School at Steppenwolf Alumni on Our Stage
Posted by Jamie Abelson on 12/28/2009
(Jamie is the School at Steppenwolf Coordinator)
One of Steppenwolf’s best kept secrets is The School at Steppenwolf. If you are an actor in town, you may have come across it. If you aren’t, chances are slim that you have. But even if you’ve never heard of the school, you’ve probably seen many of our alumni tearing up stages across Chicago or great productions at theatre companies founded by our students.
In the summer of 2009 we had the opportunity to cast six of our School at Steppenwolf alumni in our First Look Repertory of New Plays. I recently tracked down the six to see what they’ve been up to and how the School at Steppenwolf has had a lasting effect on their artistic lives.
(Cliff Chamberlain and Sadieh Rifai in First Look ‘09’s Ski Dubai)
Cliff Chamberlain (’04) - “I’m a company member of the House Theatre of Chicago and Sandbox Theatre Project… at the moment I’m performing in Steppenwolf’s transfer of Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts… I just celebrated my one year wedding anniversary, turned 30, and made my Broadway debut, all this past October.” On Program: “I think simply being in the vicinity of Steppenwolf for 10 straight weeks changes you. The theatre breathes confidence, danger, truth, hard work, and solid craft. The actors, the directors, the administration; the culture of Steppenwolf is a culture of success. As an artist, I think it was important for me to be around that type of positive thinking for such a significant amount of time.”
Sadieh Rifai (’06) - “I am an ensemble member at American Theater Company where I’ll be performing in their next show, Distracted.” On Program: “The School at Steppenwolf changed my life. Seriously. The friends that I met in the school and even the alumni have become the friends that I talk to almost everyday. I couldn’t get cast my first year in Chicago. I was scared it was never going to happen, but then I heard about the School at Steppenwolf. The School was a huge gift to me. I’m not the same actor I was before it.”
(Kelly O’Sullivan and Lucas Neff (far right) in First Look ‘09’s Honest)
Lucas Neff (’08) - “Currently, I’m out in L.A. shooting a TV pilot for Fox. And I’m working with Martha Plimpton! So now I’m learning from another Steppenwolf-er.” On Program: “The School was one of the best things to ever happen to me as a theatre artist. The teachers were amazing. Viewpoints and Meisner in particular have completely changed me as an actor. The summer was incredibly challenging but just as rewarding.”
Kelly O’Sullivan (’04) - “The last show I was in was BOOM up at Next Theatre. Last Spring I performed in The Lieutenant of Insihmore at Northlight and over the summer I was in a remount of Jon with Collaboration. Right now I’m working in Chicago and Los Angeles.” On Program: “I worked with the best teachers I’ve ever had at the school. It was an espresso shot for my artistic development and career. I looked forward to every day, and I continue to work with colleagues from the program. It is an inspiring, exhausting, perspective-altering blast!”
(Hillary Clemens (center) and Rani Waterman (near right) in First Look ‘09’s Ski Dubai)
Hillary Clemens (’04) - “I’m an ensemble member of The Gift Theatre Company… This spring, I’ll be in The Illusion at Court Theatre. I was also an Equity Jeff nominee this year for Supporting Actress in a Play (for David Cromer’s production of Picnic at Writers Theatre).” On Program: “The ways in which my School at Steppenwolf training has changed my life are too numerous to count, but something that tends to stand out in my mind is the culture of support and bravery that exists at the school… There is a trust that develops in yourself and your fellow actors that’s kind of breathtaking.”
Rani Waterman (’06) - “I begin rehearsals for Hephaestus at the Goodman in March. I shot a pilot in November titled Connie Banks.” On Program: “I learned more in 10 weeks at Steppenwolf than I did in four years of college… It changed everything. The school made me recognize that acting is a craft and not just luck. It gave me confidence as an actor. It gave me an artistic process.”