ACT OUT: MICHAEL CERA, KIERAN CULKIN AND TAVI GEVINSON TO STAR IN THIS IS OUR YOUTH

MICHAEL CERA, KIERAN CULKIN AND TAVI GEVINSON TO STAR IN PRE-BROADWAY

THIS IS OUR YOUTH

BY KENNETH LONERGAN, 

DIRECTED BY ENSEMBLE MEMBER ANNA D. SHAPIRO

PERFORMANCES ARE JUNE 10 – JULY 27, 2014, IN STEPPENWOLF’S UPSTAIRS THEATRE

**Tickets to This Is Our Youth ($20 – $82) go on sale to the public on Friday April 25 at 11am, and can be purchased online at steppenwolf.org or through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650.**

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is pleased to announce the addition of This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan to this summer’s line-up. Directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro, the production features Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Juno), Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World) and Tavi Gevinson (Enough Said) in the Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St), June 10 – July 27, 2014. Tickets ($20 - $82) go on sale to the public on Friday April 25 at 11am, and can be purchased online at steppenwolf.org or through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St) at 312-335-1650.

The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of This Is Our Youth will be produced on Broadway by Scott Rudin, with performances beginning Monday August 18 at the Cort Theatre, and an opening night scheduled for Thursday, September 11^th.

Set in New York in 1982, This Is Our Youth follows forty-eight hours in the lives of three very lost young souls: Warren, a dejected nineteen year old who has just stolen $15,000 from his abusive, tycoon father; Dennis, his charismatic drug-dealing friend who helps Warren put the stolen money to good use; and Jessica, the anxiously insightful young woman who Warren yearns for. Funny, painful and compassionate, This Is Our Youth is a living snapshot of the moment when many young people go out into the world on their own, armed only with the ideas and techniques they developed as teenagers—far more sophisticated than their parents realize, and far less effectual than they themselves can possibly imagine. 

Artistic Director Martha Lavey vividly remembers the first time she saw This Is Our Youth in New York. “The play speaks so eloquently of its time,” Lavey notes, “that moment when the children of the ‘60s were parents themselves and had landed in Reagan’s America, and of a time in one's life—that confusing period of early adulthood before one has made a mark in the world. Kenny Lonergan has captured, with great wit and pathos both the timeless generational struggle and a moment in our country’s history that continues to affect our sense of who we are.”

Anna D. Shapiro is currently directing Of Mice and Men, (opening April 16, 2014) at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre. She was nominated for a 2011 Tony Award^® for her production of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ award-winning play, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, and was awarded the 2008 Tony^®, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Direction of a Play for her production of Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County. Anna has been a Steppenwolf Ensemble member since 2005. Her Steppenwolf directing credits include A Parallelogram and Tracy Letts’ adaptation of The Three Sisters, among others. Other recent directing credits include Domesticated (Lincoln Center Theatre), A Parallelogram (Mark Taper Forum), A Number (American Conservatory Theatre) and The Drawer Boy (Paper Mill Playhouse). Shapiro is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Columbia College. She is a full-time professor in Northwestern University's Department of Theatre and has served as the Director of the Graduate MFA Directing Program since 2002.

Kenneth Lonergan’s plays include The Starry Messenger, Lobby Hero (Drama Desk Best Play Nominee), and The Waverly Gallery (2001 Pulitzer Prize finalist). Lonergan has also garnered critical acclaim for his screenplays, including Gangs of New York (2002 Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay), You Can Count on  Me (2001 Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay) and Analyze This.

Pre-sale tickets are currently available to 2014/15 season Subscribers. Call Audience Services at 312-335-1650 for more information. 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 pending availability. Student Discounts: a limited number of $15 student tickets are available online. 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.

Accessible performances include a touch tour and audio description on July 26 at 3pm; closed captioning on July 19 at 3pm; and American Sign Language interpretation on July 18 at 7:30pm. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/access.

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 two repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work, and Garage Rep. 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 12 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.

Currently on stage are The Way West by Mona Mansour, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton (through June 8, 2014) in the Downstairs Theatre; Russian Transport by Erika Sheffer, directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov (through May 11, 2014) in the Upstairs Theatre; and Garage Rep 2014, featuring The New Colony’s reWILDing Genius, Prologue Theatre Company’s Saturday Night/Sunday Morning and Walkabout Theater Company’s The Wild (through April 20, 2014) in the Garage Theatre.

The 2014/15 Subscription Season includes The Night Alive by Conor McPherson, directed by Henry Wishcamper (September 18 – November 16, 2014) in the Downstairs Theatre; Airline Highway by Lisa D’Amour, directed by Joe Mantello (December 4, 2014 – February 8, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre; Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi, directed by Robert O’Hara (February 5 – May 10, 2015) in the Upstairs Theatre; and The Herd by Rory Kinnear, directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (April 2 – June 7, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre. One remaining title will be announced at a later date.

ACT OUT: Lord of the Flies Steppenwolf for Young Adults Now Playing (age 12+/7th grade & up)

This show is high on our must see list.   Steppenwolf does a stellar job of bringing theatre to the schools and to the public and engaging tweens & teens.  And we've long admired director Halena Kays' work!  Lord of the Flies is one of those books/plays/movies that everyone should know. Come see it done well.

All production photos via Steppenwolf

A plane wreck strands a group of English boys on a deserted island during wartime. As they slowly explore their new-found freedom, what starts out as fun and games turns into a vicious battle for power when the boys split into two opposing tribes: one that strives for civility and another that delights in savage violence. The competition escalates into a dangerous, frightening climax, as this thrilling classic looks into the darker parts of human nature where it’s civilization vs. savagery and the mob vs. morality.

Please join us for Steppenwolf for Young Adult's 2013/14 season: Two plays, one new and one classic, where young people navigate tricky moral landscapes—and must confront personal accountability for their choices—in games both virtual and real.

Lord of the Flies

Adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams
Directed by Halena Kays

Now through November 15, 2013 in the Upstairs Theatre

Public Performances
For tickets to our public performances, please click the "buy tickets" link  or call Audience Services at 312-335-1650.

Student Performances
For school group tickets to weekday 10am matinee performances, contact Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ Education and Community Programs Coordinator Lauren Sivak at 312.654.5643 or by email at lsivak@steppenwolf.org.

Target 2-for-1 Sunday Matinees
Tickets for Sunday matinees are 2-for-1

American Sign Language-Interpreted
Saturday, November 2 at 3pm

Open Captioning
Saturday, November 9 at 3pm

THE ARTISTS

• Adapted by: Nigel Williams
• Directed by: Halena Kays
• Scenic Design: Lizzie Bracken
• Costume Design: Alison Siple
• Lighting Design: J.R. Lederle
• Sound and Projection Design: Mike Tutaj
  
  Dramaturg: Frances Limoncelli
  
  Fight Coordinator: Ryan Bourque
  
  Movement: Leah Urzendowski
  
  Dialect: Eva Breneman
  
  Understudies: Brendan Meyer, Christopher Borek, Rashaad Hall, Kevin Matthew Reyes, Eric Staves and Theo Tougne

THE CAST

• William Burke
• Spencer Curnutt
• Lane Flores
• Rudy Galvan
• Ryan Heindl
• Cale Manning
• Brendan Meyer
• Lance Newton
• Ty Olwin
• Kevin Quinn
• Adam Shalzi
• Dan Smeriglio

Save the Dates: 

Leveling Up

By Deborah Zoe Laufer
Directed by Hallie Gordon
February 26 – March 15, 2014 in the Downstairs Theatre

Three twenty-something roommates are glued to their video games. They are masters of the virtual worlds behind the computer screens in their Las Vegas basement. Unwilling to face the real world, one of them uses his gaming skills to land a job with the National Security Agency launching actual drones and missiles, and online battles begin to have real consequences. Leveling Up is a fresh, contemporary look at how we navigate the blurry line between worlds both virtual and real and what it means to grow up./p>

ACT OUT OPENING: Hypocrites Smash Hit Mikado Back at Steppenwolf's Garage Theater

THE MIKADO  IS BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND-- this time at Steppenwolf's  awesome Garage theater There's too much flirting going on in the town of Titipu- and it's against the law! So the Mikado (emperor of all) decrees that heads must roll. But what can you do when love is in the air? The Hypocrites' smash hit Mikado is back. This re-imagination of beloved Gilbert and Sullivan will feature unfathomable amounts of operetta hits and is intended to provide a summer-like secular experience for fun-loving Yule time ticket buyers of all ages. "★★★★" Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune Don't wait. Book your tickets now and come join us!  Nov 14th-Dec 29th   Matinees at 4pm Evenings at 8pm   Running time is 80min, no intermission Buy your tickets here Select performance discounts: Book your night with us at Mikado for a performance between November 14-22nd and you'll only pay $15 for the ticket. Use this linkhere or enter promo code 15013. You can also call 312-335-1650 to do it over the phone. Hurry. Limited quantities for a limited time. Reviews from 2012's first production of  our "Supremely joyous" Mikado: CBS 2 review   ABC 7 review "★★★★"(out of four stars)  "glorious...outrageously enjoyable"  Chicago Tribune  "One of the most enjoyable, creative pieces of theater I've seen all year! People: go see The Mikado!!!!"  Rick Bayless (via Twitter), Top Chef Masters winner "joyously daft...bright and evocative" TimeOut Chicago  "Sean Graney and Kevin O'Donnell made it much shorter and they also made the songs more funny. It was funny to begin with, but they made it even more funny, which is the best of all things you can do with a play."  Ada Grey, Age 9 "intoxicating, exhilarating, unexpected production that is sure to be on my list of the ten best productions of the year (yep, it's that good). " Francis Sadac, From the Ledge

We make theatre. You help. Donate today! Please consider a donation to The Hypocrites to further support our productions.    Donate today and we will promptly send you a tax letter for your records.  Prefer to know where your money is going? Consider picking out something from our Amazon wishlist  here Thank you. Your support means a lot to us!

ACT OUT OPENING: STEPPENWOLF PRESENTS PINTER

ENSEMBLE MEMBER AUSTIN PENDLETON DIRECTS THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

IN STEPPENWOLF’S NEWLY RECONFIGURED UPSTAIRS THEATRE

STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES ONE-NIGHT ONLY PERFORMANCE OF

A CELEBRATION OF HAROLD PINTER, FEBRUARY 10 IN THE DOWNSTAIRS THEATRE

Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble member Austin Pendleton directs The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter in the Upstairs Theatre, at the helm of a Pinter play for the first time. The theater has been newly reconfigured by Pendleton with scenic designer Walt Spangler to bring the audience closer to the story by moving the stage to the center of the room. The Birthday Party begins previews January 24 (Opening night is February 3, 2013) and runs through April 28 in Steppenwolf’s Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 – $78) are on sale now.

In conjunction with The Birthday Party, Steppenwolf is proud to announce a one-night only performance of A Celebration of Harold Pinter, performed by British actor Julian Sands, directed by ensemble member John Malkovich!

With personal anecdotes and reflections drawn from his work with Pinter, Sands combines Pinter’s poems and prose to create a fresh and intimate insight into the Nobel laureate’s literary legacy. A Celebration of Harold Pinter is February 10 at 7:30pm in the Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($25) are on sale now.

                                                                                                              

Actor Julian Sands, best known for the films A Room With a View and The Killing Fields, was a longtime friend of the playwright. A few years before his death, Pinter requested that Sands fill in for him at a poetry reading when he was too ill to go on. The experience ultimately inspired this production, which debuted in 2011 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in homage to Pinter, who died in 2008. The production toured through Britain and was presented in San Francisco, Los Angeles and to sold-out audiences in New York City, with Backstage calling it “mandatory viewing for devotees of the actor and certainly ‘the defining dramatist of the 20th century’...this one-man show fondly reveals an engaging and at times vulnerable side of the famously prickly playwright.”

“I think the extraordinary accomplishment in Pinter's work is his mastery of language, which is so precise and so, at the same time, ambiguous and unlikely. We are constantly being asked to interpret the truth and to be aware of how language both defines and obscures the real,” comments Artistic Director Martha Lavey. “I look forward to the discussions that The Birthday Party will provoke. It is very funny, very human and theatrically gratifying.”

The Birthday Party takes place at a sleepy seaside boarding house in England, where the humdrum routine of corn flakes, newspapers and naps is interrupted by the appearance of two menacing strangers. They become guests at longtime tenant Stanley’s surprise birthday party which, after a few glasses of whiskey, party games and a mysterious blackout, turns into a deliciously impalpable nightmare. As excuses and alliances hastily shift, so does the truth in Harold Pinter’s riveting dark-comic masterpiece.

The cast of The Birthday Party features ensemble members Ian Barford as Stanley, Francis Guinan as Goldberg, Moira Harris as Meg and John Mahoney as Petey, with Marc Grapey as McCann and Sophia Sinise as Lulu. The production team includes: Walt Spangler (scenic design), Rachel Anne Healy (costume design), Keith Parham (lighting design) and Josh Schmidt (sound design and original music). Additional credits include: Erica Daniels (casting), Matt Hawkins (fight choreographer),Cecilie O’Reilly (dialect coach), Deb Styer (stage manager), Kathleen Petroziello (assistant stage manager) and James D. Palmer (assistant director). Photos and bio information for all artists are available upon request.

Tickets to The Birthday Party ($20 – $78) and A Celebration of Harold Pinter ($25) 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 for The Birthday Party through Audience Services beginning at 11am on the day of each performance (1pm for Sunday performances). 

Rush Tickets: rush tickets are available one hour before each show. Student Discounts: a limited number of $15 student tickets are available online using promo code “BIRTHDAY15” or “SANDS15”. 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.

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.

Accessible Performances:

Sign-interpreted performance: March 31 at 7:30pm

Audio-described performance and touch tour: April 14 at 1:30pm (3pm performance)

Open captioned performance: April 27 at 3pm

The Birthday Party is supported by ComEd, the Official 2012/13 Season Lighting Sponsor.

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.

Currently on stage is The Motherf**ker with the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis, directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro (through March 3, 2013) in the Downstairs Theatre. The 2012/13 Subscription Season also includes Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau (April 4 – June 9, 2013) in the Downstairs Theatre; and Belleville by Amy Herzog, directed by Anne Kauffman (June 27 – August 25, 2013) in the Downstairs Theatre.

ACT OUT OPENING: The Motherf**ker with the hat Now Playing at Steppenwolf

Directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro Featuring Sandra Delgado, Sandra Marquez, John Ortiz, Gary Perez and Jimmy Smits December 28, 2012 - March 3, 2013 Things are looking up for recovering alcoholic Jackie and his girlfriend Veronica—until Jackie spots another man's hat in their apartment and embarks on a sublimely incompetent quest for vengeance. Fast-paced and uproarious, Mother is a gleefully foul-mouthed look at modern love and other addictions. Ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro, director of the acclaimed Broadway premiere, returns to direct the Steppenwolf production. STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT ENSEMBLE MEMBER ANNA D. SHAPIRO RETURNS TO DIRECT, FOLLOWING HER HIT BROADWAY PRODUCTION, DECEMBER 28, 2012 – MARCH 3, 2013 IN THE DOWNSTAIRS THEATRE Performances of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s highly anticipated production of The Motherf**ker with the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis start in just two weeks. Ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro directs following the Tony Award-nominated Broadway premiere, with an all-star ensemble cast featuring Sandra Delgado, Sandra Marquez, Gary Perez, John Ortiz and Jimmy Smits and members of the original design team: scenic designer Todd Rosenthal, lighting designer Donald Holder and composer Terence Blanchard. The Motherf**ker with the Hatruns through March 3, 2013 in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). Tickets ($20 – $86) are on sale now. This play contains adult language. Things are looking up for recovering alcoholic Jackie and his girlfriend Veronica—until Jackie spots another man's hat in their apartment and embarks on a sublimely incompetent quest for vengeance. Fast-paced and uproarious, Mother is a gleefully foul-mouthed look at modern love and other addictions. “I think what Stephen is up to in the play is that he is creating people who may seem different from the ones sitting next to us in the theater but who become, over the course of the play, deeply human, deeply familiar and deeply sympathetic. And the play is funny! And surprising,” comments Artistic Director Martha Lavey. “The language is musical and poetic and deeply passionate. Stephen has created characters whose mode of expression is both energized and bound by a profusion of profanity.” The cast of The Motherf**ker with the Hat features Sandra Delgado as Veronica, Sandra Marquez as Victoria, Gary Perez as Cousin Julio, John Ortiz as Jackie andJimmy Smits as Ralph D. The production team includes: Todd Rosenthal (scenic design), Linda Roethke (costume design), Donald Holder (lighting design), Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound design) and Terence Blanchard (original music). Additional credits include: Erica Daniels (casting), Matt Hawkins (fight choreographer), Cecilie O’Reilly (voice coach) Kim Osgood (stage manager) and Christine D. Freeburg (assistant stage manager). Photos and bio information for all artists are available upon request. Tickets to The Motherf**ker with the Hat ($20 – $86) 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 “HAT15”. 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. 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. Director Anna D. Shapiro joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2005 and was awarded the 2008 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for August: Osage County (Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Broadway, London). She was nominated in 2011 in the same category for The Motherf**ker with the Hat (The Public Theater, LAByrinth Theater Company). Other directing credits at Steppenwolf Theatre Company include Three Sisters, A Parallelogram, Up, The Crucible, The Unmentionables (also at Yale Repertory Theatre), The Pain and the Itch (also in New York), I Never Sang for My Father, Man from Nebraska, Purple Heart (also in Galway, Ireland), The Drawer Boy, Side Man (also in Ireland, Australia and Vail, Colorado), Three Days of Rain and The Infidel. Other credits include A Number (American Conservatory Theater); The Drawer Boy (Paper Mill Playhouse); Iron (Manhattan Theatre Club); and The Infidel (Philadelphia Theatre Company). She is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Columbia College Chicago and is the recipient of the 1996 Princess Grace Award. She is a full professor in Northwestern University’s Department of Theatre and has served as the director of the MFA in Directing program since 2002. Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis is co-artistic director of New York City's LAByrinth Theater Company. His plays have been produced on five continents and throughout the United States. They include Our Lady of 121st Street (Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle Best Play nominations, 10 best plays of 2003), Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train (Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award, Barrymore Award, Olivier Nomination for London's Best New Play), In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings (2007 LA Drama Critics Best Play, Best Writing Award), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (10 Best, Time magazine and Entertainment Weekly) and The Little Flower of East Orange (starring Elen Burstyn and Michael Shannon) at The Public Theater. All five plays were originally produced by LAByrinth Theater Company and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The Motherf**ker with the Hat marks his third consecutive world premiere co-production with The Public Theater. In London, his plays have premiered at The Donmar Warehouse, The Almeida (directed by Rupert Goold), The Hampstead (directed by Robert Delamere) and at The Arts in the West End. Other plays include Den of Thieves(HERE, HAI Theater Festival) and Dominica the Fat Ugly Ho (directed Adam Rapp) for the 2006 E.S.T. Marathon. He has received a 2006 PEN/Laura Pels Award, a 2006 Whiting Award and a 2004 TCG fellowship, new play commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club, Center Theater Group and South Coast Repertory, and is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company, New Dramatists, MCC's Playwright's Coalition, Ojai Playwrights Festival and New River Dramatists. Television writing credits include NYPD Blue, The Sopranos, David Milch's CBS drama Big Apple and Shane Salerno's NBC series UC: Undercover. As an actor, Stephen has had leading film roles in Todd Solondz's Palindromes, Brett C. Leonard's Jailbait (opposite Michael Pitt) and in Kenneth Lonergan's upcoming Margaret. Other film credits include Philip Seymour Hoffman's Jack Goes Boating, Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche New York, Adam Rapp's Blackbird, Noah Buschel's Neal Cassady as well as Meet Joe Black (directed by Martin Brest), Noise (directed by Henry Bean), Trainwreck: My Life as an Idiot (directed by Todd Harrsion Williams) and television’s Law and Order. He directed Liza Colon-Zayas' Sistah Supreme for Danny Hoch's Hip Hop Theater Festival, Marco Greco's award-winning Behind the Counter with Mussolini in New York and Los Angeles and Melanie Maras's Kiss Me on the Mouth (InViolet Rep/CSNY). A former HIV Educator and Violence Prevention Specialist, he lives in New York City. 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. The 2012/13 Subscription Season also includes The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter, directed by ensemble member Austin Pendleton (January 24 – April 28, 2013) in the Upstairs Theatre; Head of Passes by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by ensemble member Tina Landau (April 4 – June 9, 2013) in the Downstairs Theatre; and Belleville by Amy Herzog, directed by Anne Kauffman (June 27 – August 25, 2013) in the Downstairs Theatre.

Steppenwolf Stepping Up To End Youth Violence & Intolerance

This morning, heads of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Public Library and Facing History and Ourselves announced Now Is The Time, a season-long initiative to inspire a citywide conversation about making positive change in our communities to stop the trend of youth violence and intolerance.  The above photo is from this morning’s press conference.

CHICAGO
PUBLIC LIBRARY, FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES,

AND
STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCE NOW
IS THE TIME

THREE
CHICAGO INSTITUTIONS UNITE ARTISTS AND YOUTH IN A SEASON-LONG,

CITYWIDE
CALL TO ACTION AGAINST YOUTH VIOLENCE AND INTOLERANCE

Heads of the Chicago Public Library, Facing History and Ourselves and Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced today a season-long initiative to inspire a citywide conversation about making positive change in our communities to stop the trend of youth violence and intolerance. These three Chicago institutions have joined forces for Now Is The Time (NITT), a themed initiative throughout 2012/13 linking major projects at each institution, including the Fall 2012 One Book, One Chicago selection, Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, a staged adaptation of Zusak’s book at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and a major Facing History and Ourselves exhibit titled “Choosing to Participate.” 

 

Each institution, through these major projects and under the Now Is The Time umbrella, will focus outreach and programming on questions of social activism and civic responsibility, particularly among Chicago’s youth. Also engaging in related programming will be DePaul University students and more than 15 Chicago-area theater companies, along with additional organizations to be announced later. The citywide project was announced during a press conference this morning at the Chicago Public Library.

“Violence involving young people has become all too common in our society,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.  “It’s time for all of us, in every community, to come together to talk about ways to resolve our differences without violence and how to treat each other with respect.  I applaud these three institutions and the funders of this initiative for creating the space for us to do just that, especially with our young adults.”

“In recent years, violence towards youth has become overwhelming. As theater artists working in schools, the teens we work closely with in the classroom are scared to be outside in their neighborhoods or face torment at school from bullying,” commented Hallie Gordon, Artistic and Educational Director, Steppenwolf for Young Adults. “As artists, we have a unique opportunity to help teens give voice to this epidemic. We encourage our civic partners and other cultural organizations to join us—now is the time.”

The initial roster of Now Is The Time projects includes:

August 27 – November 11, 2012: Facing History and Ourselves brings the powerful multimedia exhibit Choosing to Participate to the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center. This free exhibit encourages young people to recognize the importance of a democratic society through installations about people whose stories illustrate courage, initiative and compassion—including a display about local unsung heroes making a difference in Chicago.

Summer 2012 – Winter 2013: YOUmedia, a teen learning space housed at the Chicago Public Library, will use the themes of NITT for workshops on digital media creation, developing teens’ skills in critical thinking, creativity and tangible digital media skills, all the while engaging them in this conversation on civic responsibility.

October 2012: Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief is the Fall 2012 selection for One Book, One Chicago. The award-winning 2006 novel explores young people’s choices and their potential as civic participants. The author will visit the Chicago Public Library and participate in events with the public, with teachers and librarians, and with high school students.

October 16 – November 11, 2012: In Fall 2012, Steppenwolf Theatre Company will produce a stage adaptation of The Book Thief, adapted by Heidi Stillman, directed by Hallie Gordon, as part of the theater’s Steppenwolf for Young Adults program, combining play production with educational components to enhance arts education for young audiences, as well as their teachers and families.

February – March 2013: Oral histories about youth violence, collected from across the city by DePaul University students, will be used to create a play at Steppenwolf, curated by Professor Miles Harvey. Traveling to libraries in different communities across the city, each reading will be followed by a teen-led workshop.

September 2012 – May 2013: More than 15 of Chicago’s finest theater companies are also involved in NITT through their unique commitment to the campaign, Now Is The Time to A.C.T: Affect Change through Theater. Confirmed participating companies include: About Face Theatre, American Theatre Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Victory Gardens Theater, Writers’ Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Congo Square Theatre, Free Street Theater, A Red Orchid Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Adventure Stage Chicago, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The House Theatre of Chicago, Storycatchers Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Raven Theatre and more. These companies have all pledged to focus their 2012/13 programming on issues of youth violence and will present productions, panel discussions and teen-centered community events in conjunction with NITT. A youth council will be drawn from teen members at each participating theater company.

“One Book, One Chicago has a 10 year history of bringing together Chicagoans of diverse backgrounds to discuss issues around a specific piece of literature.  While The Book Thief is set 70 years ago, sadly the topics it addresses are very much alive today:  intolerance and violence.  Now Is The Time offers all of Chicago a wonderful opportunity to create, as the Dalai Lama recently called for, ‘a century of dialogue.’  The Library is proud to partner with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Facing History and Ourselves to start that conversation,” said Chicago Public Library Commissioner Brian Bannon.

"Facing History and Ourselves is thrilled to bring an exhibit to Chicago that examines the impact of racism and injustice and the consequences of choices we make every day to help build inclusive or exclusive communities,” said Bonnie Oberman, Chicago director of Facing History and Ourselves. “We know that the privilege of partnering with the Chicago Public Library and the Steppenwolf Theatre means that thousands of Chicagoans will have access to a citywide conversation around issues critically important to all of us."

The goal of Now Is The Time is to spur youth activism and creative self-expression around the themes of social responsibility and civic engagement. Youth involved in NITT will participate in skill-building around their interests such as design, spoken word, music, film, writing, performance and digital media creation which they can share with fellow citizens via the Now Is The Time website. Participating youth will be better prepared for the demands of citizenship by being supported to think critically, to empathize, to recognize moral choices, and to make their voices heard.

Now Is The Time provides ample opportunities for additional program partners, large and small, from around the Chicago area. Throughout 2012/13, NITT’s call to action will inspire themed activities from organizations engaged in theater arts, youth work, digital media, education; participants connect via the NITT website, nowisthetimechicago.org.

Now Is The Time is funded by the Hive Learning Network, an initiative of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and the Smart Chicago Collaborative fund of the Chicago Community Trust.

ABOUT THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Since first opening its doors to the public in 1873, the Chicago Public Library has maintained its status of one of the City’s most democratic of institutions — providing all Chicagoans with a free and open place to gather, learn, connect, read and be transformed. The more than 70 locations of the Chicago Public Library are at the forefront of providing innovative library services, technologies and tools Chicagoans need to achieve their personal goals and to establish the City’s role as a competitive force in the global marketplace. Through its rich and current book collections, state of the art technology and cultural and public partnerships, the Chicago Public Library is a thriving, engaged leader in Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods. Throughout its 139-year history, the Chicago Public Library has always encouraged Chicagoans of all ages to make reading a priority. Since the fall of 2001, One Book, One Chicago has encouraged Chicagoans of all backgrounds and ages to read the same book at the same time, and come together to discuss a great piece of literature. The Fall 2012 One Book, One Chicago is presented by the Chicago Public Library, the Chicago Public Library Foundation, Allstate and BMO Harris. For additional information, visit chicagopubliclibrary.org.

Facing History and Ourselves is a leader in history and civic education. For more than 35 years, the international education organization has been linking the past to the moral and ethical questions of our time through a rigorous examination of the root causes of antisemitism, racism, and other hatreds. The overarching goal is to help young people understand the importance of their choices in building a just, inclusive society and to empower them to be active, informed, compassionate citizens in their schools and communities. Facing History's quality resources, professional development, and public forums provide opportunities for students and adults to explore the connections between history and their own lives. Facing History reaches 1.9 million students each year through a network of 50,000 educators. In 2009, the Facing History and Ourselves website received more than 700,000 visits from people in 215 countries, with 2.6 million page views. The Chicago office of Facing History and Ourselves celebrated its 20^th Anniversary in 2010. More information is available at facinghistory.org.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is one of the nation’s leading ensemble theaters, producing annually up to 16 productions and nearly 700 performances, readings and other events 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 that has been its home for 36 years, 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 a Pulitzer Prize for ensemble member Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, 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.