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

When you think of the last warm Saturday afternoon of the year, the first thought that comes to mind isn’t 40 teens seeing a piece of theatre Steppenwolf. However, that was exactly the scene at the Steppenwolf for Young Adult’s MaTEENe performance of The Glass Menagerie. Who knew Tom, Laura, Amanda and the Gentleman Caller could still inspire my generation?

Being a member of the Young Adult Council here at Steppenwolf, I’ve witnessed many MaTEENes. These are Saturday afternoon performances hosted by the Council, during which students can come see a Steppenwolf show for $15, meet other high school students interested in theatre and stay afterward for lunch, discussion and theatre exercises with the play’s actors. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Well, maybe not bad or ugly per se, but like any other program, we’ve had our ups and downs. But by far this was the best MaTEENe Steppenwolf has ever seen. We had 40 young adults from 12 different schools and all walks of life together to discuss the brilliance of the production. There is nothing like a room full of driven teens “re-imagining the American dream” – the theme of this year’s Steppenwolf for Young Adults season. At first, we tested the waters with a short post-show in the main theatre and then moved over to the Garage Theatre with all the MaTEENe participants to dive even deeper into our questions with the actors and director (ensemble member Yasen Peyankov). We’re not talking about a light conversation about how the costumes looked really cool under the lights (which they did), but rather an in-in-depth discussion on the development of character and relationship, that resonated with and obviously moved our ever so “angst possessed” teen audience. (more…)

“And so.” There wasn’t much more that came out of my mouth at the top of the second act of the first public performance, which marked the opening of the show. I went completely up! Never has that happened to me before and I hope it never happens again. It was probably the most frightening experience I’ve had in my life. I was on stage alone. The task was to draw the audience back into the story, and set up the next part of the journey, and I went blank! I said, “And so, the following evening I brought Jim home to dinner. I knew Jim slightly in high school. In high school, Jim was a hero. He, he, he, he, he had tremendous good nature and vitality.” Like a scratched record, my brain stayed in that one spot. I went completely blank. It’s a normal thing for actors to occasionally flub a line. Usually the actor can refocus and find their way through. I couldn’t remember a word! Not one word that Mr. Williams had written. I tried to struggle through it, and I kept repeating words to the point nothing made sense! I said, “I knew that Jim and Laura had known each other in high school because they knew each other.” What the hell?! (lol) I simply stopped and smiled. The audience laughed and we shared a little moment. I eventually got out of it and got to the end of the monologue and brought in the other characters. I laugh now, but on stage I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t call line, no one else was on stage to help me out…alone! The lesson. Don’t panic! It happens. It’s live theatre and as long as it’s kept interesting and people aren’t feeling like they are watching you screw up they’ll forgive you and continue on the journey.

This has been an amazing ride. I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing and experiencing acting without a net. “Making theatre is a dangerous thing,” it’s a blood-sport, and you must have a team of warriors. I will make anything with Nambi Kelley, Shanésia Davis, Anthony Flemming, and Yasen Peyankov. All Spartans! This entire production has been battle tested and has stood strong against the beating winds of challenge. I am proud of it. Every show gets a closing date, and unfortunately Steppenwolf’s 2008 Glass Menagerie has received its closing date, November 9th. Tom will remorsefully tell Laura for the last time to “Blow out your candles.” It’s been a pleasure sharing with you all, “And so, goodbye.”

This has been a very challenging week! One of the bitter sweets of making theatre is the bonding and separation. In a short period of time you build strong bonds of trust with people, sometimes total strangers. Because you become so close you sometimes share one another’s experiences, and this week we shared the experience of a deep loss. We press on, chipping away at this colossal monster. I feel this week we entered uncharted waters. “Do I go? I should go! Damn too early! I’m behind the scene. Now I’m ahead of the scene! I know what it is, but what is it?” I see some light at the end of the forest, but not enough to know for sure that I am coming through. Trust! Trust! Trust!

Week two and we have plunged into the abyss. It’s Tom and Amanda Day, Mom and Son. We spend six hours digging into one another, toiling to make each moment ring with beautiful, heartbreaking truth. Yasen, our director, is very precise. I can tell he loves actors and encourages exploration. It’s liberating. I haven’t worked in Chicago since 2004, and this is quite the homecoming: Great play, great theatre, and a great company of artists.

Shanésia Davis is playing Amanda. I love watching her. We are so different, yet so much alike. I’ve never made anything with her, but I look forward to the time ahead. She is “in the room.” We spent an entire rehearsal building the Amanda/Tom piece of the pie. Tom and Amanda shouted at each other, spoke kindly, then insulted and badgered one another. All of those wonderful juicy things we explored for six hours. (more…)

Coming into the room we were all there early. Some mix up on the rehearsal tape calling us for 10 when rehearsal didn’t start until 10:30. No worries, time to meet and greet anew. Anthony Fleming III, who is playing my gentleman caller, and I made great use of the time. We went downstairs to put my new Illinois license plates on my car. I thought it was kind of poetic: New license plates on the first day of rehearsal, a new sort of homecoming. New home coming. New home at the Wolf.

I’ve worked here a few times, this is my third show. I even wrote a play for the New Plays Lab when Michele Volansky was the literary manager here. But for whatever reason, this time coming into the rehearsal hall feels strangely new and yet familiar, comfortable. It’s like coming home, but the hero/ine is somehow changed. I’ve changed, grown, since the last time I was here. (more…)