The
Burials
CONTENTS
6 Welcome to The Burials
“Among the very greatest of living playwrights”
Letter from Steppenwolf for Young Adults Artistic Director Hallie Gordon
10
— Chicago Tribune
Bios
16 Gun Violence, Greek Tragedy and the Steppenwolf Stage
By Education Coordinator Jared Bellot
18 Antigone: The Greek Tragedy Connection
By Teaching Artist Sindy Castro
20 Patterns of Response:
What Actually Changes in the Aftermath of Mass Shootings
By Steppenwolf for Young Adults Intern Emma Leff
E D I TO R
C O N T R I B U TO R S
DESIGN
COVE R
JACQUELINE ROSAS
JAR E D B E LLOT
DAVI D MAS NATO
Cast Members
A moving and enthralling world premiere about the enduring connection between a mother and her son.
David Rabe (Streamers, Hurlyburly) Directed by artistic director Anna D. Shapiro (Mary Page Marlowe, August: Osage County) By Tony Award winning playwright
September 15 – November 6, 2016 Tickets start at just $20 | steppenwolf.org | 312-335-1650 Lead Production Sponsor
ZELL FAMILY FOUNDATION
Major Production Sponsors THE LAURENTS/HATCHER FOUNDATION
S I N DY CASTRO
OLIVIA CYGAN
HALLI E GOR DON
B ECCA SAVOY
E M MA LE FF
Photographer
JOE L MOOR MAN
M ICH E LLE NOLAN
MEGAN SHUCHMAN
TO A D V E R T I S E Contact: smARTMagazines/smARTSponsorships Bryan Dowling 773-360-1767 or bryan@media8midwest.com This program is printed on FSC® certified paper with the use of soy-based inks.
CONTENTS 3
ANNA D. SHAPIRO† Artistic Director
Leading Corporate Season Production Sponsor of Steppenwolf for Young Adults
DAVID SCHMITZ Executive Director
HALLIE GORDON Artistic Director of SYA
S T E P P E N W O L F F O R Y O U N G A D U LT S P R E S E N T S
The Corporate Season Sponsor of Steppenwolf for Young Adults
Major Foundation Support for Steppenwolf for Young Adults is Provided by
Burials By Caitlin Parrish Directed by Erica Weiss
F E AT U R I N G
AU RORA ADACH I-WI NTE R, STE PHAN I E AN D R EA BAR RON, JOE L BOYD, OLIVIA CYGAN*, MATT FARAB E E, COB U R N GOSS*, TY OLWI N, B ECCA SAVOY AN D KR I STI NA VALADA-VIAR S* Lead Individual Supporters of Steppenwolf for Young Adults Ann and Richard Carr Capri Capital Partners, LLC and L. Heather Mitchell Lynn Lockwood Murphy and Barrett B. Murphy Robert and Louise Sanborn
PRODUCTION COU RTN EY O’N E I LL + Scenic Design ALAR I E HAM MOCK Costume Design J.R. LE D E R LE Lighting Design MATT CHAPMAN Sound Design and Original Music JOS E PH A. B U R KE Projection Design
Steppenwolf’s young professionals board, the Steppenwolf Associates, dedicates its support to Steppenwolf for Young Adults.
RACH E L FLE S H E R Violence and Intimacy Director JC CLE M E NTZ and TAM D ICKSON Casting TE SS GOLD E N* Stage Manager
Steppenwolf for Young Adults is a citywide partner of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) School Partner Program.
The Burials was commissioned by Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago; Anna D. Shapiro, Artistic Director; David Schmitz, Managing Director.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for nonprofit professional theater. † member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble. * member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. + member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829 of the IATSE. ° Member of the Casting Society of America.
4 THE BURIALS
STEPPENWOLF 5
W ELCOME TO
THE BURIALS As I write this, we are in the midst of a political freefor-all. We anxiously await the ballot box decision of our fellow citizens. What will we tell our children after this election? How will history judge us? This is epic, it’s like something out of a Greek tragedy. When we “stick to our guns,” cleaving to one extreme of ideological purity or another, no matter the cost, who, finally, will pay the price? What does ego, bravado and lusting after power get you in a Greek tragedy? Death, destruction, and, where you are favored by fortune, redemption. The Burials is a riff on the Antigone story, and it couldn’t be more relevant or timely. When Caitlin and Erica came to me with the idea for this play it was before the shootings in Orlando, Dallas, Kalamazoo, MI, San Bernardino and Charleston, SC. Which, sadly, horribly, is just to name a few of the mass shootings that have taken place in this country in the intervening months. I thought, naively, I see now, that this topic would not be as relevant, since Sandy Hook happened over four years ago, and I held the hope that the outrage of that day would lead us, finally, to pursue a more sane path. I was wrong. Art reflects–as it must–the world around us; it helps us build bridges so that we gain a wider sense of the world. If we as a cultural organization don’t engage students in issues that directly effect our country, that directly influence their lives and futures, then what are we offering them beyond entertainment? If we do not grant young people a space/place for them to give voice to their concerns and hopes around issues of gun control, gender, race, climate change, abortion, equal rights, equal pay, family, community and on and on, then I believe we as adults will have failed them. In our effort to shield them from the unpleasantness and harshness of the world, we will have failed to prepare them for the many challenges that await them in adulthood. And the plain fact is this: WE are not keeping our children safe–they are
dying every day. We must work–as adults, now, today to make change; we must equip them to bring about the change we need in the future. The generation of students watching this play have grown up with active shooter and lockdown drills in their schools, so that they can be more prepared if/ when a shooting happens in school. This is the new normal. If we as adults can’t do anything to stop the United States from being the mass shooting capital of the world, then maybe our children can. If we teach them that they have agency, that they have the power to rise up and take action for what they believe in, then maybe with our guidance things might change. In June 2016, in the wake of the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting, Congressional Democrats, led by Representative John Lewis, hosted a sit-in on the floor of the U.S. Capitol after Republican leaders in Congress refused to hold a vote on proposed gun control legislation. When I watched the sit-in, which lasted over 24-hours and attracted over 170 participants, but which ended with no legislative action being taken which might be cause for despair. Except–except–Congressional Democrats have vowed to continue the fight in their districts and in DC. In the face of such a pledge, I dare to feel hope. When I talk to high school students, I am filled with hope. When I watch all the young people protesting for what they believe in, I am buoyed by hope. There is hope in The Burials, but it’s up to us–all of us, of every generation–to seize what hope we can and force the change that is so long overdue.
Hallie Gordon Artistic Director for Steppenwolf for Young Adults
2016/17 season
YOUNG ADULT COUNCIL
The Young Adult Council
is a unique program for passionate and motivated high school students who wish to learn the inner-workings of professional theater from the most celebrated artists in the city. In addition to face time with these leading professionals, Council members attend the best plays in Chicago, learn how to analyze and speak about these plays and lead events for their peers around Steppenwolf productions in hopes of inspiring a new generation of theatre enthusiasts and practitioners.
Applications are available on March 1, 2017. 6 WELCOME
Like the Steppenwolf Young Adult Council on Facebook! Or visit steppenwolf.org/youngadultcouncil for more information.
CAST AND CONTRIBUTORS C A S T (in alphabetical order)
A D D I T I O N A L S TA F F
AU RORA ADACH I-WI NTE R Brianna
LEXI SAU N D E R S Assistant Director
STE PHAN I E AN D R EA BAR RON Janette
SARAH I LLIATOVITCH-GOLD MAN Script Supervisor
JOE L BOYD Jayden
AARON STE PH E N SON Sound Board Operator
OLIVIA CYGAN* Sophie Martin
M ICHAE L DOLD AN D B E N N ETT KEATI NG Additional Props
MATT FARAB E E Ben
NAN ZAB R I S KI E Special Effects Makeup
COB U R N GOSS* Ryan Martin
SARAH D I E FE N BACH Wardrobe Crew
TY OLWI N Greg
Z HAN NA ALB E RTI N I, KAR I NA KI M AN D SARAH TE STI N Additional Paint
B ECCA SAVOY Chloe Martin KR I STI NA VALADA-VIAR S* Mrs. Souder/Zoe
AJ B U R KART AN D MAR K VI N SON Additional Carpenters LI NA B E N ICH Stage Management Apprentice
U N DE R STU DI ES AN U B HATT Mrs. Souder/Zoe DONOVAN D IAZ Jayden/Greg CHAR LOTTE MAE E LLI SON Chloe Martin/Sophie Martin SAM G U I NAN-NYHART Ryan Martin TALIA PAYOMO Brianna/Janette SETTING Present, USA
There will be no intermission. There will be a post-show discussion immediately following the performance.
Special thanks to Joel Ewing and Senn Fine Arts High School As a courtesy to the actors and your fellow patrons, please turn off your cell phones before the performance. The taking of photographs and the use of any type of recording device are not allowed in the theater during performances and is a violation of state and federal copyright laws. Digital media will be deleted, and tape or film will be confiscated. * member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. † member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble.
THE SCENE
STEP IN
THE SCENE is a special opportunity for high school students to score an affordable ticket to a Steppenwolf production, meet Chicago’s most celebrated artists and connect with other teens who are passionate about theater. Each ticket includes dinner and post-show discusion with the actors.
STEP IN is a new series that offers teens from all over the city the chance to participate in hands-on theatre workshops alongside some of the most exciting theatre artists working in the city right now while learning more about the Steppenwolf Young Adult Council, an afterschool program for teens interested in careers in the arts.
TICKETS ARE $10 Purchase tickets at the door 30 minutes before the show, or in advance by calling Steppenwolf Audience Services at 312-335-1650. Use code 24361.
ADMISSION IS FREE! To reserve your spot, please RSVP to Education Coordinator Jared Bellot at jbellot@steppenwolf.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
THE SCENE: THE BURIALS
WE D N E S DAY, WE D N E S DAY, WE D N E S DAY, WE D N E S DAY, WE D N E S DAY,
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 AT 3:00PM (post-show)
THE SCENE: MONSTER
FRIDAY, MARCH 3 AT 7:30PM (post-show)
All events last from 4:30 – 6:00pm
Questions? Please contact Education Coordinator Jared Bellot at 312-654-5643 or jbellot@steppenwolf.org. 8 CAST AND CONTRIBUTORS
NOVE M B E R 9 D ECE M B E R 7 FE B R UARY 1 APR I L 5 MAY 3
THE BURIALS BIOS AU RORA ADACH I-WI NTE R (Brianna) is a Chicago native and holds a BFA from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is honored to be working with Steppenwolf Theatre Comany for the first time. Some of her favorite credits include good friday (Oracle Productions); The Upstairs Concierge (Goodman Theatre); M. Butterfly (Court Theatre); Miss Saigon (Paramount Theatre); The Fly Honey Show (The Inconvenience); Mutt: Let’s All Talk About Race ( Red Tape Theatre and Stage Left Theatre); Edith Can Shoot Things... (First Floor Theater); and Ghost Bike (Buzz22). Aurora can be seen in various commercials across the US and the first season of Chicago Med. She is represented by Gray Talent Group. STE PHAN I E ANDREA BARRON (Janette) is thrilled to be returning to Chicago to make her Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut. Chicago credits include Another Word for Beauty (Goodman Theatre); and Iphigenia in Aulis (Court Theatre). Film credits include I’d Like To Be Alone Now and Traveling Without Moving. Television credits include Chicago Fire. She received her BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University. Stephanie is represented by Gray Talent Group. J O E L B OY D (Jayden) is ecstatic to be making his Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut with The Burials. Usually you can catch him performing as a comedian around town doing stand-up, sketch and improv. He’s been lucky enough to perform on such stages as The Laugh Factory, The Second City, Zanies, The Comedy Bar, iO, the Annoyance and more. His Chicago theatre credits include Wastwater (Steep Theatre); and #DateMe: An OKCupid Experiment (The Second City). He’s also one of the founding members of the
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Chicago stand-up collective, The Martin Luther Kings of Comedy. Keep up with his shenanigans at joelboydtv.com. O LIVIA CYGAN (Sophie Martin) is deeply happy to be making her Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut. Recent Chicago roles include Anne in Richard III (The Gift Theatre); and Chris in Feathers and Teeth (Goodman Theatre); as well as readings and workshops at the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Victory Gardens Theater. Television credits include Gotham. Olivia graduated from Northwestern University in June and has trained with Kristin Linklater, at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and at the Stratford Festival. “Endless gratitude to Erica and Caitlin, for this play, right now.” M AT T FA R A B E E (Ben) Chicago credits include Dry Land (Rivendell Theatre); Bruise Easy (American Theater Company); Mud Blue Sky (A Red Orchid Theatre); Rest (Victory Gardens Theater); punkplay (Pavement Group); Skylight (Court Theater); Milk Milk Lemonade (Pavement Group); Elizabeth Rex (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Tigers Be Still (Theater Wit); Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t (AboutFace Theatre); The Sweeter Option (Strawdog Theatre Company); and The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Eclipse Theatre Company). Off-Broadway credits include A Bright New Boise (Partial Comfort). Regional credits include Lord of the Flies and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Round House Theatre). He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
COBURN GOSS (Ryan Martin) returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where he appeared in Fake, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, When the Messenger Is Hot (also Off-Broadway at 59E59); The Royal Family and Absolution. Other Chicago credits include Chimerica (Timeline Theatre); The Diary of Anne Frank, The Seagull (Writers’ Theatre); The Crowd You’re In With, Vigils (Goodman Theatre); Freud’s Last Session (CRC Productions); Luce and Dying City (Next Theatre). Television credits include Empire, Mind Games, Chicago Fire, Boss, The Chicago Code, Reconstruction, Mob Doctor, The Beast, ER and Prison Break. Film credits include The Lucky Ones, Joshua, Shelter, Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. T Y O LW I N (Greg) is very excited to be returning to Steppenwolf for Young Adults where he was last seen in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Previous Chicago credits include Soups, Stews, and Casseroles: 1976 (Goodman Theatre); Brilliant Adventures (Steep Theatre); Season on the Line (The House Theatre of Chicago); Vieux Carre (Raven Theatre); and Living Newspaper Festival 2013 (Jackalope Theatre). Television credits include Crisis, Chicago Fire and Patriot. Film credits inlcude Personal Shopper. Ty is a proud graduate of the School at Steppenwolf 2012 and is proudly represented by Actors Talent Group. B E C C A S AV OY (Chloe Martin) is overjoyed to return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company after understudying for Mary Page Marlowe. Chicago credits include Pocatello (Griffin Theatre, Jeff Nomination for Best Supporting Actress); The Commons of Pensacola (u/s Northlight Theatre); and 4PLAY Sex in a Series, finding gräfenberg (trip.). She has worked with Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago Dramatists, Artemisia Theatre, the side project theatre company, Something Marvelous, 20% Theatre, Mary-Arrchie Theatre, Fine Print Theatre and Greenhouse Theatre, among others. Becca is a proud graduate of the School at Steppenwolf.
KR ISTI NA VALADA-VIAR S (Mrs. Souder/Zoe) returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company where she was last seen in Time Stands Still (Jeff Award nomination). Previously with Steppenwolf, she served as an understudy in the Broadway cast of August: Osage County. Chicago credits include The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence (Theater Wit); The Diary of Anne Frank (Writers Theatre); A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre); The Great God Pan (Next Theatre); Completeness (Theater Wit) and Pony (About Face Theatre). She also served as Assistant Director on The Matchmaker (Goodman Theatre); and Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England (Theater Wit). Other New York credits include Monstrosity (13P); Love Drunk (Abingdon Theatre Company); The Music Teacher (New Group); and 516 (New York International Fringe Festival). Her film and television credits include Molly’s Girl (Best Actress in a Feature, Iris Prize Film Festival), Written Off, The Door in the Floor, BlackBox, Shameless, Law & Order: CI and Animal Husbandry. She is also currently working in the field of Audience Design and Artist/ Audience Engagement with Theater Wit. E R ICA WE ISS (Director) makes her Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut. Directing credits include The Downpour, A Twist of Water and Cicada (Route 66 Theatre); Distance (Strawdog Theatre); The Grapes of Wrath and Vigils (Gift Theatre). She is an ensemble member at The Gift Theatre, the former Michael Maggio Directing Fellow at the Goodman Theatre and a Jeff Nominee. Her first feature film, The View From Tall, co-directed with Caitlin Parrish, recently premiered to critical acclaim at The Los Angeles Film Festival and will play the Chicago International Film Festival in October and their original television pilot Red Line is in development with Warner Brothers.
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C A I T L I N PA R R I S H (Playwright) Caitlin Parrish’s career began at age 18 when she won the 2003 National Young Playwrights Competition with her first play The View from Tall, which subsequently ran Off-Broadway. Her most recent plays, created with frequent collaborator Erica Weiss, include A Twist of Water, The Downpour, and The Burials. A Twist of Water (Route 66 Theatre Company), also enjoyed an off-broadway run at 59E59 and was nominated for Best New Work at the Joseph Jefferson Awards. The Downpour also received a Best New Work nomination at the Jeffs, and both plays were named finalists by the American Theatre Critics Association for the Steinberg Award for Best New American Play. Her work in television includes stints as a writer for Emily Owens, M.D., Under the Dome and Supergirl. She is a recipient of the prestigious Humanitas Award for her original television pilot Painkiller. Her pilot Red Line has been optioned by Warner Brothers television. And the film adaptation of The View from Tall (written by Parrish, who co-directs with Weiss) recently had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival. She is honored to be working with Steppenwolf Theatre, a true bucket list item. Special thanks to Joe, who will be the most wonderful father someday. COURTNEY O’NEILL (Scenic Design) returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company, having previously designed The Compass, Life and Limb and Of Mice and Men. Recent credits include Julius Caesar (Writers Theatre); Moby Dick, The Little Prince (Lookingglass Theatre Comapny); Waiting for Godot (Court Theatre); The Amish Project, Song Man Dance Man (Milwaukee Repertory); When I Come to Die (Kansas City Repertory); The Mountaintop (Virginia Stage); Our Town and Mud (The Hypocrites). She was the associate designer for Fish in the Dark and This Is Our Youth (Broadway). Courtney received a Jeff Award for Mud. She holds an MFA from Northwestern and a BFA from DePaul University, where she currently teaches. courtneyoneill.com ALARIE HAMMOCK (Costume Design) is excited to be designing for the Steppenwolf Theatre Company stage. Her theatre costume design credits include The Grapes of Wrath, Royal Society of Antarctica (The Gift Theatre); The Downpour, Twist of Water, Cicada (Route 66 Theatre); The Bachelors (Cole Theatre); Love and Human
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Remains, Christina the Girl King (Cor Theatre, where she is a company member); Fancy Nancy, Hansel and Gretel, Charlotte’s Web (Emerald City) as well as Emerald City’s Little theater productions. Film credits include View From Tall. “Enjoy the show!” J.R. LEDERLE (Lighting Design) also designed The Compass, This is Modern Art (based on true events), George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Leveling Up, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, The Book Thief, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Bluest Eye (also at New Victory in New York), Harriet Jacobs, The Water Engine (also at Theater on the Lake), Winesburg, Ohio, Division Street and Whispering City for Steppenwolf for Young Adults. His work has also been seen at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Piven Theatre Workshop, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Victory Gardens Theater, About Face Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Walkabout Theater Company, and elsewhere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, including Sex with Strangers. J.R. also designed lighting for seven years for the Steppenwolf Traffic series, and for five Steppenwolf performances in Chicago’s Millennium Park. He has served as head Lighting Supervisor at Steppenwolf since 1995. M AT T C H A P M A N (Sound Design and Original Music) is excited to be designing at Steppenwolf Theatre Company for the first time. Chicago credits include The Few, Posh, The Cheats, The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle, Motortown, If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet, The Knowledge, 2000 Feet Away and Harper Regan (Steep Theatre Company, where he is an artistic associate); the world premieres of Prowess (Jackalope Theatre); Mai Dang Lao (Sideshow Theatre Company); Body and Blood (The Gift Theatre); Kill Floor (American Theatre Company); The Orchestra (Akvavit Theatre); Butcher (Signal Ensemble); and Balm in Gilead (Griffin Theatre). He is currently the technical coordinator for Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre. JOSEPH A. BURKE (Projection Design) is excited to return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Currently residing in Chicago, Joseph specializes in theatrical lighting and projection design. Joseph’s art has been seen at A-squared Theatre Workshop, Case Western Reserve University, Chamber Opera Chicago, Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, Cleveland Public Theatre, Imagine Exhibitions Incorporated, Museum of Contemporary
Art, Chicago, Northwestern University, The Poetry Foundation, Travesty Dance Group, Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Spartan Theatre Company. Upcoming productions include The Christians (Steppenwolf Theatre Company) and A Walk in the Woods (Spartan Theatre Company). RACH E L FLESH E R (Violence and Intimacy Director) is elated to be working with Steppenwolf for Young Adults! A recent transplant from Oklahoma City, other Chicago credits include Constellations (Steppenwolf Theatre Company) and The Promise of a Rose Garden (Babes With Blades Theatre Company). Rachel is a member of the Society of American Fight Directors and an instructor with the Fight Directors Canada. “Thanks to the Rapier Wit Studio for starting me on this journey. And thanks and love to my family and friends for their unwavering support.” TESS GOLDEN (Stage Manager) is happy to be back at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Chicago credits include How Long Will I Cry?, Voices of Youth Violence, Oblivion, Where We’re Born (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Thaddeus and Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure, Blood Wedding, In the Garden: A Darwinian Love Story, The Little Prince, Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting (Lookingglass Theatre Company); Wonderland: Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure (Chicago Children’s Theatre); and Northanger Abbey (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company). She has also worked on projects at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodman Theatre, Raven Theatre and the side project theatre company. HALLIE GORDON (Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults) As a theatre artist for SYA Hallie has directed George Orwell’s 1984, George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Leveling Up, the world premiere of The Book Thief, To Kill A Mockingbird, the world premiere of a new adaptation by Tanya Saracho of The House on Mango Street, world premiere of Harriet Jacobs adapted for the stage by Lydia R. Diamond and a new premiere of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye also adapted by Lydia R. Diamond which won a Black Excellence Award from the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago. This production also transferred Off-Broadway to The New Victory Theatre. She has also directed for Northlight Theatre and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble and has done staged readings for The Goodman Theatre, Timeline Theatre, Chicago Dramatists and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Hallie is the recipient of The Helen Coburn Meier & Tim Meier Achievement Award.
ANNA D. SHAPIRO (Artistic Director) joined the Steppenwolf ensemble in 2005 and was awarded the 2008 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for August: Osage County (Steppenwolf, Broadway, London). She was nominated in 2011 in the same category for The Motherf**ker with the Hat (Public Theatre, Labyrinth Theater). Other directing credits at Steppenwolf include Mary Page Marlowe, Three Sisters, A Parallelogram, Up, The Crucible, The Unmentionables (also at Yale Repertory Theatre), The Pain and the Itch (also in New York), I Never Sang for My Father, Man from Nebraska, Purple Heart (also in Galway, Ireland), The Drawer Boy, Side Man (also in Ireland, Australia and Vail, Colorado), Three Days of Rain, The Infidel and This is Our Youth (which transferred to Broadway). Other Broadway credits include Of Mice and Men (with James Franco) and Fish in the Dark (with Larry David). Off-Broadway credits include Domesticated (Lincoln Center). She is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Columbia. She is a full professor in Northwestern University’s Department of Theatre. DAVI D S C H M ITZ (Executive Director) has worked at Steppenwolf Theatre Company for 11 years, serving in the role of Director of Finance and Administration, General Manager, Managing Director and currently as Executive Director. Prior to working at Steppenwolf, David was the General Manager at Lookingglass Theatre Company, Associate Artistic Director of Stage Left Theatre and Business Manager at the entertainment agency Adair Performance. Currently, he serves as Vice President of the Board for The House Theatre of Chicago as well as on the boards of the League of Chicago Theatres and Arts Alliance Illinois. David is a former board member for the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce and has worked as a strategic planning, business practices, finance and hiring consultant for numerous Chicago organizations, including The House Theatre of Chicago, The Hypocrites and Stage Left Theatre, among others. He holds a BA in theatre from the University of Northern Colorado, an MFA from the Theatre Conservatory at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University and a Certificate in Non Profit Management from Roosevelt University.
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Cast members Olivia Cygan, Coburn Goss and Becca Savoy
Cast member Becca Savoy
Cast member Kristina Valada-Viars
Director Erica Weiss with cast members Ty Olwin and Joel Boyd
14 THE BURIALS
Cast member Aurora Adachi-Winter
Cast members Olivia Cygan and Stephanie Andrea Barron
STEPPENWOLF 15
Photograph: Joe Mazza/BraveLux (l-r) Caitlin Parrish (playwright) and Erica Weiss (director)
A CONVERSATION WITH PLAYWRIGHT CAITLIN PARRISH AND DIRECTOR ERICA WEISS Education Coordinator Jared Bellot sat down with playwright Caitlin Parrish and director Erica Weiss to discuss the inspiration for The Burials, the connection to Greek tragedy and the process of bringing a brand new play from page to stage. JB: What else did you do to prepare for this play? JARED BELLOT: Caitlin, as a playwright, what inspired you to write The Burials? Why tell this story today? CAITLIN PARRISH: [Erica’s and my] generation has been defined, for better or worse, by gun violence. I was in high school when the shooting at Columbine High School occurred in 1999, and I feel as though the conversation has always been “What is wrong with this particular generation of kids? Why are they dangerous?” But no one talks about the fact that we were a country obsessed with guns. Today in 2016, nearly 20 years after Columbine, we are still a country obsessed with guns, and still, no one wants to talk about it. Mass shootings have not gone away, they have only gotten worse. The Burials is my answer to gun violence in America. JB: What does that answer look like? What is the driving idea at the center of this story? ERICA WEISS: As a nation, we treat these mass shootings as isolated incidents that need picking apart. We ask “Why did this happen? Why was this person specifically motivated in this instance?” And we get different responses based on who the shooter was. Different answers as to why this happened. But those answers are really useful ways to deflect from the question of “What are we going to do about this problem?” We exhaust ourselves trying to deconstruct the ‘why’ over and over and over again without ever addressing the ‘how’, which is the only thing that bonds all of these crimes together. The only thing. The only constant is people are shooting each other. With guns. JB: Where does the connection to Antigone factor in to all of this? Why were you interested in exploring this issue through the lens of Greek tragedy? CP: We wanted to take this story, which is a story about young people, and make it epic. We wanted to give young people a voice and elevate it.
Antigone is an epic story in which a young person, a young woman, stands up to the state and says, “No. You are party to a tremendous ethical and moral wrong, and I cannot stand by and allow you to proceed. Even if that means sacrificing my life, I have to do what is right.” I’ve always loved the story, and I think it’s as resonant today as it was thousands of years ago. Antigone shows young people it can be their voices that matter. That it can be youth who take a stand. JB: How was the story of The Burials influenced by the structure and story of Antigone? EW: Antigone has been the gift that keeps on giving in terms of keeping the story honest and contemporary. Whenever we were trying to solve a structural or dramaturgical question, like how to make a particular scene or conflict more effective, we could turn to the structure of Greek tragedy to keep us moving forward. Finding the voice and tone of the original story and being inspired by it frequently wound up being a solution. We were not necessarily going scene by scene and directly adapting. But we were also profoundly interested in creating true catharsis. And the Greeks had a really good recipe for that. JB: Will the world that we will see on stage reflect this connection to Antigone?
EW: We were privileged to get to go to high schools around the Chicagoland area and talk to students about what their experiences have been growing up in a country where gun violence, and specifically school shootings, is a very real possibility. It was important for us to reflect and listen to the way that students experienced this reality. What do they think about the possibility for the future? What are they afraid of? We asked, “Do you think it will get better? How will it get better? What is the problem? And do you feel safe?” The responses were really profound, and you can’t help but feel a sense of immense failure when the answer to the question “Do you feel safe?” is no. But I don’t feel safe either. I don’t know how anyone can. That’s the problem. There are no safe spaces in our country. CP: These students are looking for more security. What students described time and time again was how easy it would be to bring a gun to school if they really wanted to, and that they don’t feel the current security measures make them feel safe. EW: And in Chicago, I think it’s important to note that there’s a lot experience and identification with gun violence that has nothing to do with these kind of mass or school shootings. But that doesn’t mean that students are not very familiar with the threat of gun violence to a horrifying degree.
That was important to listen to, even though that is not the violence that is specifically referenced in The Burials. The one thing that we can connect is the how. JB: Thousands of students across the Chicagoland area will be seeing this show. What do you hope that they take away from it? CP: That their voices matter. That there’s something they can do being the age that they are. That it’s imperative that they do something. They should not make the same mistake that people in their 30s made when they were young and they didn’t speak up. EW: And that there are some people who hear them and respect their voices and will look to them for leadership. I task this generation more than maybe any other to do something about this issue, because they have the ability to be very effective. And I want the adult members of the community—the teachers and parents—to come away with a broader empathy and respect and understanding for the perspective of young people and how they’re affected. We can’t talk [down] to young people and we can’t assume that we know best. And really, that’s the point. That’s the conversation we’re trying to create. JB: Thank you both for taking the time to talk to me about the show. I can’t wait for The Burials!
EW: Yes! The concept visually was how do we create a Greek amphitheater out of a high school? So the visual of the set has the feeling of walking into an ancient Greek amphitheater, but all of the materials and structural elements look like any sort of atrium of a high school but presented in a way that is epic. We’ve also, in the costumes, dressed everyone in contemporary clothes, but with little nods to the Greeks to continue to give the piece a feeling of the epic, which is the whole point, that stories about young people can be epic. Photograph and set model by Scenic Designer Courtney O’Neill Set model for The Burials
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FEATURES 17
THE PLOT OF ANTIGONE By Teaching Artist Sindy Castro
Ancient Greece on the Steppenwolf stage? That’s right, Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ upcoming production of The Burials is loosely inspired by the play Antigone, one of the most well-known surviving Greek tragedies. Both The Burials and Antigone explore how laws don’t always reflect what is “right,” and that sometimes, it takes fighting for what you believe to be “right” to enact meaningful change. Written by Sophocles sometime around 441 BCE, Antigone follows the story of the titular character who disobeys the laws of the state in order to follow what she believes to be right. Antigone defies the order by King Creon to leave the body of her brother, Polyneices (who defied Creon before death), on the battlefield because she believes she must give him the funeral rites the gods demand. Antigone may have been written thousands of years ago, but don’t be nervous, Greek tragedies (and our production of The Burials) follow a pretty reliable, easy to understand format. Check out the typical structure of a Greek tragedy below, and then see the opposite page for a plot breakdown of Antigone.
COMMON ELEMENTS OF GREEK TRAGEDY
The prologue is a speech by a character or a scene that sums up everything that has happened before the start of the play. Greek tragedies start in media res, which means that the story begins in the middle of an active moment that kicks off the events in the play.
In the parados, the chorus (a group that acts like a type of narrator) enters and is introduced in the play. They explain what has happened leading up to this point.
The episodes and odes are the main part of the play featuring scenes (episodes) that occur between the characters and the chorus, followed by commentary and reflection (odes) sung by the chorus directly to the audience.
The catastrophe is the turning point of the play. This is when the tragic hero’s (a character who makes an error in judgment that leads to their destruction) status changes due to their tragic flaw (something in a protagonist’s personality that brings their downfall.)
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The exodus is the final song after the last episode of the play where the moral of the tragedy is discussed. The audience experiences catharsis, a symbolic emotional release.
Antigone begins with a scene between Antigone and her sister Ismene. After hearing that King Creon has ordered her brother Polyneices’ body to remain on the battlefield, Antigone tells her sister that she will give her brother the proper burial that the gods demand.
The chorus enters as the elders of Thebes. They sing a song about how glorious Thebes is and how wrong Polyneices was in his actions. Antigone contains five episodes and five odes. After Creon learns that Antigone has defied his orders and buried her brother, she is brought before the King to atone for her actions. The chorus sings of humankind’s hubris (excessive pride in defiance of the gods) and laments about the curse that has befallen Antigone’s family due to the actions of her father, Oedipus, the former ruler of Thebes. After Creon sentences Antigone to be buried alive, his son, and Antigone’s love interest, Haemon, begs his father to reconsider to no avail. Antigone makes one final speech to the public before being sent away. Teiresias, a blind prophet, warns Creon that Thebes will suffer if Polyneices is not buried. Creon refuses, and the Chorus prays to the gods to protect Thebes.
Although the play is titled Antigone, the tragic hero here is King Creon and we follow his change in fortune. When Creon changes his mind about Antigone, it is too late. His actions have already laid out a domino effect of tragic events: Creon’s son Haemon dies and Eurydice, Creon’s wife, unable to take the pain of losing her son, kills herself.
The play ends with King Creon and the Chorus: Creon prays for death, the guards lead him back into the palace, and the Chorus sings their final song.
The preceding article was created for The Burials study guide. Steppenwolf for Young Adults creates an original study guide for each of its productions. Study guides are available for all teachers attending the production and publicly accessible for free on our website at steppenwolf.org/education.
FEATURES 19
WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGES IN THE AFTERMATH OF MASS SHOOTINGS? By Steppenwolf for Young Adults Intern Emma Leff
Columbine High School – Columbine, CO On April 20th, 1999, Columbine High School students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold attacked their school, killing 13 and injuring 24 before killing themselves. Legislative response In the year following the shooting, over 800 laws having to do with guns were introduced into state legislatures across the country, but only 10% of them passed. The federal government failed to introduce any legislation having to do with guns in that same period of time. The Colorado State Legislature failed to pass a bill that would require background checks for buying guns at gun shows (“closing the gun show loophole”), but advocates gathered enough signatures to bring the bill to a statewide vote in 2000 which passed into law with over 70% of the vote. This law has been proven to dramatically decrease the number of guns bought in Colorado. Following the shooting, security measures like security guards and metal detectors in schools increased drastically. Community response The Columbine shooting was not necessarily the first school shooting, but was largely responsible for making the public aware of the existence thereof. Following the shooting, awareness and guardedness surrounding school shootings have risen astronomically, shifting school environments significantly. Michael Moore’s critically acclaimed documentary Bowling for Columbine explored the shooting as a means to interrogate gun culture in America. Virginia Tech – Blacksburg, VA On April 16th, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho opened fire in several classrooms and other buildings on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University killing 33 and injuring 23. Legislative response Following the shooting, the federal government passed a bill considered the most significant gun control law in more than a decade that stopped gun sales to those considered criminals and mentally ill, as well as some other individuals. On the local level, Virginia put measures in place to better track those individuals prohibited from owning guns. Community response Many major news networks aired parts of a video manifesto sent by the shooter. These networks were largely criticized by the public as well as the American Psychiatric Association for exoticizing Cho’s mental illness. Broadly speaking, the event was a catalyst for larger conversations about mental health in America and police response to school shootings.
I have a platform, because of my dad, and I feel like it’s my responsibility to use it. – SOPHIE, THE BURIALS
INTRODUCTION In The Burials, Sophie comes to understand herself and her peers as pieces of a larger pattern–one of tragedy and inaction–surrounding mass shootings in America. She begins to use social media to respond to the violence her community experiences by speaking out against her father and in favor of stricter gun control. Starting with the shooting at Columbine High School in Columbine, CO in 1999, which is considered to be the first mass shooting of this nature, there have been over 56 documented mass shootings in the United States of America resulting in 472 deaths and 420 injuries. Here, we profile eight events and track the legislative and community response to these shootings in order to identify what trends and patterns exist following mass shootings in America. We explore how we can stick to our guns, our beliefs, and our values, and make our voices heard in the aftermath of these tragedies.
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Aurora Movie Theater – Aurora, CO On July 20th, 2012, James Eagan Holmes entered a movie theater during a midnight screening of The Dark Night Rises and released tear gas into the crowd. He proceeded to fire into the audience killing 20 and wounding 70. Legislative response There was no federal gun control legislation introduced following this shooting. However, in 2013, the Colorado State Legislature passed a series of bills preventing gun-buyers from skirting background checks by buying guns online or through private sellers as well as a ban on magazines with large capacities for ammunition. In response, the National Rifle Association and Rocky Mountain Gun Owners launched campaigns that forced the recall of two Democratic senators and the resignation of one, but failed to repeal the new gun laws. Community response Warner Bros, the distributor of The Dark Night Rises, responded to the shooting by offering condolences as well as cancelling premiere galas in Paris, Mexico, and Japan. Warner Bros also decided not to report box office numbers until July 23rd as a way to acknowledge the tragic nature of the situation. A few days after the shooting, a twitter account, @GunDeaths was created anonymously to document every gun death in America. The account continues to post casualties as they occur and has accrued over 15,000 followers.
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Sandy Hook Elementary – Newtown, CT On December 14th, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot his mother in their home and then proceeded to enter Sandy Hook Elementary School where he killed 26 students and teachers and then himself. Legislative response Given the particularly tragic nature of the death by firearm of twenty children and six educators, the legislative response to the Sandy Hook shooting was initially quite substantial. President Obama introduced sweeping gun control legislation, including measures for universal background checks on firearms purchases, an assault weapons ban, and limiting magazine capacity. However, these measures were struck down in the Senate in April of 2013. While federal response to the shooting in Newtown amounted to very little, the state governments of Connecticut, Maryland, and New York passed legislation cracking down on assault rifle ownership, magazine capacity, and background checks. Community response A “We the People” online petition “to immediately address the issue of gun control through the introduction of legislation in Congress” broke the record for most signatures on any petition created on whitehouse.org with almost 200,000 signatures in less than a week. Isla Vista – Isla Vista, CA On May 23rd, 2014, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger shot at several individuals in several locations near the University of California, Santa Barbara. Rodger’s stated motive was his desire to punish women for rejecting his romantic advances. Prior to the attacks Rodger had posted a video on YouTube outlining his plans and motives for the attack. Legislative response The California state legislature passed AB-1014, a law that enables individuals to ask a judge to seize the gun of a family member if that individual believes their family member is at risk of injuring themselves or others. Community response The attack sparked a larger conversation about the violent nature of misogyny in America. In response to many indictments of issues of masculinity and gendered violence, individuals on social media posted under the hashtag #NotAllMen contending that not all men were perpetrators of such violence. However, others (largely women) responded with the hashtag #YesAllWomen arguing that issues of violent misogyny are so pervasive that all women experience them, regardless of whether all men enact them.
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San Bernardino – San Bernardino, CA On December 2nd, 2015, married couple Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik opened fire on a San Bernardino County Department of Public Health training event and Christmas party where they killed 14 and injured 24. They were pursued by the police and later killed in a shoot-out. Legislative Response Following the attack, President Obama called for legislation that would prohibit individuals on the US “anti-terrorism” No Fly List from purchasing guns. However, this proposal was met with opposition from conservative legislators. The state of California is currently in the process of passing legislation that would crack down on the types of weapons most commonly used in mass shootings and require the collection of information of gun and ammunition owners. Community Response For the first time in 95 years, the New York Times published a front page editorial “End the Gun Epidemic in America” (calling for stricter gun control). The NYT Editorial Board wrote, “America’s elected leaders offer prayers for gun victims and then, callously and without fear of consequence, reject the most basic restrictions on weapons of mass killing.” The article garnered over seven thousand comments. After the shooting, the topic trended on twitter under the misspelled hashtag “#SanBernadino.”
Emanuel A.M.E. – Charleston, SC On June 17th, 2015, Dylann Roof participated in a bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and proceeded to open fire on congregants killing 9 and injuring 1. Roof owned and operated a website on which he espoused white supremacist ideology and posted white supremacist imagery including the confederate flag. Legislative Response Afterwards, the FBI determined that Roof was able to purchase a gun because of a loophole in the Federal background check system which allows gun-sellers to sell a gun to anyone if a background check is not completed within three days. In October of 2015, Democratic senators introduced a bill to prohibit the sale of firearms to anyone without a background check, no matter how long the background check takes to process. There has been no vote on this bill. Community Response The attack sparked a large debate surrounding the continued use of the confederate flag on public and state properties in the South. A MoveOn.org petition demanding the flag’s removal from the South Carolina statehouse accrued over 370,000 signatures by June 20 just three days after the tragedy. Activist Bree Newsome climbed the South Carolina capitol flagpole to take down the confederate flag after the state failed to do so. Newsome and her spotter were arrested following the action. Since the shooting and events following, there have been large movements to take down confederate flags and other symbols of confederacy throughout the United States.
Orlando Pulse Shooting – Orlando, FL On June 11th, 2016, gunman Omar Mateen entered Pulse, a LGBT nightclub in Orlando, FL and opened fire. He killed 50 patrons and injured 53 more. Legislative Response While this attack is quite recent, there have been a number of legislative impacts. Namely, Democrats in the House of Representatives staged a sit-in in support of a vote on a bill that would deny the sale of firearms to individuals on the No Fly List. However, the No Fly List has been largely critiqued for racial profiling and perpetuating Islamophobia. The House Democrats ended a sit-in to protest a lack of action on gun control from their republican colleagues after 24 hours, pledging to re-start conversations on the issue after the July 4th recess. Community Response In the wake of the shooting, hashtags such as #PrayForOrlando trended nationwide. Facebook offered a temporary profile picture filter commemorating the shooting. However, many individuals responded to actions by rejecting “thoughts and prayers” and demanding legislative change. The shooting and subsequent high demand for blood donations also drew significant outcry about the restrictions (a one year abstinence period) on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. Rumors circulated that the restrictions had been lifted but these rumors were eventually put to rest. Though the event is still quite recent, no change in blood donation policy has come about since the attack.
CONCLUSION These eight incidents are just a select few of the thousands of incidents of gun violence that have taken place in the United States since the shooting at Columbine High School. While the United States represents less than 5% of the global population, it has been home to 31% of global mass shooters since Columbine, and leads the world in gun ownership (with 89 firearms per 100 residents). In 2016, our government is locked in a fierce battle over the extent of the rights granted by the Second Amendment, and mass shootings have become a much more normal part of our culture. The preceding article was created for The Burials study guide. Steppenwolf for Young Adults creates an original study guide for each of its productions. Study guides are available for all teachers attending the production and publicaly accessible for free on our website at steppenwolf.org/education.
FEATURES 23
T H E S T E P P E N W O L F E N S E M B L E first began performing in the mid-1970s in the basement of a Highland Park church, the ambitious brainchild of three high school and college friends: Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney and Gary Sinise. Fast forward 41 years and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company has become the nation’s premier ensemble theater—redefining the landscape of acting and performance. The ensemble has grown to 46 members who represent a remarkable generation of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions from Balm in Gilead and The Grapes of Wrath to August: Osage County—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf’s artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theater, whose vitality is defined by its sharp appetite for groundbreaking, innovative work. That work is represented in production photos displayed throughout the theater.
Joan Allen
Kevin Anderson
Alana Arenas
Randall Arney
Kate Arrington
Ian Barford
Robert Breuler
Gary Cole
Kathryn Erbe
K. Todd Freeman
Frank Galati
Francis Guinan
Moira Harris
Jon Michael Hill
Tim Hopper
Tom Irwin
Ora Jones
Terry Kinney
Tina Landau
Martha Lavey
Tracy Letts
John Mahoney
John Malkovich
Sandra Marquez
Mariann Mayberry
Tarell Alvin McCraney
James Vincent Meredith
Laurie Metcalf
Amy Morton
Sally Murphy
Caroline Neff
Bruce Norris
Austin Pendleton
Jeff Perry
William Petersen
Yasen Peyankov
Martha Plimpton
Rondi Reed
Molly Regan
Anna D. Shapiro
Eric Simonson
Gary Sinise
Lois Smith
Rick Snyder
Jim True-Frost
Alan Wilder
The Steppenwolf Ensemble
STEPPENWOLF 25
Steppenwolf Staff Artistic
Jonathan Berry Aaron Carter Hallie Gordon Artistic Producers JC Clementz Casting Director Polly Hubbard Literary Manager Tam Dickson Casting Associate Francis Guinan Tracy Letts Amy Morton Yasen Peyankov Associate Artists
Steppenwolf For Young Adults Hallie Gordon Artistic Director Megan Shuchman Education Director Jared Bellot Education Coordinator Emilio G. Robles Curriculum and Instruction Manager Ali Hoefnagel Amanda Dunne Acevedo Ashley Roberson Cara Greene Epstein Greg Geffrard Jazmin Corona Larry Grimm Mara Stern Sindy Castro Thom Pasculli Tiffany Fulson Wilfredo Ramos, Jr. Teaching Artists
Administration
Rachel D. Freund Director of Operations and Management Courtney Anderson Events Management Director Scott Macoun IT Director Jackie Snuttjer Finance Director Jovito Alvarez Finance Manager Paul Miller Office Manager Brian Hurst Finance Coordinator Lupe Garcia Quiles Events Coordinator George Costas IT Associate Adrianna Durantt Executive Administrator Rebecca Adelsheim Interim PLP Assistant
26 THE BURIALS
Anna D. Shapiro Artistic Director
Development
Sandy Karuschak Director of Development Eric Evenskaas Associate Director of Development Kristy Conway Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Kendra Van Kempen Director of Special Events Suzanne Miller Annual Giving Director Lauren Fisher Donor Relations Manager Max Lando Corporate Relations Manager Jessica Gretch Individual Giving Coordinator Karyn Todd Development Coordinator Sarah Giovannetti Special Events Associate A.J. Roy Development Associate Chelsea Smith Campaign Assistant
Marketing, Communications & Audience Services
John Zinn Director of Marketing and Communications Donovan Foote Design Director Madeline Long Communications Director Erika Nelson Marketing Director Greta Honold Audience Engagement Creative Producer Joel Moorman Digital Content Producer Kevin Castillo Digital Marketing Manager Neel McNeill Marketing Manager Patrick Zakem Audience Engagement Coordinator Jacqueline Rosas Marketing Assistant David Masnato Graphic Designer Casey VanWormer Audience Services Director Jimmy Freund Social Media Director and Audience Services Supervisor Billie Rye Bryant Audience Services Manager
Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise Executive Artistic Board
Stephanie Heller Audience Services Subscription Manager Mike Brunlieb Geehoon Lim Audience Services Supervisors Molly Layton Group Sales Coordinator Roseann Bishop Membership Coordinator Benjamin Adams Craig Barnes Rebecca Butler Rebekah Camm Sarah Carter Juli Del Prete Elizabeth Gottman Kevin Greene Kenya Hall Annaliese McSweeney Charles Strater Audience Services Associates
Audience Outreach Joshua Cashman Audience Outreach Manager Benjamin Adams Adrian Azevedo Charles Frydenberg Rukmini Girish Marilyn Hillary Isaiah Polstein Michael Russell Maggie Shreve Kelly Wren Audience Outreach Associates
Operations
Cory Jeanes Facilities Director Peter Van Kempen Facilities Manager Adrian Castro Operations Coordinator David Albert Harold Jaffe Facilities Staff Victor David Padam Dhungel Tul Ghaley Madan Gurung Noor Alam Islam Ababe Mekonen Aminata Talawally Bhagirath Timsina Custodial Staff
Audience Experience
Evan Hatfield Director of Audience Experience Danielle Shindler Food & Beverage Director, Front Bar General Manager Donald Coulson Parking Manager
Rebecca Adelsheim Will Allan Aaron Aptaker Nick Burt Anna Donnell Ali Drumm Leanna Harney Allison Heinz Megan Kaminsky Allison Kupfer Sarah Mitchell Chrystle Morman Renato Sanchez Denise Serna Leah Siesfeld Anthony Silvestri Dan Smeriglio Annabel Steven Brittany Stock Shunna Tolliver Kelly Voke Lizzy Wigley Audience Experience Associates Cassandra Bowers Morgan Burkey Samuel Garrott Kate Hawbaker-Krohn Jared Hecht Dani Nicole James Teddy Kwasigroch Juwan Lockett Sarah Lovell Alyson Morrill Alyssa Ratkovich Rachel Reaves Savannah Reich Susenna Turner Lukas Vlasnik Taleshia Walker Toby Walters Paris Wilson Front Bar Staff Angel Aguilar Mustafa Chaudry Joe Giovannetti Gabriel Sanchez Parking Staff Jack Meyer and Lauren Louer, The Saints Volunteer Usher Coordination
Production
Tom Pearl Director of Production Brianna Parry Associate Production Manager Erin Cook Company Manager and Assistant to the Artistic Director Mike Donohue Technical Director Chad Hain Associate Technical Director Christopher Kristant Assistant Technical Director Kyle Land Ryan Luwe Russell Scott Lydia Strini Scenic Carpenters Jon Woelfer Draftsperson
David Schmitz Executive Director Zoe Shiffrin Scenic Charge Artist Jenny DiLuciano Properties Master Emily Guthrie Jay Tollefsen Assistant Properties Masters Charles Moser Master Properties Artisan Aimee Plant Properties Artisan Shannon Higgins Wardrobe, Hair and Make Up Supervisor AJ Littlefield Staff Wardrobe Caryn Weglarz Klein Costume Director Mae Haskins Assistant Costume Designer Laurel Clayson Head Draper Lynae Vandermeulen Work Room Supervisor and Draper Daisy Lindas Assistant Costume Director Staci Weigum Costume Shop Assistant J. R. Lederle Lighting Supervisor Ernesto Gomez Master Electrician Rick Haefele House Carpenter Dawn Przybylski Stage Carpenter Martha Wegener Audio Engineer Gregor Mortis Assistant Audio Engineer Matthew Chapman 1700 Tech Coordinator Karen Thompson Upstairs Light Board Operator Cassie Calderone Malcolm Ewen Christine D. Freeburg Laura D. Glenn Jonathan Nook Brian Maschka Stage Managers
Board of Trustees Executive Committee
Eric Lefkofsky, Chair Keating Crown, Vice Chair Deborah H. Quazzo, Secretary L. Heather Mitchell, Treasurer Henry S. Bienen Carole L. Brown Douglas R. Brown Elizabeth H. Connelly Nora Daley Rich Feitler Paul W. Goodrich Lynn Lockwood Murphy Kenneth J. Porrello Randall K. Rowe Bruce Sagan Stephanie B. Smith John R. Walter Helen Zell
Trustees
Sarah Beardsley Michael W. Bender Marlene Breslow-Blitstein Ebs Burnough Robin Tennant Colburn Beth Boosalis Davis Amy Eshleman Juliette Feld D. Cameron Findlay Lawrence M. Gill Matthew Gray Robert J. Greenebaum, Jr. John Hart Jon Michael Hill Dennis D. Howarter George A. Joseph Donna La Pietra Tina Landau Tracy Letts Mary Ludford Ronald J. Mallicoat, Jr. Holly Maloney Tarell Alvin McCraney David E. Mendelsohn Verett Mims Christopher M. Murphy Yasen Peyankov David C. Pisor Merle Reskin Robert Sanborn Manuel “Manny� Sanchez Anna D. Shapiro Matthew Shapiro Colette Cachey Smithburg Elliot A. Stultz
Emeritus Trustees J. Robert Barr Lawrence Block Michael Cahan John N. Fox, Jr. Gloria Scoby
Past Chairpersons William L. Atwell Larry D. Brady Douglas R. Brown Nora Daley Laurence Edwards John N. Fox, Jr. Elliott Lyon Gordon Murphy William H. Plummer Bruce Sagan Gloria Scoby Donna Vos
Professional Leadership Program Gabriel Alaniz Alexandra Belzley Lina Benich Samantha Corn Krystal Dawson Meghan Erxleben Zach Faber Maya Fazio-Siu Lucas Garcia Kara Grimm Storm Hooten Lauren Katz Joseph Lim Gianna Petrosino Samantha Price Compton Quashie Ligia Sandoval Colleen Schuldeis Fatima Sowe
STEPPENWOLF 27
WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS DURING THE 2016 /17 SEASON.
Benefactors $50,000 – $99,999
Sustainers $5,000 – $9,999
Allstate Insurance Company
Anonymous
Alphawood Foundation
Baxter International Inc.
Paul M. Angell Foundation
Michael Bender and Sheridan Prior
Ann and Richard Carr J.P.Morgan Polk Bros. Foundation Steppenwolf Associates* United Airlines
Producers $25,000 – $49,999 American Express Archer Daniels Midland Company BMO Harris Bank The Crown Family‡ Lynn Lockwood Murphy and Barrett B. Murphy‡ Zell Family Foundation
Patrons $10,000 – $24,999 Capri Capital Partners, LLC CME Group Foundation Citadel LLC Mr. and Mrs. A. Steven Crown The Field Foundation of Illinois Mary and Paul Finnegan Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Marlene Breslow-Blitstein and Berle Blistein Michael and Cathy Brennan Mary Dempsey, Philip H. Corboy Foundation Nora Daley and Sean Conroy Bob and Amy Greenebaum Jon Michael Hill Adam and Denise Hoeflich Illinois Tool Works Foundation John Hart and Carol Prins Mr. Marvin J. Leavitt and Ms. Susan Karkomi Anne and Don Phillips Deborah and Stephen Quazzo Lynn Hauser and Neil Ross Anna D. Shapiro and Ian Barford Siragusa Foundation Stephanie B. Smith and Gerald Smith Toni Sandor Smith John and Carol Walter Family Foundation
Liz and Eric Lefkofsky
Tom and Blaine Wells
Cynthia Luse-McKeen and Douglas McKeen
Nina B. Winston
The Negaunee Foundation Robert and Louise Sanborn Dr. Scholl Foundation Matthew Shapiro
‡ Multi Year Pledge * The Steppenwolf Associates is a community of more than 100 dynamic young professionals who work each season to raise funds for Steppenwolf for Young Adults.
STEPPENWOLF 29
PHOTOG RAPH E R M ICHAE L LITCH FI E LD
Accessibility at Steppenwolf
GROUPS
Committed to providing services and programming that enhance the experience of guests with disabilities, Steppenwolf is proud to feature: • Assistive listening devices in our Downstairs, Upstairs and 1700 theaters. • Audio-described performances, artistic conversations and touch tours of the stage for patrons who are blind or have low vision. • Sign language-interpreted and open-captioned performances for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Induction hearing loops in the 1700 and Downstairs Theatre
THIS COULD BE YOUR GROUP!
If you use a hearing aid or cochlear implant that has a T-Coil, feel free to turn it on for the performance! The 1700 Theatre and both levels fo the Downstairs Theatre are equipped with induction loops, installed with the help and expertise of Assistive Hearing Systems Ltd. Individual portable neck loops are available in our Upstairs Theatre—just ask any member of the house staff if you’d like to use one. Steppenwolf’s induction loop was made possible in part by a generous gift from John Hart and Carol Prins. Would you like to utilize or learn more about these services? Audience Services 312-335-1650 | TTY 312-335-3830 | E-mail access@steppenwolf.org
Steppenwolf Customer Service Tips Driving to the theater? Rather than arriving to discover that our garage has reached capacity (which can happen during busy performances), please enter the Steppenwolf Parking Hotline (312-335-1774) into your cell phone and call us when you’re a few minutes away from the theater—we’ll tell you if there’s still space available in our facility, or suggest the most convenient alternative. Spending your intermission in line at the bar? Enjoy the entire break by ordering and paying for your intermission refreshments before the show. When you exit the theater at the end of the first act, your drinks will be waiting for you. Need restaurant information or the score of the ballgame? Please visit our book shop and information desk at the south end of the main floor lobby. Hailing a cab after the play? This is typically an easy affair—Halsted is a busy street and sees a fair amount of taxi traffic. If you’d like assistance hailing a cab or calling a company, though, just ask a member of the house staff; we’re happy to help.
Lost or Found? On-site? Please check in with a member of the house staff. Already left? Call the Front of House office at 312-932-2445. Want to provide feedback? Your input is always valuable to us. Have an opinion about the play or artistic content? Stick around for the post-show discussion featured after every performance, fill out the survey inserted in this program or join the conversation at facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre. Have a comment about your overall experience at the theater ? Please ask us for a customer service form to fill out, or e-mail us at customerservice@steppenwolf.org. Need to contact a patron during a performance? If you need to contact a patron during a performance in our Downstairs or Upstairs Theaters, please call our Concierge Desk at 312-932-2476. Hours: one hour prior to curtain until 15 minutes after curtain call.
Groups of 10 or more get discounted ticket prices and other great perks.
MAKE A NIGHT OF IT
Organize a reception at one of our neighborhood restaurants to complement your evening.
BIG SAVINGS
As a group, you’ll get discounted tickets plus no service charges or fees.
Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the House Manager. The theater reserves the right to limit admission of children younger than the age of six. The taking of photographs and the use of any type of recording device is not allowed in the theater during performances and is a violation of state and federal copyright laws. Digital media will be deleted, and tape or film will be confiscated. Photo/Video Disclaimer: During your visit, you or members of your family may be filmed, videotaped, and/ or photographed by a Steppenwolf employee, contract photographer or the media. Your attendance at Steppenwolf events serves as permission for the use of your image, or the image of your family members, by Steppenwolf.
BRINGING A GROUP TO STEPPENWOLF HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER!
Content Disclaimer: Steppenwolf does not offer advisories about subject matter, as sensitivities vary from person to person. If you have any questions about content, ageappropriateness or stage effects (such as strobe lights or theatrical fog) that might have a bearing on patron comfort, please contact the box office at 312-335-1650.
FLEXIBILITY
Don’t have an exact group count? Final numbers aren’t due until your final payment.
EXTRA PERKS & CONVERSATION STARTERS
Ask about a behind-the-scenes tour, our post show discussions or pre show materials to help prep your group.
TWO WAYS TO PURCHASE
NEW ADULT GROUP TICKETS
Standard Bookings – One Group Leader, One Payment Pick the date you are interested in and the number of people in your group. You or your organization pays Steppenwolf directly. NEW Group Codes – Let your group pay for their own tickets Tired of “wrangling cats”? Don’t want to be responsible for collecting everyone’s money? We can help— Group Codes are the solution. Pick a date and we’ll set up a personalized code for your group to use on our website or through our box office. It’s that simple. Whether your group is a book club, family reunion, college class, work party, ladies roller derby team or lion tamers convention , we’re here to help you create a memorable night out.
Learn more at steppenwolf.org/groups or 312-932-2422.
2016/17 season
for YOUNG ADULTS
Based on the novel by Walter Dean Myers Adapted by Aaron Carter Directed by Hallie Gordon February 15 – March 9, 2017 in the Downstairs Theatre WORLD PREMIERE This New York Times bestselling novel and National Book Award nominee tells the story of Steve Harmon, a 16-year-old boy in juvenile detention and an aspiring film-maker. His life has been turned upside down by his alleged participation in a robbery gone awry and now he might spend the rest of his life behind bars. As the prosecution makes its case, Steve writes his story as a screenplay, trying to understand if he’s really the monster they say he is.
For more information steppenwolf.org/syaseason | 312-335-1650