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

Francis Guinan takes a different journey every night. I have never seen him do a show without trying something new.

For those who have not yet seen Kafka on the Shore, Fran has taken on the challenge of bringing the capitalist icons of Johnnie Walker and Colonel Sanders to life. While these two figures serve the same purpose in the telling of the story, they both have personalities all their own.

I cannot count the number of times I’ve been thrown off guard by his willingness to completely change his intention from scene to scene. For Fran, each night is a new night. Each show a new show. Every audience that has stepped into the Steppenwolf house thus far has seen a unique performance by him. Even if he knows a moment works beautifully and is guaranteed to get a response, that does not stop him from taking a risk and changing it altogether. (more…)

Recently I’ve found myself making a few odd phone calls at work. Last month I called West Point Military Academy and the State Department. I also had a hugely informative chat with the conservation department at the Newberry Library, called a handful of Japanese cultural organizations and exchanged emails with an analyst about dreams. In each instance I was fulfilling some of my dramaturgical duties as the Literary Apprentice by trying to answer questions.

A unique and exciting part of my apprenticeship is researching questions raised in the rehearsal room, questions that when properly answered provide details that deepen the experience of the play for actors and for the audience. This is how I’ve come to know the protocol for an Army officer in World War II who wants to remove his hat and place it on the table. Or how an archivist treats and stores manuscripts, or how many numbers are in a phone number when one person with a Tokyo based cell phone calls another person in Tokyo. I collected these bits and pieces for the fine folks involved with Kafka on the Shore, and in pursuit of the answers I did some slightly odd things like tracking down an older service member at the State Department who needed some real convincing I wasn’t a member of the media. I guess they don’t get many calls from our country’s theater community! (more…)

Steppenwolf offers post-show discussions after every performance and one of the great pleasures of my job as Associate Artistic Director is leading them and being in conversation with our audiences. Kafka on the Shore is a galvanizing production; there are audience members who leave at intermission and there are audience members who have returned to the production for a second viewing. For those who have stayed to participate in the post-show discussions - admittedly people who enjoyed the production to the point of wanting to participate in an interpretation of it - the discussions have been especially rich due to the fact that the story relies heavily on the willingness of the audience to engage their imagination and interpretive powers.

The audience insights into the play are striking and we’ve decided to cull quotes from post-show participants and post them here on the blog. I hope they pique the curiosity of those of you who have not seen the production, and for those of you who have – please feel free to post your own observation or respond to the ones that follow below. (more…)

I walked into the Upstairs Theater lobby after Saturday’s matinee performance of Kafka On the Shore to see 40 teenagers milling around discussing the significance of the blue set, Chris Larkin complimenting someone’s skateboarding shoes, Jon Hill talking to a group of 12 OPRF students about the infamous teacher they all shared and Francis Guinan in line behind some teenaged family friends for pizza.

When everyone was settled and full from our Father and Son’s food we sat down to talk. In the Downstairs Theater we had a more organized and reserved conversation. This was for the sake of the people who firmly stated in their comments that they simply weren’t okay with NOT getting it. Once we got to our inner sanctum sanctorum, it was no holds barred. This may or may not have been to Chris Larkin’s dismay when we asked him what the audition process was like for a character that has a handful of sex scenes. There were a few sparse giggles, as to be expected from a room of 40 plus teens, but they weren’t so loud as to block out the answer (you had to do what in front of the casting department?!).

This has without a doubt been the most successful MaTEENe event the Young Adult Council has hosted so far. Great attendance, pizza and discussion! But the night is young my friends! Young like the adults on this council (it had to be done). Spirits are high, we’re getting amazing new members, dedication is off the charts and the teenaged interest is peaked! We’re on the move, so keep your eyes peeled. You’ll find us…

I’ve recently been asked by quite a few people what I personally think Kafka on the Shore is about. What is Murakami truly getting at? What is the overall meaning of the play?

Honestly, that’s something I’m still trying to figure out. Despite living and breathing in this show for two months, new discoveries are being made with every performance.

The novel is complex, to say the least, and the play does little to subdue this complexity. Murakami brings up question after question along Kafka’s journey and seldom provides answers. It is therefore up to the audience to come up with their own conclusions. Based on the experience of the individual, the play will mean something different to everyone. How one chooses to interpret the events on stage will greatly be influenced by the events of their own life. Some people will agree with what I think the play represents, and some won’t. (more…)