Gary Sinise News

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced today the addition of longtime stage managerMalcolm Ewen into the world-renowned Steppenwolf ensemble. Ewen has worked at Steppenwolf since 1987 and has stage managed more than 40 shows and taken four Steppenwolf productions to Broadway-including The Grapes of Wrath and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? both of which won Tony Awards.

Arts patrons will come together on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 for The Kennedy Center Gala Celebrating the Human Spirit, honoring philanthropists Patrick G. Ryan and Shirley W. Ryan of Chicago, and actor, producer, and humanitarian Forest Whitaker, the recipients of the 2019 Kennedy Center Award for the Human Spirit. The evening features an intimate dinner and awards presentation, a Gala Performance by Tony Award-winning icon Idina Menzel, and an after-party. Carol Melton and Jodie W. McLean are the co-chairs of the 2019 Kennedy Center Gala. Sponsorship and package options vary and concert-only tickets may be available; attire for the evening is cocktail; please see below for more information.

True West is currently being revived by the Roundabout Theatre Company, starring Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano. The pair have joined a list of many famous duos who have taken on the roles of Lee and Austin in Sam Shepard's play.

By popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company will host a second conversation with co-founder Gary Sinise on Monday, February 18 at 9pm, following the sold out 7pm discussion. During the event Sinise and fellow co-founder Jeff Perry will discuss Sinise's new book Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service in a candid conversation. A copy of the book is included in the ticket cost. The late-night event will take place in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted, on Monday, February 18, 2019 at 9pm. Single tickets ($45) are available through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org. Steppenwolf Black Card Members may use credits towards this event.

As the Green Bay Packers celebrate their 100th Season, the Weidner Center wanted to offer their own tribute to the team. The legacy of Packers' coach, Vince Lombardi, remains strong in the streets of Green Bay.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to announce a special event as part of co-founder Gary Sinise's book tour promoting his new book Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service. Sinise will reflect on his book in a candid conversation with fellow Steppenwolf co-founder Jeff Perry.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is thrilled to announce that longtime ensemble member Randall Arney will direct the highly anticipated Steppenwolf revival of Sam Shepard's True West-the production that catapulted Steppenwolf onto the American Theatre scene in 1982. Reimagined through the eyes of the new generation of Steppenwolf artists, the 2019 production of True West features ensemble members Jon Michael Hill and Namir Smallwood. True West runs July 5 - August 18, 2019 in the Downstairs Theatre. Tickets ($20 - $96) go on sale April 26, 2019 at 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org

When Sam Shepard's play True West made its New York debut back in 1980 it was something of a flop - since then, however, it has been recognised as an insightful piece of theatre, with the likes of John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C Reilly taking on the roles of Lee and Austin at one point or another in their careers. It's taken until now for the play to have its UK premiere; Matthew Dunster's production at the Vaudeville Theatre is as much a way to celebrate Shepard's career (who died last year) as it is to make a point about our ongoing need to label people as certain things.

According to Variety, actor and magician Ricky Jay has died at age 72. His manager, Winston Simone, confirmed that he died of natural causes.

Hot off a sold-out, wildly successful run in Los Angeles, producers Just Words Productions, LLC, in association with Theatre 68, and Lenny Bruce's daughter, Kitty Bruce, announced today that Joe Mantenga will direct the Off-Broadway premiere of I'm Not A Comedian…I'm Lenny Bruce, written by and starring Ronnie Marmo. Performances begin Tuesday, October 23 at The Cutting Room (44 E 32nd St).

The American Veterans Center's annual broadcast special in honor of Veterans Day, American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes, will once again return to television this year. Emmy Award nominated actor/comedian veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Rob Riggle, pays tribute to our service men and women spanning from World War II to the present day. Noted celebrities who will lend their voices to tell the stories of service and valor, including  John Krasinski, Matthew McConaughey, Harrison Ford, Scarlett Johansson, Robin Roberts and Gary Sinise.  

The fourth annual GI Film Festival San Diego is getting ready to roll from Tuesday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Organizers have once again curated a film lineup to feature the untold and underrepresented stories of America's military through film. The six-day San Diego military film festival features 34 films, including nine world premieres and five West Coast premieres, as well as several screenings, filmmaker appearances, and panel discussions. GI Film Festival San Diego attendees have opportunities to watch the films, meet filmmakers and film subjects, and have conversations to tackle topics that are usually unspoken.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro announced today the addition of Rajiv Joseph and Karen Rodriguez to the world-renowned Steppenwolf ensemble. An Obie Award-wining and Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright, Rajiv Joseph's Guards at the Taj was produced at Steppenwolf this past May to great acclaim. Karen Rodriguez, a celebrated Chicago-based actor, recently performed at Steppenwolf in The Doppelganger (an international farce) and The Rembrandt, and will be featured in this season's world premiere of Isaac Gomez's La Ruta, in a role written specifically for her.

Two of the greatest novels in American literature were published in a span of less than three years in the late 1930s, and comparisons between them are unavoidable. Both examined cultures at the moments of their demise - one historical, and the other contemporary. Margaret Mitchell's epic immersed readers in the collapse of the elite class, ultimate victims of their own inhumanity. John Steinbeck's masterpiece spotlighted the cultural extinction occurring at that very moment among the poorest and meekest as their livelihoods were, very literally, gone with the wind. Had it not been taken, that might have been a better title for Steinbeck's, THE GRAPES OF WRATH. The two books came to movie screens only six weeks apart to take their places in Hollywood history.

Gloucester Stage Company continues its 39th season of professional theater with Sam Shepard's modern American classic, True West from August 17 through September 8 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Directed by Joe Short, True West explores the explosive conflict between two brothers: Austin, the successful family man; and Lee, the nomadic drifter and petty thief. 

Now in its fourth year, the GI Film Festival San Diego, San Diego's six-day military film festival, is back to feature more untold and underrepresented stories of America's military through film. The six-day, San Diego military film festival kicks-off with the ever-popular Opening Night Screening and Reception on Tuesday, Sept. 25 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Museum of Photographic Arts in iconic Balboa Park. The evening includes screenings of the narrative short “American,” followed by the documentary short, “The Registry.” Special guest, George Takei, is anticipated to attend the Opening Night Screening and Reception as the leading actor in the film, “American.” Both films focus on World War II events and emphasize the important roles and services that Japanese-American military members provided throughout the war. In addition to Takei, the directors of each film are expected to attend the Opening Night celebration and will participate in a panel discussion after the screenings.

On May 31st, Rich Little, arguably the most famous impressionist in the world, was honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce during their Hollywood Hero ceremony with the Johnny Grant Award, along with Diahann Carroll (receiving the Mary Pickford Award).  

Multi-platinum country music star Sara Evans will receive the 2018 Service to America Leadership Award from the NAB Education Foundation (NABEF). Evans will receive the award at NABEF's Celebration of Service to America Awards on June 12 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C.