Tim Hopper News

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 Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) -- currently celebrating its 30th anniversary season -- will present one-night-only 'reunion' readings this summer with the entire original casts of two of the most acclaimed productions in the company's history: on Monday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m., Linda Emond, Cotter Smith, Tim Hopper and Robert Emmet Lunney will perform Craig Lucas' play THE DYING GAUL; and on Monday, July 1 at 8:00 p.m., Mary Louise Parker, David Morse and company will reunite for Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize winning play HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is proud to announce casting for the 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). First Look 2013 includes: Buena Vista by Edith Freni, The Gospel of Franklin by Aaron Carter and Annie Bosh is Missing by Janine Nabers. The 2013 festival also features readings of three new plays during Professionals' Weekend (August 8 - 11), including Tempo by Mike Batistick, Your Name Will Follow You Home by Carlos Murillo and BARBECUE by Robert O'Hara. Tickets to First Look Repertory of New Work are on sale now at steppenwolf.org/firstlook, 1650 N Halsted St or 312-335-1650.

Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's highly anticipated world-premiere production of Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney began April 4. Inspired by the Biblical Book of Job, ensemble member Tina Landau directs following her acclaimed collaboration with McCraney for the The Brother/Sister Plays (2010), with a cast featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Jon Michael Hill (May 21 - June 9) and Tim Hopper with James T. Alfred, Kyle Beltran (April 4 - May 19), Chris Boykin, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Glenn Davis, Ron Cephas Jones and Jacqueline Williams. Head of Passes began previews April 4, 2013 (Opening Night is April 14, 2013; Press Performances are April 13 at 3pm and April 16 at 7:30pm) and runs through June 9, 2013 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The world-premiere production of Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau in the Downstairs Theatre, runs at Steppenwolf Theatre tonight, April 4 - June 9, 2013.

Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's highly anticipated world-premiere production of Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney begin April 4. Inspired by the Biblical Book of Job, ensemble member Tina Landau directs following her acclaimed collaboration with McCraney for the The Brother/Sister Plays (2010), with a cast featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Jon Michael Hill (May 21 - June 9) and Tim Hopper with James T. Alfred, Kyle Beltran (April 4 - May 19), Chris Boykin, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Glenn Davis, Ron Cephas Jones and Jacqueline Williams. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast and creative team in rehearsal below!

Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's highly anticipated world-premiere production of Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney begin April 4. Inspired by the Biblical Book of Job, ensemble member Tina Landau directs following her acclaimed collaboration with McCraney for the The Brother/Sister Plays (2010), with a cast featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Jon Michael Hill (May 21 - June 9) and Tim Hopper with James T. Alfred, Kyle Beltran (April 4 - May 19), Chris Boykin, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Glenn Davis, Ron Cephas Jones and Jacqueline Williams. Head of Passes begins previews April 4, 2013 (Opening Night is April 14, 2013; Press Performances are April 13 at 3pm and April 16 at 7:30pm) and runs through June 9, 2013 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - $78) are on sale now.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Martha Lavey announced today the 2013/14 Subscription Season, including two world premieres, an American premiere and two Chicago premieres. The season begins in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre with Zinnie Harris's The Wheel, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau. Up next, ensemble member Austin Pendleton directs Tribes by Nina Raine. In the Upstairs Theatre, ensemble member Yasen Peyankov directs Russian Transport by Erika Sheffer. In April 2014, ensemble member Amy Morton directs the world premiere of The Way West by Mona Mansour. And in July 2014, the season concludes with the world premiere of The Qualms by Bruce Norris, directed by Pam MacKinnon.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company continues the 2012/13 subscription season with the world premiere of Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau. Head of Passes features ensemble members Alana Arenas and Tim Hopper with James T. Alfred, Kyle Beltran, Chris Bokin, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Glenn Davis and Jacqueline Williams (one actor is still to be announced). Head of Passes begins previews April 4 (Opening night is April 14, 2013; Press performances are April 13 at 3pm and April 16 at 7:30pm) and runs through July 9 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 - $78) go on sale February 1 at 11am (prices are subject to change).

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced last week that Steppenwolf Theatre Company is one of 832 non-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant in the amount of $100,000. The grant supports the world-premiere production of Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau in the Downstairs Theatre, April 4 - June 9, 2013.

I'll spare you any idioms regarding the distance between apples and trees while examining the newest work of Daisy Foote, the playwright who carries on the lineage of one of America's treasured dramatist, the late Horton Foote.  But comparison is inevitable as the daughter's most recent work has a similar voice to that of her father; just differently accented.

On Tuesday, October 9, Primary Stages (Executive Producer Casey Childs, Artistic Director Andrew Leynse, Managing Director Elliot Fox) continued their celebration of the Foote Family legacy at the opening night of HIM by Daisy Foote. This world-premiere production, the second of Primary Stages' 28th season, features Tony Award nominee Hallie Foote (Harrison, TX , Dividing the Estate) Tim Hopper (Present Laughter, The Dying Gaul, Steppenwolf), Adam LeFevre (The Doctor's Dilemma), and Adina Verson (The Winter's Tale at Yale Rep). Helmed by Obie Award-winning director Evan Yionoulis (Three Days of Rain, Violet Hour), HIM runs September 25 - October 28 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters.

Primary Stages continues its celebration of the Foote familly legacy with the world premiere of of HIM by Daisy Foote. This production, the second of Primary Stages' 28th season will feature Tony Award nominee Hallie Foote (Harrison, TX…, Dividing the Estate) Tim Hopper (Present Laughter, The Dying Gaul, Steppenwolf), Adam LeFevre (The Doctor's Dilemma), and Adina Verson (The Winter's Tale at Yale Rep). Helmed by Obie Award-winning director Evan Yionoulis (Three Days of Rain, Violet Hour), HIM runs September 25 - October 28 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Opening night is tonight, October 9.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues their celebration of the Foote family legacy with the world premiere of HIM by Daisy Foote. This production, the second of Primary Stages' 28th season, opens Tuesday, October 9 and features Tony Award nominee Hallie Foote (Harrison, TX…, Dividing the Estate) Tim Hopper (Present Laughter, The Dying Gaul, Steppenwolf), Adam LeFevre (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Doctor's Dilemma), and Adina Verson (The Winter's Tale at Yale Rep). Helmed by Obie Award-winning director Evan Yionoulis (Three Days of Rain, Violet Hour), HIM runs through October 28 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters.

Earlier this week, the company of the new Primary Stages production, HIM by Daisy Foote, took a break from rehearsal to meet with the press. Check out photos from the event below!

Primary Stages continues their celebration of the Foote familly legacy with the world premiere of of HIM by Daisy Foote. This production, the second of Primary Stages' 28th season will feature Tony Award nominee Hallie Foote, Tim Hopper, Adam LeFevre, and Adina Verson. Helmed by Obie Award-winning director Evan Yionoulis, HIM runs September 25 - October 28 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Opening night is Tuesday, October 9.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Martha Lavey announced today additional casting for the 2012/13 Subscription and Steppenwolf for Young Adults seasons. Will Allan, Keith Kupferer and Lusia Strus join previously announced ensemble members Alana Arenas, Mariann Mayberry and Molly Regan, completing the cast of the season opener, Good People. The cast of the Steppenwolf for Young Adults production of The Book Thief features ensemble member Francis Guinan with Patrick Andrews, Amy J. Carle, Rob Fagin, Rae Gray, Dennis William Grimes, Nikki Klix, Ian Knox, Anthony-Jon LeSage, Clancy McCartney, Andy Monson, Mark Ulrich and Nicole Wiesner. Other additions to the 2012/13 slate include Sandra Delgado, Sandra Marquez, John Ortiz and Gary Perez in The Motherf**ker with the Hat, and Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Glenn Davis and Jacqueline Williams in Head of Passes. Edward Torres has also signed on to direct the Steppenwolf for Young Adults production of How Long Will I Cry?: Voices of Youth Violence (previously titled Oral Histories) with Artistic Consultant Kelli Simpkins.