September 22; Press performances are September 21 at 3pm and September 24 at 7:30pm) and runs through November 10 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - $82) go on sale tomorrow, August 9 at 11am.

What does it mean to be a stranger in your own skin? In a foreign land? Steppenwolf Theatre Company encourages audiences to confront these difficult questions of deceit, displacement and dependency in Amy Herzog's Belleville, directed by Anne Kauffman. The conversation continues with Explore: The World of Belleville, when Steppenwolf brings together Northwestern University professor Laura Kipnis and Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey for a deeper discussion of Belleville.

Performances begin today for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's eighth annual First Look Repertory of New Work, featuring three developmental productions of new plays presented in rotating repertory today, July 29 - August 25, 2013 in the Garage Theatre (1624 N Halsted St).

What does it mean to be a stranger in your own skin? In a foreign land? Steppenwolf Theatre Company encourages audiences to confront these difficult questions of deceit, displacement and dependency in Amy Herzog's Belleville, directed by Anne Kauffman. The conversation continues with Explore: The World of Belleville, when Steppenwolf brings together Northwestern University professor Laura Kipnis and Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey for a deeper discussion of Belleville.

This summer, Steppenwolf ensemble member-and former artistic director--Randall Arney returns to Chicago to stage Greg Pierce's hit play, Slowgirl, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theater in 2012. Arney reunites with fellow ensemble member William Petersen in the role of Sterling (the two first appeared on stage together in Steppenwolf's 1980 production of Balm in Gilead); the two-hander also includes Rae Gray (The Book Thief) as Becky. A playwright with 'impressive writing chops' who 'builds suspense, releases tension through laughs and grabs your attention with life-or-death stakes' (NY1), Pierce's plays later travels to Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, where Arney currently serves as artistic director, as part of the 2013/14 season.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company today announces the appointment of Aaron Carter as the theater's new Director of New Play Development effective July 8, 2013. Carter has served as Steppenwolf's literary manager since 2011.

Performances begin in three weeks for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's upcoming eighth annual First Look Repertory of New Work, featuring three developmental productions of new plays presented in rotating repertory July 29 - August 25, 2013 in the Garage Theatre (1624 N Halsted St).

Steppenwolf for Young Adults is pleased to announce casting for the upcoming production of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Halena Kays directs a cast featuring William Burke, Spencer Curnutt, Lane Flores, Rudy Galvan, Ryan Heindl, Cale Manning, Brendan Meyer, Lance Newton,Ty Olwin, Adam Shalzi and Dan Smeriglio in Nigel Williams's stage adaption of Golding's classic novel. Lord of the Flies runs October 16 - November 10, 2013.

Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's season-concluding, Chicago-premiere production of Belleville by Amy Herzog begin June 27. Obie Award-winning director Anne Kauffman-who staged the play's acclaimed world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2011 and earlier this season Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop-makes her Steppenwolf debut directing ensemble members Alana Arenas and Kate Arrington with Chris Boykin andCliff Chamberlain. Belleville begins previews tonight, June 27, 2013 (Opening night is July 7 and runs through August 25 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - $78) are on sale now.

Casting is complete for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's American-premiere production of The Wheel by Zinnie Harris. Ensemble member Tina Landau directs a cast of 17 featuring ensemble members Joan Allen (in her first appearance on stage at Steppenwolf since 1991), Robert Breuler,Tim Hopper, Ora Jones and Yasen Peyankov with Kareem Bandealy, La Shawn Banks, Chaon Cross, Emma Gordon, Mark L. Montgomery, Erin Oechsel,Stephanie Park, Daniel Pass, Edgar Sanchez, Scott Stangland, Demetrios Troy and Matthew Yee.

This summer, Steppenwolf ensemble member-and former artistic director--Randall Arney returns to Chicago to stage Greg Pierce's hit play, Slowgirl, which premiered at Lincoln Center Theater in 2012. Arney reunites with fellow ensemble member William Petersen in the role of Sterling (the two first appeared on stage together in Steppenwolf's 1980 production of Balm in Gilead); the two-hander also includes Rae Gray (The Book Thief) as Becky. A playwright with 'impressive writing chops' who 'builds suspense, releases tension through laughs and grabs your attention with life-or-death stakes' (NY1), Pierce's plays later travels to Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, where Arney currently serves as artistic director, as part of the 2013/14 season.

Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's season-concluding, Chicago-premiere production of Belleville by Amy Herzog begin June 27. Obie Award-winning director Anne Kauffman-who staged the play's acclaimed world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2011 and earlier this season Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop-makes her Steppenwolf debut directing ensemble members Alana Arenas and Kate Arrington with Chris Boykin andCliff Chamberlain. Belleville begins previews June 27, 2013 (Opening night is July 7 and runs through August 25 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - $78) are on sale now.

The critically-acclaimed 50th anniversary Broadway revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

Casting is complete for Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Chicago-premiere production of Tribes by Nina Raine. Ensemble member Austin Pendleton directs a cast featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Francis Guinan and Molly Regan with Steve Haggard, Russell Harvard and Helen Sadler. The American premiere of Tribes was Off-Broadway at Barrow Street Theater in 2012, and also featured Harvard, alongside ensemble member Jeff Perry; Harvard was recently featured in the Mark Taper Forum production as well.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company will host two initiatives giving behind-the-scenes looks at the process of developing and producing new plays for local theatergoers and theater professionals from around the country alike. As part of the eighth annual First Look Repertory of New Work, Steppenwolf continues First Look 101, a unique two-month experience from June 1 - August 10 that takes enrolled participants on a backstage journey through all aspects of the new play development process-from the first rehearsal to the final performance. In addition, Steppenwolf hosts a Professionals' Weekend, August 8 - 11, during which theater practitioners join Steppenwolf in conversation about new plays, and attend First Look productions and readings in addition to special industry events.