Steppenwolf Theatre Company Blog – Chicago Theater, World-Class Ensemble

Wow… Working at Steppenwolf when I’m only 14? Yeah… It’s the best. I love hanging out with everyone there. Amy Morton was and still is the COOLEST director around! I can’t say enough good about this company. Other than, it has given me a great opportunity to expand my boundaries, and experiment with my career choices, for later in my life. I love hanging out backstage with all the actors. I have to put in a good word for my main man Danny McCarthy who is my dressing room partner. Elizabeth who tortures me daily : ). Yasen and Tracy they are awesome plus Tracy has THE coolest line in the play. Of course!… one that I can’t say! Michael who is an awesome older me, and Jim who is just great at storytelling. Oh, and if you want to know what any of these things have anything to do with me. Well, I suggest you go see the play! We have the coolest people. Last but not least, the other kids in the show (Quinn, Leah, Abby) they are the coolest bunch of kids I have ever met. I can’t believe that Steppenwolf gave me this opportunity to be a part of this cast, and experience live stage theatre. It has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I will forever carry it with me. I love you all! –Oliver.

Thanks for reading. Hoped you enjoyed! See the show. IT’S AMAZING!!

There’s a lot going on at the theater these days. We have our production of The Pillowman continuing in the Downstairs Theatre through November the 12th, and Upstairs, our production of The Bluest Eye plays to student audiences on week day matinees and for general audiences on the weekends. The Bluest Eye then moves to the Duke Theatre in New York for three-week run. This is the first time that we have taken a Steppenwolf for Young Adults production to New York.

We began rehearsals today for Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited for its run at the 59E59th Theatre in New York. The Sunset Limited will run in New York from October the 24th through November the 19th with its original cast of Austin Pendleton and Freeman Coffey, and its director, Sheldon Patinkin. So for a couple of weeks, Steppenwolf will have two productions running in New York. (more…)

The Pillowman has now officially kicked off our 31st season, a season in which we will mount 5 subscription-series shows, 2 Steppenwolf for Young Adults plays (including Lydia Diamond’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, now in performances), an additional “stand-alone” production in the Garage, our annual First Look Repertory of New Work, and host two productions from three local theatre companies as part of our Visiting Companies Initiative. And with this gigantic effort just underway, what is our Artistic Office up to? Planning the 2007-08 season, naturally.

This past Thursday, our Artistic Department met for the first time to discuss potential shows for our next season. A typical season is a mix of new and extant plays, some brought to our attention by members of our ensemble, and vice versa. As I’ve previously mentioned, we get roughly 500 new plays sent to us each year; the majority come from literary agents and playwrights with whom we have a pre-existing relationship. Others are “called in” on the basis of ten-page samples sent to us by unrepresented writers. Still more prospects arise from plays we’ve commissioned from local and nationally-known writers. (more…)

Ensemble member Amy Morton’s production of The Pillowman is up and running.  Amy has graciously agreed to answer questions from our blog visitors.  If you have a question about The Pillowman or other directing/acting questions, feel free to post them here.  We will post her replies.

We opened our production of Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman last night. My passage through the evening felt like a tour of what makes this city such a great theater town.

The evening began with a pre-show dinner of Steppenwolf trustees. These are folks who dedicate their time and treasure to the cultural well-being of Chicago. Many of our Steppenwolf trustees sit on the boards of other cultural institutions, large and small, and feel an urgent need to share their resources with the not-for-profit sector of the city’s life. (more…)