Announcing First Look Repertory
Posted by Edward Sobel on 4/12/2006
Last year, Steppenwolf inaugurated a new program, the First Look Repertory of New Work. First Look is a play development process culminating in the presentation of three new plays in rotating repertory in our Garage space.
There are two truly exciting aspects of the program. First Look represents a unique model for the development of new work, emphasizing development of the play through the crucible of workshop and rehearsal for an actual, if small-scale, production. Rather than culminating in a staged reading, or exclusively producing the play and revising as best one can during the production process, First Look provides an environment in which the refining of the script is primary, but the result is what a play must have: performance before an audience. Our hope for these plays, in addition to the presumption they will be better plays at the end of the process than they were at the beginning, is that they will see further production, either at Steppenwolf or at other theaters. Second, we offer access to this unique process to a group of theater-lovers, but not practitioners. This group attends a reading of an early draft of each play, the first rehearsal, open rehearsal days, technical rehearsal, and sees the plays in production. We do not create events for the benefit of this group of people, but instead offer them an opportunity to observe and discuss what we actually do. Last year, the three month process proved invigorating and successful, and we are delighted to announce the program for this summer:
100 Saints You Should Know by Kate Fodor, directed by B.J. Jones. Kate is best known as the author of Hannah and Martin, which received its premiere at TimeLine Theater Company here in Chicago, before an Off-Broadway run. 100 Saints is a deeply moving story about the nature of faith and personal responsibility. A priest leaves his parish under mysterious circumstances and is followed by his cleaning woman, who brings her teen-age daughter in tow.
Spare Change by Mia McCullough, directed by Lisa Portes. This play, commissioned by Steppenwolf, was given a rehearsed reading as part of last year’s First Look Rep. In it, a man runs into a woman in need on the El, setting in motion a chain of events causing him to question the path his life has taken. You may remember Mia as the author of Taking Care, which we presented in our Garage space a couple of years ago.
The Butcher of Baraboo by Marisa Wegrzyn, directed by Dexter Bullard. Marisa’s play, commissioned by Steppenwolf, is a darkly comic look at a family in a small upper-midwestern town. Marisa, a recent graduate of the Washington University - St. Louis, has a bold and fresh voice.