ENSEMBLE MEMBERS TARELL ALVIN McCRANEY AND TINA LANDAU REUNITE FOLLOWING THE
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS, APRIL 4 – JUNE 9, 2013 IN THE DOWNSTAIRS THEATRE
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) and runs through June 9, 2013 in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 – $78) are on sale now.
In anticipation of her birthday, Shelah’s family and friends gather at her home in the Head of Passes—–the mysterious shifting marshlands at the mouth of the great Mississippi River. As the guests appear, so do ghosts from the past, and Shelah’s convictions about her life begin to dissolve, along with her home in the Louisiana rain. Ensemble members Tarell Alvin McCraney and Tina Landau team up again for this wise, warm world-premiere drama about faith, family and finding your place in the world.
“Head of Passes is intriguing in both its content and form—or rather, in the way that the form moves us into the heart of the play's intensifying interrogation of faith,” comments Artistic Director Martha Lavey. “The divine intervention in our lives may come to us in surprising garb and speak to us the language of humility. The membrane between this world and the unseen world may be porous. We must endure our doubt, we must endure not knowing. Somewhere in that, is our faith.”
The cast of Head of Passes features ensemble members Alana Arenas as Cookie, Jon Michael Hill as Crier (May 21 – June 9), and Tim Hopper as Dr. Anderson with James T. Alfred as Spencer, Kyle Beltran as Crier (April 4 – May 19), Chris Boykin as Angel/Construction Worker, Cheryl Lynn Bruce as Shelah, Glenn Davis as Aubrey, Ron Cephas Jones as Creaker, and Jacqueline Williams as Mae.
The production team for Head of Passes includes: David Gallo (scenic design), Collette Pollard (associate scenic design), Toni Leslie James (costume design), Scott Zielinski (lighting design) and Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound design and original music). Additional credits include: Erica Daniels (casting), Jacob Padrón (dramaturg), Laura D. Glenn (stage manager) and Cassie Wolgamott (assistant stage manager).
Tickets to Head of Passes ($20 – $78) are currently on sale 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 “PASSES15”. 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.
Head of Passes is the recipient of a Joyce Award. Support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. Allstate Insurance Company is Corporate Production Sponsor for Head of Passes.
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 and lot parking are available. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance.
Currently on stage is The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter, directed by ensemble member Austin Pendleton (through April 28, 2013) in the Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St); and Garage Rep, featuring BlackTop Sky by Christina Anderson, directed by Cassy Sanders, presented by Theatre Seven of Chicago; See What I Wanna See, words and music by Michael John LaChiusa, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, music direction by James Morehead; and She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen, directed by Scott Weinstein, presented by Buzz22 Chicago (through April 21, 2013) in the Garage Theatre (1624 N Halsted St). The 2012/13 Subscription Season concludes with Belleville by Amy Herzog, directed by Anne Kauffman (June 27 – August 25, 2013) in the Downstairs Theatre.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is America’s longest standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, producing nearly 700 performances and events annually in its three Chicago theater spaces—the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat Garage Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 43 actors, writers and directors. Artistic programming at Steppenwolf includes a five-play Subscription Season, a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season and three repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work, Garage Rep and Next Up. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Sydney and Dublin. Steppenwolf has the distinction of being the only theater to receive the National Medal of Arts, in addition to numerous other prestigious honors including an Illinois Arts Legend Award and nine Tony Awards. Martha Lavey is the Artistic Director and David Hawkanson is the Executive Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre and twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.
