Steppenwolf Announces LookOut's Summer 2025 Season

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces

LookOut's Summer 2025 Season

Tickets as low as $18 now on sale!

LookOut Summer 2025 Season highlights include (left to right) a solo show by Colette Gregory, an evening of close up magic with Paige Thompson, Bambi Banks Couleé’s campy take on a cult classic and live music and dancing from Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater.

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we're elated about Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series. It's a HOT one! We first caught Gender Play, or what you Will at About Face Theatre in 2023 and loved it. Can't wait to see Will Wilhelm's updates to the show, leading of the 2025 summer LookOut Series. We also adore Vanessa Valliere and Lindsey Noel Whiting and couldn't catch this one at their sold out run at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. We're jazzed for another chance to see the aptly named Look! Look! at LookOut. We're also huge fans of the magical stylings of award winning, purple haired Paige Thompson. We'll be out of town for her LookOut set, but highly recommend you catch her show, before she disappears. Finally, we've covered Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater for years and can attest they're a must see. 

Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series is pleased to announce its action-packed summer lineup of comedy, magic, storytelling, drag and more! The Summer 2025 Season includes captivating solo works from some of Chicago’s most accomplished storytellers; showcases of comedy, theatre and puppetry artists; and a 50th year celebration from Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater.

The popular local talk show The Not That Late Show comes to Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater featuring comedy, music and interviews with a to-be announced notable Chicagoan. Soon after, puppet artist Vanessa Valliere shines in her show LOOK! LOOK!, a celebration of weirdos told in three vignettes. For cult film lovers, Mamma Mia! From Memory presented by Cold Shower Productions and Clue a Drag Parody hosted by Bambi Banks-Couleé are camping it up on stage to bring you hilarious takes on iconic movies.

And if that wasn’t enough, the season kicks off with the triumphant Chicago return of Gender Play, or what you Will starring Will Wilhelm. Touted as an “incredibly original theatrical production,” this two-week run re-claims the famous Bard’s plays by highlighting the importance of queer joy, laughter and self-discovery.

With 40 performances of 17 engagements featuring hundreds of local artists, this summer is jam packed with offerings for everyone!

All LookOut performances take place in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater, an intimate and flexible venue nestled behind Front Bar, 1700 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets, which range in price from $18 – $53*, are now on sale by visiting steppenwolf.org/lookout or by calling the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. *Pricing includes a $3 fee

The full Lookout Summer 2025 Season (in chronological order):

Gender Play, or what you Will

Co-Created by Will Wilhelm & Erin Murray

Performed by Will Wilhelm

Directed by Emily Tarquin & Produced by Brannon Bowers

Dates: Thursday, May 15 – Saturday, May 17 at 8 pm; Wednesday, May 21 – Saturday, May 24 at 8 pm

Sunday, May 18 at 3:30 pm

Ticket Price: $38

Description: Will invites you to an impromptu party to celebrate their new friendship with one of the oldest and queerest playwrights of the English language – William Shakespeare! Total besties Will & Will reclaim the Bard’s old plays in all their original homoerotic, cross-dressing, gender-fluid glory. Following a wildly successful run with About Face Theatre in 2023, Gender Play, or what you Will returns to Chicago for another mystical journey of queer joy, laughter, tarot and self-discovery.

Gender Fucked Productions Presents:

Trans Scribe: A New Works Festival

Dates: Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7 at 8 pm

Sunday, June 8 at 7 pm

Ticket Price: $28 – $43

Description: Trans Scribe is a new play festival like you've never seen before. This three-night event features 10-minute plays, new musical theatre songs, a new one act musical, a new one act play and a new full length play all written by Trans playwrights that call Chicago home.

Black Best Friend

By Colette Gregory

Dates: Thursday, June 12 – Saturday, June 14 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $25

Description: This one-woman show hilariously dissects Black media tropes with satirical sketches, comedic songs and recognizable characters. Colette Gregory deconstructs sexuality, religion and everything from Black Conservatives to Love is Blind contestants.

Stir Friday Night Presents:

Rice to the Occasion

An AAPI Comedy Showcase

Dates: Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $28

Description: For 30 years Stir Friday Night, Chicago's longest-running AAPI comedy team, has been making people laugh. This show is no exception. As they gear up for their milestone 30th anniversary sketch revue in the fall, Stir Friday Night has roped some of their best and funniest ensemble members for Rice to the Occasion, an evening of sizzling, flavorful comedy. MSG included.

Betty Theft Presents:

CROOKED

Dates: Thursday, June 26 at 8 pm

Featuring: Betty Theft, Bambi Banks-Couleé, Irregular Girl, Ramona Slick, Celeste, Penis Envy, Lezbian Minnelli and Mister Mistress

Ticket Price: $23

Description: CROOKED is an alternative drag revue that celebrates the dark, bizarre and uncanny. Hosted by Betty Theft, CROOKED invites you to come take a peek at what lurks behind the curtain...

Paige Thompson Presents:

Magic Through the “Paige’s”

Dates: Saturday, June 28 at 8 pm

Sunday, June 29 at 7 pm

Ticket Price: $33

Description: Witness a one-of-a-kind magic show with award-winning magician Paige Thompson as she takes an audience through the chapters of her magical life. Each trick reveals a new "Paige" of her journey, from childhood performances to the moments that shaped her magical career.

80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories

Produced and hosted by Nestor “THE BOSS” Gomez

Dates: Saturday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $28

Description: 80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories showcases stories by immigrants, refugees and allies on their immigration experiences. Founded by 60+ time Moth Story Slam winner Nestor Gomez, each performance brings together a wide breadth of participants including storytellers, writers, comedians and other performers.

Sex, Race & Jesus

By R.C. Riley

Directed by Emmi Hilger Dates: Friday, July 11 and Saturday July 12 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $23

Description: Sex, Race & Jesus is a story of trial and triumph. R.C. Riley takes a journey through three relationships: with their body, their soul and their higher power. This introspective and raw show is a depiction of intimacy intertwined with personal revelations and powerful convictions.

The Not That Late Show

Dates: Thursday, July 17 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $23

Description: The Not That Late Show is a late night talk show for Chicago, by Chicago. For one night only The Not That Late Show staff creates comedic material inspired by local and national news, internet happenings and whatever else is on their mind!

Karaoke Storytellers

Dates: Saturday, July 19 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $23

Description: Music affects each of us individually, and the emotions we associate with a song are determined by our specific history. Karaoke Storytellers lends a microphone to four Chicago entertainers who have a story to tell about a song that means something to them – and then they might just sing it, too.

LOOK! LOOK!

By Vanessa Valliere

Featuring Lindsey Noel Whiting Dates: Thursday, July 24 – Saturday, July 26 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $28

Description: Three vignettes, two actors, one circus slug, a load of puppets, a bit of clown, a big dance number and a ukulele. Fresh off a sold out run at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, LOOK! LOOK! is a celebration of the gross and beautiful, the sweet and creepy, the euphemistic and earnest and – most importantly – the weirdos.

Cold Shower Comedy Presents:

Mamma Mia! From Memory: If She's Mamma, and I'm Mia, Then Who's Flying The Plane?

Dates: Thursday, July 31 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $23

Description: Cold Shower Comedy, once again, tasks itself with the challenge of recreating a movie with zero reference to the source material. Armed with some BFAs and childhood memories, they will retell the story of three dads, one diary and countless 1970's disco classics.

Rat Mass

Dates: Saturday, August 2 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $18 – $28

Description: At Rat Mass, we worship rats. Through comedy, performance art and audience participation, you will become indoctrinated into a world of shadows and trash. Join the mass for music, rituals and games to rid yourself of your human woes and unleash your inner creature. *This show is for audiences 21 and over.

"Dear Steve...it’s Allie"

Featuring Allie N Steve Mullen Dates: Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $13 – $53

Description: “Dear Steve...it’s Allie” is a solo theatrical autobiography and narrative concert told with songs and stories and pictures. Allie plays the piano and mountain dulcimer while she talks to Steve about the heartland boy and devoted father she watched from a distance, and the life she now lives as a trans elder, composer and artist.

You're Being Ridiculous: GIRL, BYE

Dates: Thursday, August 14 – Saturday, August 16 at 8 pm

Saturday, August 16 at 3:30 pm

Ticket Price: $30

Description: At You're Being Ridiculous, real people tell true stories about their lives. Each performance is linked by rotating themes, and by the desire to make you laugh… and, once in a while, cry. This time we’re taking the garbage out and saying GIRL, BYE to all of life's annoyances. Join us as we take it to the curb.

Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater Presents:

Flamenco Tablao

Dates: Friday, August 22 and Saturday, August 23 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $33 – $53

Description: Join Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater as they kick off their Golden 50th Anniversary Celebration as the premier company and center of Spanish dance and music in Chicago. In Flamenco Tablao, the Ensemble will present a suite of passionate and expressive Flamenco dances and music from the southern part of Spain with Andalusian Roma, Latin American and Caribbean influences. The program features dancers from the company with guest musicians.

Bambi Banks-Couleé Presents:

Clue a Drag Parody

Dates: Thursday, August 28 – Saturday, August 30 at 8 pm

Ticket Price: $28

Description: Clue a Drag Parody is a murder mystery farce starring some of Chicago's best and brightest queens. Whether it’s Mrs. White in the ballroom with the candlestick or Colonel Mustard in the library with the rope, come ready to solve the mystery of this whodunit!

Accessibility:

Steppenwolf's 1700 Theater is equipped with an induction hearing loop and assistive listening devices (ALDs) are available upon request. Our building features wheelchair-accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair, and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility or e-mail access@steppenwolf.org.

Sponsor Information: 

The LookOut Series is supported in part by the Walder Foundation. United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf salutes lead sponsors Allstate Insurance Company, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Caroline and Keating Crown, Good Chaos, John Hart and Carol Prins, Joyce Foundation, Lefkofsky Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Anne and Don Phillips, Pritzker Traubert Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Inc, Walder Foundation, and Zell Family Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges generous support from premier sponsors ArentFox Schiff, Andrew and Amy Bluhm, Ann and Richard Carr, Chicago Community Trust, Conagra Brands Foundation, Steven and Nancy Crown,  CRC Group, Julius Frankel Foundation, FROST CHICAGO, Kirkland & Ellis, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Orlebeke Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sacks Family Foundation, Smart Family Foundation of Illinois, Gary Sinise Foundation, and Vinci Restaurant. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company:

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier Ensemble Theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions - from Balm in Gilead and Grapes of Wrath to August: Osage County, Downstate and The Brother/Sister Plays - have made this theatre legendary. Founded in 1976, Steppenwolf started as a group of teens performing in the basement of a church. Today, the company's artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its appetite for bold and innovative work. Every aspect of Steppenwolf is rooted in its Ensemble ethos, from the intergenerational artistic programming to the multi-genre performance series LookOut, to the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education and Engagement which serves nearly 15,000 teens annually. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf also holds accolades that include the National Medal of Arts, 12 Tony Awards, and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair, Keating Crown - Steppenwolf continually redefines the landscape of acting and performance.

Steppenwolf’s Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

3 Nights Only: Pay What You Can Tickets for Broken Nose Theatre's Bechdel Fest 6

Chi IL Live Shows On Our Radar:

 

Three Performances Only!

Broken Nose Theatre Announces Line-Up for

BECHDEL FEST 6: REVOLUTION

July 29, 30 & 31, 2018 

at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre

Parts of Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series

I'll definitely be out to see BECHDEL FEST 6: REVOLUTION. Here at ChiIL Live Shows we're all about works of film and theatre that pass the "Bechdel Test" and can't wait to see Broken Nose Theatre's annual festival of new short plays. With pay what you can ticket prices, nobody's excluded for a thin wallet or empty bank account. Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre is one of our favorite new venues and an excellent place to catch a show. Don't miss this!

Broken Nose Theatre, recipient of the 2018 Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theatre Award, is pleased to announce the full line-up for BECHDEL FEST 6: REVOLUTION, the company’s annual festival of new short plays featuring an ensemble of female-identifying and non-binary actors talking about things other than men. Presented as part of Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series, BECHDEL FEST will play three performances only July 29, 30 & 31, 2018 at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Tickets for all BNT productions are available on a “pay-what-you-can” basis, allowing patrons to set their own price and ensuring theatre remains economically accessible for all audiences. Suggested price is $25. Tickets are currently available at www.steppenwolf.org or by calling (312) 335-1650.

All the works in BNT’s perennial feminist festival are inspired by the famous Bechdel-Wallace Test. Created by cartoonist Alison Bechdel, the test asks whether a work of entertainment features at least two women in conversation about something other than a man. Since the fest's first iteration in 2013, Broken Nose has worked with some of the most exciting voices in the Chicago theater landscape on over 40 stories that, by design, do not revolve around men. This year's lineup includes both female-identifying and non-binary characters.



The full line-up for BECHDEL FEST 6: REVOLUTION includes: 

EVERY OTHER TUESDAY
Written by Elise Marie Davis* | Directed by Spenser Davis*

A suburban book club is on track to reserve a booth at their neighborhood's annual Community Cookout –until the cookout sponsors realize the book club focuses exclusively on lesbian erotica.

FOR THE CULTURE
Written by Michael Allen Harris+ | Directed by Martin Hanna*

The Society - a secret spy organization founded, funded, organized, and run by black women - is about to send their most skilled agent on a brand new mission: a covert infiltration with the potential to change the world.

GOLDSTAR
Written by Cleo Shine | Directed by JD Caudill^

A shy highschooler decides to reveal her true self to her girlfriend, even if it risks changing everything.

HOLY INAPPROPRIATE
Written by Allison L. Fradkin | Directed by Kim Boler^

A devout mother and her three daughters seem perfectly comfortable within the confines of the restrictive "Christian Patriarchy Movement."  That is, until sex education gets unexpectedly added to their home-schooled curriculum.

NO, JENNIFER
Written by Nancy Garcia Loza | Directed by Laura Baker

Two Mexican-American friends struggle with the ups and downs of seeking help, dealing with trauma – and setting boundaries with their hard-to-ignore families.

OCCUPY GAMBIER
Written by Beth Hyland | Directed by Brian Balcom

As the "Occupy Wallstreet" protests rage on the East Coast in 2011, several college students strive to be part of the movement... on their tiny liberal arts campus in Gambier, Ohio.

PORCH PROBLEMS
Written by Kristi Parker-Barnhart | Directed by Julia Skeggs

Two neighbors. One shared back porch. This means war.

PROM REBEL
Written by Loy Webb | Directed by Deanna Reed Foster

On the eve of her high school prom, a young woman decides to break the rules in her own special way.

TAKING A (ONE-NIGHT) STAND
Written by Benjamin Brownson* | Directed by Adrienne Matzen

Two strangers find their night of casual fun unexpectedly lengthened when a neighborhood riot erupts around them.

* BNT Company member       ^ BNT Artistic associate           + BNT Resident Playwright



About Broken Nose Theatre:

Broken Nose Theatre is a Pay-What-You-Can theatre company. Founded in 2012, BNT has produced and developed 11 full-length plays (including 8 Chicago or World Premieres) and over 40 new womencentric short plays through our annual Bechdel Fest. We strive to spark conversation, cultivate empathy, and amplify underrepresented voices, and are committed to making new, exciting and relevant theatre that is economically accessible to all audiences. For more information, please visit www.brokennosetheatre.com.

About Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series:

LookOut is Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form, emerging artists and performance legends, quintessential Chicago companies and young aspiring ensembles, familiar Steppenwolf faces and new friends. steppenwolf.org/lookout

Steppenwolf LookOut Series Winter 2017-18 Lineup to Include Chita Rivera in Concert with Seth Rudetsky

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

Additional Winter Highlights Include a One-Woman Show Written and Performed by Ensemble Member Molly Regan, an Evening of Improv with Michael Patrick Thornton and Performances by Returning LookOut Guests Jessie Fisher & Erik Hellman, Growing Concerns, and You’re Being Ridiculousplus Chicago musical theatre & storefront stars

Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series is pleased to announce their exciting Winter 2017-18 Lineup, which will feature two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera in Concert with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. The one-night-only event will be on Monday, December 11 at 6:30pm in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted). Public tickets go on sale Friday, November 3 at 11am. Member Pre-Sale for the Chita Rivera concert starts Wednesday, November 1 at 11am.

Two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera performs alongside Sirius XM Radio host and creator/star of Broadway's Disaster! Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. This unscripted evening will feature Rivera performing the greatest hits of her vast musical theater repertoire, including songs from her now legendary roles of Anita in West Side Story, Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and Velma in Chicago. Produced with Mark Cortale, the evening will be a seamless mixture of intimate, behind-the-scenes stories of her career through insightful, funny and revealing questions posed by Rudetsky. An acclaimed actress, singer and dancer, Rivera has earned 10 Tony nominations for her beloved Broadway roles. This spontaneous evening of hilarity and show-stopping songs is not to be missed. 

Additional winter highlights include a one-woman show written and performed by ensemble member Molly Regan, an evening of improv with Michael Patrick Thornton and performances by Returning LookOut Guests Growing Concerns Poetry Collective and Po’Chop, plus new music, comedy, theatre, storytelling and more. Full lineup below.

Tickets to most Winter LookOut programming go on sale Friday, November 3 at 11am through Audiences Services (1650 N Halsted), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org. Steppenwolf Red and Black Card Members may use credits towards shows in the 1700 Theatre. Lineup below; prices vary. For information, visit steppenwolf.org/lookout.

Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre is an 80-seat cabaret-style space connected to Steppenwolf’s own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks at 1700 N Halsted St., an inviting space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Guests can take drinks into the theater.

LookOut Winter 2017-18 Lineup
Listed in date order. All artists, dates and prices subject to change
*Doors open 30 minutes before performance time

She's Folks' Holiday Hootenanny
Thursday, December 7 & Friday, December 8 
8pm
$18
The Folks are hitchin' up the sleigh to bring you their signature Story, Song and Sass - with a seasonal twist. Join Betsy Morgan and the Boys as they celebrate the holidays with charming tales, Yuletide classics and a medley of holiday hymns, as well as original tunes.

Erik and Jessie and Everyone You Know Variety Show: Holiday Edition 
Monday, December 11
8pm
$15
Local actor/musicians Erik Hellman and Jessie Fisher present a Holiday edition of their variety hour: Original music, special guests, comedy, magic, improv, and ephemera along with the tightest country/soul band in the land. Fast-paced, fun, funky and fresh.

Bette Midler: Xmas at the Baths
Tuesday, December 12 & Wednesday, December 13
8pm
$25
Hell in a Handbag presents Caitlin Jackson as Bette Midler in the return of their steamy cabaret sensation - with a holiday twist! A live tribute to the legendary shows at New York's infamous Continental Bath House with Jeremy Ramey on piano and a slew of special guest stars to help ring in the holidays - Handbag style! 

Chita Rivera in Concert with Seth Rudetsky 
Monday, December 11 
6:30pm
$79-$150
Two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera performs at Steppenwolf for one-night-only alongside Sirius XM Radio host and creator/star of Broadway's Disaster! Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host. This unscripted evening will feature Rivera performing the greatest hits of her vast musical theater repertoire, including songs from her now legendary roles of Anita in West Side Story, Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and Velma in Chicago.

Steppenwolf Member Pre-Sale for this performance starts November 1 at 11am.

Youth in a Roman Field
Saturday, January 6
8pm
$12
Youth in a Roman Field wants to help you break the rules. The bastardized string quartet-meets-jazz-combo-meets-folk-band led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Claire Wellin incorporates sounds of "Appalachia, cayenne pepper, & ghosts.”

The Accidental Curator
By Molly Regan
Directed by Mary B. Robinson
Friday, January 12 – Sunday, January 14
Friday and Saturday 8pm
Sunday Matinee 2pm
$40
With equal amounts of wry humor and warm wisdom, Steppenwolf ensemble member Molly Regan takes on one of life's most challenging-but-under-appreciated rites of passage in this solo show: becoming the keeper of the keepsakes, repository of family memory, appraiser and disseminator of the valueless and the invaluable.

Sand & Friends
Friday, January 19 & Saturday, January 20 
8pm
$20
Sand is an improv ensemble made up of Thomas Kelly, Scott Nelson and Mike Brunlieb, accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Tim Joyce. Gentle, sweet little misfits and power-mad demonic rage-machines and kinda vacant functionaries and righteous Christian punk guitarists are some of Sand's favorite people.

Poems for the People: Growing Concerns Poetry Collective Book Release + Concert
Friday, January 26 & Saturday, January 27
8pm
$15
With this evening of music and performance, Growing Concerns Poetry Collective celebrates the release of its first book, a collection of the poetry of McKenzie Chinn and Mykele Deville, published by Candor Arts. 

The Przmatics: Chicago Songs
Tuesday, January 30
8pm
$10
Join The Przmatics for an evening of quirky power-pop with jazz harmonies filtered through garage band mentalities. This performance features songs written in and about the city of Chicago and will showcase special guests from the local scene performing new collaborations.

You’re Being Ridiculous: I LOVE…
Friday, February 2 & Saturday, February 3
Friday, February 9 & Saturday, February 10
8pm
$20
At You're Being Ridiculous, real people tell true stories about their lives. Each performer is linked by rotating themes, and by the desire to make you laugh—and, once in a while, cry. This month’s theme: I LOVE…

YOU & ME
Thursday, February 8
8pm
$20
YOU & ME is a two-person, entirely improvised, no suggestion set with Michael Patrick Thornton and a guest artist. Hilarious, horrifying, and human.

Sinfolk / Sound + Fury
Monday, February 12
$15
7pm
Featuring Gabriel Ruiz, Marvin Quijada and Jess Godwin, Sinfolk and Sound + Fury come together for a theatrically augmented concert experience benefitting Puerto Rico relief efforts. The split bill will host Sinfolk, an intimate acoustic duo, and Sound + Fury's electronic bombast, to create a unique evening of diverse music and theatrical experiments.

WildClaw Theatre Company Presents
Open Heart Surgery 2: Invasive Procedures
A Salon of Medical Horrors
Wednesday, February 14
8pm
$25
WildClaw Theatre Company is proud to present Open Heart Surgery 2, the sequel to 2014’s Horrific Valentine’s Day Salon. Join WildClaw as they explore matters of the heart… and lungs… and liver…

Thank the Lorde!
By Po’Chop
Friday, February 16 - Sunday, February 18
Friday and Saturday 8pm
Sunday Matinee 2pm
$20
The spirit moves in Po'Chop’s Thank the Lorde! This tribute to the revolutionary women who work together as friends and lovers is church service as performance. Filled with secular interpretations of all your favorite sacraments. Only this time, the object of worship is a Black Lesbian Feminist doing her work. Have you done yours? 

A Concert Presentation of:
East’o, West’o!
Music and Lyrics by Michelle J. Rodriguez
Friday, February 23 & Saturday, February 24
8pm
$20
Weaving together Appalachian harmonies, bluegrass and contemporary folk, a Norwegian tale becomes an American myth in this joyful musical, celebrating a big-hearted heroine navigating the spaces between womanhood, belonging and home. Starring the composer/lyricist, Michelle J. Rodriguez, the first Chicago presentation of East’o, West’o! promises to be an experience of powerful, cleansing, revitalizing joy.

We Three: Loud Her. Fast Her. Funny Her. 
Monday, February 26 & Tuesday, February 27 
8pm
$25
Meghan Murphy, Danni Smith, & Cassie Slater are three giants (literally they're all 5'10+) in the musical theatre world. Here, they join forces to sing about the sweet release of a well-timed belly laugh and the life affirming power of a new found friendship.

LookOut is Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form, emerging artists and performance legends, quintessential Chicago companies and young aspiring ensembles, familiar Steppenwolf faces and new friends. Tickets to all LookOut programming are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted), steppenwolf.org or 312-335-1650. Prices vary for each show. Steppenwolf Red Card and Black Card Members may use credits towards any LookOut programming. The LookOut Series is presented year-round and announced on an ongoing basis. John Zinn, Greta Honold and Patrick Zakem are the producers for LookOut. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/lookout.

Located in front of the 1700 Theatre is Steppenwolf’s café & bar, Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, offering a warm, creative space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Open Tuesdays – Sundays from 8am to midnight, Front Bar serves artisanal coffee and espresso is provided by La Colombe and food prepared by Goddess and Grocer. The menu focuses on fresh, accessible fare, featuring grab-and-go salads and sandwiches for lunch and adding shareable small plates and desserts for evening and post show service. www.front-bar.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble today features 47 members who represent a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programing includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

OPENING: NEW Lucky Plush ROOMING HOUSE Debuts in STEPPENWOLF’S 1700 THEATRE

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

LUCKY PLUSH PRESENTS 

ROOMING HOUSE, 

NEW DANCE THEATER WORK DEBUTS NOVEMBER 4-18 

IN STEPPENWOLF’S 1700 THEATRE

(Front, from left) Lucky Plush dancers Kara Brody and Elizabeth Luse, with (rear) Meghann Wilkinson and Aaron R. White. Photo credit: Philamonjaro

Lucky Plush Productions present Rooming House, the newest dance theater work devised by Lucky Plush, premiering in Steppenwolf’s new 1700 Theatre. 

Rooming House is presented as part of Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series November 4-18, 2017 with 12 performances over a three-week run.

Here at ChiIL Live Shows we've adored Lucky Plush for years. We're also huge fans of Leslie Buxbaum Danzig and have covered her excellent work with 500 Clown, Actors Gymnasium, Chicago Children's Theatre and more. We can't wait to see their next new thing, Rooming House, in one of our favorite new spaces, Steppenwolf’s 80 seat, 1700 Theatre! The world needs more joy right now and I have a feeling Lucky Plush is about to bring it.

Rooming House is co-created by founder and artistic director Julia Rhoads and collaborating director Leslie Buxbaum Danzig (formerly of 500 Clown). Playful and personal, the work synthesizes contemporary dance and theater to create a dynamic blueprint for exploring the question: what makes a person do something that could have life changing consequences?

Rooming House begins with an intimate conversation among friends, slipping easily between Spanish and English, as they recall stories of people who’ve taken actions with potentially devastating costs. When the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is mentioned, varied interpretations propel the group into a physically and psychologically complex game of whodunit, taking them down a rabbit hole into the lives of everyday people who do extraordinary things—from life endangering rescues, to defecting from Cuba, to letting go of someone you love. 



Rooming House in the studio! from Lucky Plush Productions on Vimeo.

In Rooming House, the myth and game structure offer familiar anchors that allow the audience to form expectations, which then can be broken as performers follow their idiosyncratic preoccupations and wrestle with the conditions of the performance – often being a source of comedy and delight for the audience.

“Lucky Plush Productions deeply values creating a welcoming relationship between stage and audience, delivering relatable content without compromising complexity. Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre is an ideal venue to create this intimate relationship, and we are incredibly excited to being one of the first dance events on its intimate stage as part of Steppenwolf’s LookOut series,” said Lucky Plush Artistic Director and Rooming House co-creator Julia Rhoads.



“Lucky Plush also values laughter and finds that it functions as an important release, a non-precious way to tackle difficult issues and a generator of excellent energy between performers and audience,” added Rhoads’s frequent collaborator Leslie Buxbaum Danzig.

(From left) Lucky Plush dancers Meghann Wilkinson, Rodolfo Sánchez Sarracino, Elizabeth Luse and Aaron R. White perform a sneak-peek scene of Rooming House at the company’s Plucky Lush benefit in May, 2017. Photo credit: Philamonjaro

Previews of Rooming House are Saturday, November 4 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 5 at 4 p.m. Press openings are Monday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, November 9 at 8 p.m. Performances run through November 18: Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 4 p.m. There is an Industry Night performance on Monday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. and an added performance, Wednesday, November 15 at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $15-$40. Student tickets are $15. Industry tickets are $20 (Monday, November 13 only). Previews are $30. Seniors 62+ and active military tickets are $30. Regular performances are $40. Steppenwolf Red and Black Card holders may use their cards as per Steppenwolf policies. 

For tickets and information, visit Steppenwolf.org, LuckyPlush.com or call (312) 335-1650.

(From left) Lucky Plush dancers Meghann Wilkinson, Elizabeth Luse, Rodolfo Sánchez Sarracino, Aaron R. White, Michel Rodriguez Cintra and Kara Brody.

Photo credit: Philamonjaro

The 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago, is Steppenwolf’s casual, intimate and flexible 80-seat space dedicated to showcasing the work of its ensemble and local companies like Lucky Plush. It is located immediately behind Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, the company’s 2,500 square ft. café & bar.

The debut of Rooming House at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre is part of LookOut, Steppenwolf’s new multi-genre performance series, presenting a wide variety of genres and shows, from dance to live music to spoken word and beyond, from a diverse array of voices, emerging and established alike. For more information, visit Steppenwolf.com/lookout.

Rooming House features Lucky Plush ensemble members Kara Brody, Michel Rodriguez Cintra, Elizabeth Luse, Rodolfo Sánchez Sarracino, Aaron R. White and Meghann Wilkinson. Original music is by Michael Caskey. Lighting design by Alexander Ridgers.

Rooming House received presentation support from Steppenwolf Theatre Company and The Yard (Martha’s Vineyard, MA); production residency support from Door Kinetic Festival (Bailey’s Harbor, WI), NC State LIVE (Raleigh, NC); seminar support from University of Chicago’s Center for Theater and Performance Studies; and project grants from National Endowment for the Arts, MacArthur International Connections Fund, Network of Ensemble Theaters and the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.



Julia Rhoads is the founding artistic director of Lucky Plush Productions. She has created more than 25 original works for Lucky Plush, several of which have toured extensively throughout the U.S. Additional choreography credits include Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Walkabout Theater, Redmoon and River North Dance Chicago, among others. Rhoads is the recipient of an Alpert Award in Dance, a fellowship from the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, a Chicago Dancemakers Forum lab award, a Cliff Dwellers Foundation choreography award, two Illinois Arts Council choreography fellowships, a Jacob K. Javits fellowship for graduate studies, and a 2014 Fractured Atlas Arts Entrepreneurship Award for spearheading Creative Partners, an innovative nonprofit financial model shared by Lucky Plush Productions, Eighth Blackbird and Blair Thomas & Company. Rhoads is a former member of San Francisco Ballet and ensemble member of XSIGHT! Performance Group. She received her BA in History from Northwestern University, her MFA in Performance from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and she has taught in the dance and theater programs of several Chicago-area colleges and universities. She is currently a part-time lecturer and dance advisor at the University of Chicago’s Department of Theater and Performance Studies.

 

Leslie Buxbaum Danzig is a collaborating director with Julia Rhoads/Lucky Plush Productions, where she co-created The Better Half and The Queue and is currently working on Rooming House. For over a decade, Danzig was co-founder and resident director of the Chicago-based physical theater company 500 Clown, whose shows (Macbeth, Frankenstein, Christmas and Elephant Deal) performed in Chicago at venues including Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Lookingglass Theatre, and toured throughout the U.S. Other directing credits include Quest at The Actors Gymnasium; Wild Sound, composed by Wilco’s Glenn Kotche for Third Coast Percussion, with performances at MCA Chicago, Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), National Forum of Music (Wroclaw), and De Doelen (Rotterdam); Damon Kiely's The Revel with the House Theatre; Redmoon's The Elephant and the Whale with Chicago Children's Theater (with Frank Maugeri); Redmoon’s Hunchback at New Victory Theater (NYC); and Float with About Face Theater. Prior to turning to directing, she toured nationally and internationally as an actor with NYC’s Elevator Repair Service. Danzig is Assistant Professor of Practice in Theater and Performance Studies, University of Chicago. She received her BA from Brown University and PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern University, and trained in physical theater at Écoles Jacques Lecoq and Philippe Gaulier. Upcoming projects include creating an original circus-theater production and stage directing Paddle to the Sea with Third Coast Percussion.

About Lucky Plush Productions

Now entering its 18th season, Lucky Plush Productions (LuckyPlush.com) is a Chicago-based dance theater company led by founder and artistic director Julia Rhoads. Lucky Plush is committed to provoking and supporting an immediacy of presence – a palpable liveness – shared by performers in real-time with audiences. A unique hybrid of high-level dance and theater, Lucky Plush’s work is well-known for carefully crafting dramatic and rhythmic arcs, pushing its artists to move beyond the predictable by earning the exciting slippage between – and surprising coherence of – pedestrian action, realistic dialogue, abstract choreography and humor. Though rigorously composed, much of the company’s work feels like it is generated spontaneously.

Since its founding in 2000, Lucky Plush has created 30 original dance-theater works including 12 evening-length productions. In addition to regularly performing in Chicago, the company has presented in over 40 US cities from Maine to Hawaii, and its international partners span from New Zealand to Cuba. Commissioners include the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Krannert Center at the University of Illinois, Flynn Center for the Performing Arts (VT), Links Hall Chicago, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (MD) and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Lucky Plush has also collaborated with Lookingglass Theatre, Redmoon, Walkabout Theater and M5.

Lucky Plush Productions is the first and only dance company to receive the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, a recognition of the company’s exceptional creativity and impact. Other awards include creation, residency, and touring awards from National Endowment for the Arts, National Dance Project, and National Performance Network; exchange awards from the MacArthur Foundation International Connections Fund; a presentation award from MetLife Foundation; and an achievement award from the Lester and Hope Abelson Fund for the Performing Arts at The Chicago Community Trust.

Press features include the Boston Globe's "10 Best Dance Performances of 2013," Chicago Public Radio's "Best of 2011"; the Chicago Reader's "Best of Chicago 2010"; Time Out Chicago's "The Decade's 10 Best Original Dance Works"; the Chicago Tribune's "Best of Dance 2008"; Chicago Sun Times' "Lasting memories in Dance" for 2005 and 2007, and a Time Out Chicago cover story "5 reasons to love dance in Chicago," among others. 

Lucky Plush managing director Kim Goldman works in tandem with artistic director Julia Rhoads to carry out the company’s mission. The current ensemble includes Kara Brody, Michel Rodriguez Cintra, Elizabeth Luse, Rodolfo Sánchez Sarracino, Aaron R. White and Meghann Wilkinson. 

OPENING: CHICAGO PREMIERE OF BARBECUE BY ROBERT O’HARA VIA STRAWDOG THEATRE AT STEPPENWOLF’S 1700 THEATRE

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

STRAWDOG THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES THE CHICAGO PREMIERE OF 

BARBECUE 

BY ROBERT O’HARA, 

AUGUST 17 – SEPTEMBER 30, DIRECTED BY DAMON KIELY

A LOOKOUT VISITING COMPANY PRESENTED AT STEPPENWOLF’S 1700 THEATRE

What better way to bring summer to a close than with an emotional bomb shell of a BBQ/family intervention?! We're elated that one of our favorite storefront companies, Strawdog Theatre Company, will be playing one of our fav new cabaret spaces, Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s 1700 Theatre. Not to mention, the author is the acclaimed and multi award winning Robert O’Hara. We adored his hilarious play, BootyCandy, that just ran for months at Windy City Playhouse. This one's sure to be hot! The intimate 1700 space fills fast so don't miss out. 

Strawdog Theatre Company and Artistic Directors Michael Dailey, Heath Hays and Anderson Lawfer are proud to announce the first production in their 2017 – 2018 season, Barbecue by Robert O’Hara, August 17 – September 30, with direction by Damon Kiely at Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted Street as a LookOut Visiting Company.  

Opening night performance is Monday Aug. 28 at 8 p.m. Previews are Thursday, Aug. 17 and Aug. 24, Friday, Aug. 18 and Aug. 25, Saturday, Aug. 19 and Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, August 27 at 3:30 p.m. 

Regular run performances are Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Preview tickets are $35, regular run tickets are $45. Strawdog subscribers enjoy 25% off all ticket prices. 

This production is also available to Steppenwolf’s Red and Black Card holders. Group, senior, student, industry, and rush discounts are also available. To purchase subscriptions to Strawdog’s 2017-18 Season, visit www.strawdog.org. 

To purchase single tickets to Barbecue, please visit HERE.

A modern American family uses a summer barbecue as a pretext to ambush sister Barbara with an intervention.  If you think “all families are crazy” is just a cliché, you’ve not spent time under the influence of the O'Mallerys.  An afternoon in the park with these raucous siblings and you'll be challenging your own assumptions about family, race, and reality. The Chicago premiere of Barbecue by Obie and Helen Hayes Award winner Robert O’Hara will have you laughing out loud and questioning how it’s true that in America, you sometimes taze the ones you love.

Since its world premiere, Barbecue has received critically acclaim. The Los Angeles Times said,  “Ferociously funny! Barbecue raucously sends up the sociological pantomime — life as an award-seeking existential burlesque,” and “Wickedly delightful!” by TheaterMania.com. Variety’s review included, “Barbecue, shrewdly turns the formula for the American domestic comedy on its head.”

The Barbecue cast includes Strawdog Ensemble Members John Henry Roberts and Kamille Dawkins with guest artists Kristin Collins, Celeste Cooper, Anita Deely, Barbara Figgins, Deanna Reed Foster, Abby Pierce, Terence Simms and Ginneh Thomas.

The Barbecue design team includes Strawdog Ensemble Members Costume Designer Aly Greaves Amidei and Sound Designer Heath Hayes with guest artists: Director Damon Kiely, Assistant Director Michael Burke, Set Designer Joanna Iwanicka, Lighting Designer Jared Gooding, Props Designer Leah Hummel and Dramaturg Taylor Barfield. 

ABOUT DAMON KIELY, DIRECTOR
Damon Kiely is chair of Performance at DePaul’s Theatre School and the author of the book How to Read a Play (Routledge) and the plays Thieves Like Us and The Revel. His production of Hank Williams: Lost Highway won the Jeff Award for Best Musical Midsized. He has directed for American Theatre Company, TimeLine, Route 66, A Red Orchid and many others. He lives in Edgewater with his wife Jennifer and their children, Bella and Finn.

ABOUT ROBERT O’HARA. PLAYWRIGHT
Robert O’Hara has received the NAACP Best Director Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play, two OBIEs and the Oppenheimer Award. He directed the world premieres of Nikkole Salter and Dania Guiria’s In the Continuum, Tarell McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays (Part 2), Colman Domingo’s Wild with Happy as well as his own plays, BootyCandy and Insurrection: Holding History. His new plays Zombie: The American and Barbecue, world premiered at Woolly Mammoth Theater and New York Shakespeare Festival, respectively. He is currently directing a new musical, Uni/son inspired from the poetry of August Wilson at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and a new musical, Bella by Kirsten Childs at Playwrights Horizons. He will direct the world premiere of his play, Mankind, at Playwrights Horizons this fall.

ABOUT STRAWDOG THEATRE COMPANY
Since its founding in 1988, Strawdog Theatre Company has offered Chicagoland the premiere storefront theatre experience and garnered numerous Non-Equity Jeff Awards with its commitment to ensemble acting and an immersive design approach. The celebrated Company develops new work, re-imagines the classics, melds music with theatre, asks provocative questions and delivers their audience the unexpected.

Strawdog Theatre Company is supported in part by The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Alphawood Foundation, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and the annual support of businesses and individuals.

EXTENDED: HOW TO BE A ROCK CRITIC AT STEPPENWOLF’S LOOKOUT SERIES

Chi, IL LIVE Shows On Our Radar:

STEPPENWOLF’S LOOKOUT SERIES EXTENDS  

HOW TO BE A ROCK CRITIC 

(BASED ON THE WRITINGS OF LESTER BANGS)

BY JESSICA BLANK AND ERIK JENSEN

DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND 

NOW PLAYING THROUGH JULY 29, 2017

By popular demand Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series extends its rock ‘n’ roll production of the solo play, How To Be A Rock Critic (Based on the Writings of Lester Bangs) by award-winning theatre artists Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, starring Erik Jensen (The Walking Dead, Mr. Robot) as Lester Bangs and directed by Jessica Blank (Made in Jersey, The Namesake). Described as “a fascinating window into one of the last century's most compelling and fearless critics,” (Chicago Tribune), the 90-minute production continues for three additional performances through July 29, 2017 in the 1700 Theatre, situated behind Front Bar: Coffee & Drinks (drinks permitted in the theater).

Performances in the regular schedule are Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at 3:30pm and 8pm. Tickets ($30) to the additional performances of How To Be A Rock Critic on sale Saturday, July 15 at 11am through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted), 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

Added performances of How To Be A Rock Critic include:

Thursday, July 27 at 8pm
Friday, July 28 at 8pm
Saturday, July 29 at 8pm

America’s greatest rock critic, gonzo journalist and inventor of the word “punk,” legendary music writer Lester Bangs was an American icon. Outsized, manic, fucked-up and impossibly creative, Lester traveled with some of the most iconic musical figures of the 20th century—The Clash, Bob Marley, Lou Reed— peeling away the veneer between “star” and audience and revealing the “greats” as flawed and failing humans. He was at once irreligious and messianic about his hopes for the future, humanity in general, and music in particular. Music could save the world. At least that’s what you tell yourself when you start out. But when the ragged, rebel ethos of the seventies gave way to the corporate pop of the eighties, Lester lost the myth he’d built a life around, and died of a drug overdose in 1982.

This solo play by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen (award-winning writers of The Exonerated and Aftermath) adapts Lester’s own writing to chart the life, work and death of one of the 20th century’s most ground-breaking, risk-taking, pioneering voices.

Each evening show in the regular run is followed by legendary Chicago area musicians playing some of Lester Bangs’s personal favorite songs and artists. This weekend will feature The Lester Bangs Memorial Tribute Band with Jim DeRogatis (July 13-15), followed by David Singer & The Sweet Science (July 20-22). Saturday matinees on July 15 & 22 will be followed by discussions with music critic and Lester Bangs biographer Jim DeRogatis and the artists.

Lester Bangs was a rock critic who reached iconic status in the 1970s with his passionate, intellectually honest writing in books and publications such as Rolling Stone, Creem, The Village Voice, Penthouse, Playboy and others. He spent time with and wrote about the 20th century’s greatest musicians, including The Clash, Bob Marley, Lou Reed, Paul McCartney, Blondie, Iggy Pop, The Ramones and many more. He was born in Escondido, California on December 14, 1948, and he died in New York City on April 30, 1982.

Jessica Blank (Co-writer and Director) co-wrote the play Liberty City with April Yvette Thompson and directed its Off-Broadway production at New York Theater Workshop (Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle nominations). Her second novel, Karma for Beginners, was published by Hyperion in 2009 and her third is forthcoming from Penguin in 2018. As an actor, Jessica appeared regularly as the lead’s loudmouthed big sister in CBS’ Made in Jersey. Additional TV credits include the pilot of High Maintenance for HBO, Blue Bloods, Elementary, The Following, The Mentalist, Bored to Death, Rescue Me, Law and Order: CI, The Bronx is Burning, and several more. Film acting credits include The Namesake (dir. Mira Nair), The Exonerated, and several indies including Creative Control (SXSW Grand Jury Prize, 2015), On the Road with Judas (Sundance) and You’re Nobody Until Somebody Kills You (prod. Spike Lee). She has acted in theaters throughout New York City and has three new films coming out in 2017.

Erik Jensen (Co-writer and Performer) TV acting credits include major arcs on The Walking Dead and Mr. Robot, leads in the CBS pilot Second Sight, NBC pilot The Frontier and Fox TV movie Virtuality (dir. Peter Berg). He appeared as baseball legend Thurman Munson in miniseries The Bronx is Burning, and has made numerous recurring and guest appearances including The Americans, House of Cards, Turn, Elementary, Person of Interest, Major Crimes, Chicago PD, CSI, and many more. His film credits include Black Knight, The Love Letter, and over two dozen indies. Theater credits include the Pulitzer-Prize winning production of Disgraced at LCT3, The Good Negro at the Public, and Arthur Kopit’s Y2K and Terrance McNally’s Corpus Christi at MTC. His sci-fi graphic novel The Reconcilers was published in 2010 to wide acclaim.

How To Be A Rock Critic is presented as part of LookOut, Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form. Emerging artists and performance legends, quintessential Chicago companies and young aspiring ensembles, familiar Steppenwolf faces and new friends. Steppenwolf Red Card and Black Card Members may use credits towards LookOut programming. The LookOut Series is presented year-round and announced on an ongoing basis. John Zinn, Greta Honold and Patrick Zakem are the producers for LookOut. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/lookout.

Located in front of the 1700 Theatre is Steppenwolf’s café & bar, Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks. Open daily from 8am to midnight, Front Bar is a creative space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Front Bar serves artisanal coffee and espresso is provided by La Colombe and has a new menu with food prepared by Goddess and the Grocer. The menu focuses on fresh, accessible fare, featuring grab-and-go salads and sandwiches for lunch and adding shareable small plates and desserts for evening and post show service. More info at front-bar.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble has grown to 49 members who represent a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programing includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Additional outreach initiatives include Steppenwolf Education, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities with teen programming, educator training and community partnerships; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. 

For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.