The Crucible
CONTENTS 6
WELCOME TO THE CRUCIBLE Letter from SYA Artistic Director Hallie Gordon
10 BIOS 16 THE WORLD OF THE CRUCIBLE: A CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR JONATHAN BERRY By Education Manager Jared Bellot 20 COLD, HARD, WICKED FACTS: 10 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE CRUCIBLE By Steppenwolf Education Intern Hanna Samawi 22 WHAT MAKES A WITCH HUNT? MAPPING THE HISTORY OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS By Steppenwolf Education Intern Hanna Samawi
STEPPENWOLF SOCIAL facebook.com/SteppenwolfTheatre
EDITOR Jacqueline Rosas
CONTRIBUTORS Jared Bellot Hallie Gordon Joel Moorman Brianna Parry A.J. Roy Hanna Samawi Megan Shuchman
DESIGN David Masnato
COVER Illustration by David Masnato
TO ADVERTISE Contact: Bryan Dowling 773-275-1247 bryan@media8midwest.‌com smARTmagazines/ smARTsponsorships
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 for Young Adults productions in hopes of inspiring a new generation of theatre enthusiasts and practitioners.
youtube.com/user/steppenwolftheatre instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr twitter.com/SteppenwolfThtr steppenwolf.org 2 The Crucible
Applications are available on March 1, 2018. Like the Steppenwolf Young Adult Council on Facebook and Instagram! Or visit steppenwolf.org/youngadultcouncil for more information.
Anna D. Shapiro† Artistic Director
STEPPENWOLF SALUTES THE SPONSORS FOR OUR PRODUCTION OF THE CRUCIBLE LEADING CORPORATE SEASON PRODUCTION SPONSOR OF STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS
David Schmitz Executive Director
Hallie Gordon Artistic Director of SYA
STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS PRESENTS
The Crucible By Arthur Miller Directed by Jonathan Berry
CORPORATE SEASON SPONSOR OF STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS
FEATURING MAJOR FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS IS PROVIDED BY
Echaka Agba, Larry Baldacci, Taylor Blim, Erik Hellman*, Millie Hurley, Naïma Hebrail Kidjo, Travis A. Knight*, Peter Moore, Avi Roque, Stephanie Shum, Michael Patrick Thornton*, Kristina Valada-Viars* and Philip Winston
PRODUCTION LEAD INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS OF STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS Ann and Richard Carr Lynn Lockwood Murphy and Barrett B. Murphy Robert and Louise Sanborn
INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION SPONSOR Joan Hall
Arnel Sancianco Scenic Design Izumi Inaba Costume Design Lee Fiskness+ Lighting Design Kevin O’Donnell Sound Design and Original Music Christina Gorman Fight Choreographer Anna D. Shapiro† Artistic Producer Brianna Parry Production Manager JC Clementz Casting Director Michelle Medvin* Stage Manager Kathleen Barrett Assistant Stage Manager
Steppenwolf’s young professionals board, the Steppenwolf Associates, dedicates its support to Steppenwolf Education. Steppenwolf Education is a citywide partner of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) School Partner Program.
4 The Crucible
The Crucible is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. 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.
steppenwolf 5
WELCOME TO THE CRUCIBLE The themes of The Crucible are arguably always timely: the perils of mob rule, the excesses governments are prone to when their power is unchecked and the potency of conformity as a social force. However, since the beginning of my tenure as Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults in 2001, never has the play felt more necessary than now. As a nation, we are having a crisis of conscience comparable to the zealous McCarthyism Arthur Miller was writing in response to-the forces of intolerance are emboldened, the nationalist clamor of xenophobia has grown deafening, significant and hard-won social progress is under threat. This extraordinary moment in this extraordinary nation is exactly the one that demands we reexamine the questions posed by this play, that we reassess and reassert our resolve to advance the cause of progress and brotherhood, of inclusiveness and courage. One of my favorite aspects of my job as Artistic Director for Steppenwolf for Young Adults is to bring literature to life for students who might otherwise be inclined to walk away from it. I was struck, in a personal way, by the aptness of this play last year when my 15-year-old son told me he was reading The Crucible in his English class, and that he hated it. “It’s so boring” he declared flatly. “What?” I replied. “How can you say that? It’s got charges of witchcraft! It’s got panic and public execution! How can it be boring?” He and I went on to discuss the difference between a play on the page and a play on the stage: the lively and fiery way a text comes to life when spoken by committed actors in a fast-paced production. That, I hope you’ll agree, is what you’ll be seeing here today. Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953 in response to the crazed and harrowing antiCommunist campaign spearheaded by Senator Eugene McCarthy with its show trials, its denunciations and its blacklisting of anyone who dared question his authority. Miller wanted to draw attention to the dangerous climate McCarthy created and the ways in which it went against the very founding principles of this country but he knew that if he set his play in the present time and place, he could alienate his audience or that for some, it might hit too close to home. So, he utilized the cunning strategy of allegory: by setting his story in the time of the Salem witch trials of the 1690s, he was able to tease out these themes and to examine our collective capacity for witch hunts. Using Miller’s allegory as our material, this season, we are examining the question, “How does a lie become the truth?” As citizens, how do we keep sight of the difference between fact and fiction in order to not forget there are real consequences, for real people that can arise from misleading information, for hopping on the bandwagon, for failing as citizens to make considered evaluations of claims and counterclaims?
THE
REMBRANDT
As parents and educators, how do we teach our kids to cultivate an independence of mind and to remain critical and sane in the face of an ever-escalating deluge of hysteria and misdirection? How, in other words, can we retain our capacity to recognize the truth in this age of false truth? I would submit that having them read The Crucible, or better yet, have them see it, is a good start. Hallie Gordon Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults 6 The Crucible
By Jessica
Dickey
Directed by Hallie
Gordon
Featuring ensemble members Francis Guinan (9/7 – 10/22) and John Mahoney with Joe Dempsey (10/24 – 11/5) Ty Olwin, Karen Rodriguez and Gabriel Ruiz September 7 – November 5, 2017 Tickets start at just $20 | steppenwolf.org | 312-335-1650 | Major Production Sponsor
2017/18 Grand Benefactors
2017/18 Benefactors
CAST AND CONTRIBUTORS
THE CRUCIBLE IN REHEARSAL
CAST (in alphabetical order)
SETTING
Echaka Agba Tituba, Judge Hathorne Larry Baldacci Giles Corey, Sarah Good Taylor Blim Mary Warren Erik Hellman* Reverend Hale Millie Hurley Francis Nurse, Rebecca Nurse Naïma Hebrail Kidjo Abigail Williams Travis A. Knight* John Proctor Peter Moore Reverend Parris Avi Roque Ezekiel Cheever, Mercy Lewis Stephanie Shum Ann Putnam, Susanna Walcott, Martha Corey Michael Patrick Thornton* Deputy Danforth Kristina Valada-Viars* Elizabeth Proctor, Betty Parris Philip Winston Thomas Putnam, John Willard
Salem, Massachussetts in the Spring of year 1692
UNDERSTUDIES (in alphabetical order) Sheldon Brown John Proctor Nate Faust Reverand Hale, Reverend Parris Tom Hickey Giles Corey, Sarah Good, Deputy Danforth Christina Gorman Elizabeth Proctor, Betty Parris, Ann Putnam, Susanna Walcott, Martha Corey Sophia Macias Abigail Williams Kiayla Ryann Ezekiel Cheever, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren Rashida Curtis Tituba, Judge Hathorne, Thomas Putnam, John Willard Judi Schindler Francis Nurse, Rebecca Nurse † member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble. * member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.
8 The Crucible
Photography by Joel Moorman
This play will be presented with one fifteen minute intermission. There will be a post-show discussion immediately following the performance.
ADDITIONAL STAFF Lauren Katz Assistant Director Aaron Stephenson Sound Board Operator
Cast members Stephanie Shum, Avi Roque, Naïma Hebrail Kidjo and Taylor Blim
Cast member Travis A. Knight
Lacie Hexom Additional Properties Jacob Brown, Sarah Lewis, Kevin Lynch, Shannon Perry, Zachary Schmitt and Mark Vinson Additional Carpentry Vanessa Gomez and Jaclynn Joslin Run Crew Jacqueline Saldana Stage Management Apprentice Rebekah Camm, Gregory Geffrard, Lavina Jadhwani, Derek Matson, Neel McNeill, Derek McPhatter and Leean Torske Audience Engagement Associates
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. As a courtesy to the actors and your fellow patrons, please turn off your cell phones before the performance and after intermission. 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.
Cast member Echaka Agba
Cast members Erik Hellman, Michael Patrick Thornton and Peter Moore
Director Jonathan Berry and the Cast of The Crucible
Visit steppenwolf.org for videos, production images and more rehearsal images. steppenwolf 9
THE CRUCIBLE BIOS Echaka Agba (Tituba, Judge Hathorne) is thrilled to be back at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Chicago credits include Between Riverside and Crazy (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); At the Table (Broken Nose Theatre); SHORT SHAKES! Romeo & Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); United Flight 232, A Comedical Tragedy for Mister Punch (The House Theatre of Chicago); Don’t Go Gentle (Haven Theatre); and Balm in Gilead (Griffin Theatre). She is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. Larry Baldacci (Giles Corey, Sarah Good) is thrilled to return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he last understudied Three Sisters and Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ production of A Separate Peace. Other Chicago credits include The Farnsworth Invention, The Front Page (TimeLine Theatre); The Seagull (Artistic Home); Both Your Houses (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company); The Pangs of the Messiah (Silk Road Rising); West Side Story, Oklahoma (Paramount Theatre); Ragtime and Winterset (Griffin Theatre), among others. “Many thanks to JB. As always, this is for Ray.” Taylor Blim (Mary Warren) is thrilled to be back at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Chicago credits include Mary Page Marlowe (u/s, Steppenwolf); Love’s Labor’s Lost (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Sucker Punch (Victory Gardens Theater); Grizzly Mama (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); A Christmas Carol (Drury Lane Theatre); Assassins, Gruesome Playground Injuries, 10 Bios
Anna Bella Eema and Video Galaxy (The Theatre School at DePaul University). Television and film credits include Chicago Med, Forever, The Disposal, The Year That Changed Us and They Wake Up. “Love and inexhaustible thanks to her parents and brothers for being her rock.” Erik Hellman (Reverend Hale) returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he was last seen in Honest as well as Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ The Elephant Man and Huck Finn. Recent Chicago credits include Harvey, One Man, Two Guvnors (Court Theatre); Miss Bennet (Northlight Theatre); Luna Gale (Goodman Theatre); and Marjorie Prime ( Writers’ Theatre). Outside of Chicago, Erik has appeared at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Indianapolis Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Houston’s Stages Repertory and Off-Broadway at The Mirror Repertory. Film and television work includes The Dark Knight, The Chicago Code, Boss, Betrayal, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and the upcoming feature Walden. Millie Hurley (Francis Nurse, Rebecca Nurse) is thrilled to be working at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Chicago credits include Visiting, Chewing on Beckett (Artemisia Theatre); Wit (The Hypocrites); Good for Otto (The Gift Theatre); Dividing the Estate, Trip to Bountiful, Dancing at Lughnasa (Raven Theatre); Superior Donuts (Mary-Arrchie Theatre); Dead Accounts (Step Up Productions); Lettice and Lovage and A Delicate Balance (Redtwist Theatre). Television credits include Chicago PD. Millie
Peter Moore (Reverend Parris) is thrilled to be making his Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut. Peter is Artistic Director and a founding member of Steep Theatre Naïma Hebrail Kidjo Company. His credits include Earthquakes (Abigail Williams) is elated to in London, Wastwater, The Few, Brilliant be working with Steppenwolf Adventures, If There is I Haven’t Found It Yet, Theatre Company for the Motortown, Love and Money, Pornography, first time! Chicago credits Festen, A Brief History of Helen of Troy, include A Wrinkle in Time (Lifeline Theatre); Harper Regan (Steep Theatre); Rutherford’s Travels (Pegasus Theatre); and The Downpour (Route 66). Television You On The Moors Now (understudy, and film credits include Chicago Justice, The Hypocrites); Milkwhite (The Kinematics); Chicago Fire, Convergence and and The Whole World is Watching (Dog and Dhoom 3. Peter is a graduate of The School Pony Theatre Company). Television credits at Steppenwolf and Bowdoin College include Chicago Med. Naïma received a and is represented by Paonessa Talent. BA from Yale University and is a graduate Avi Roque (Ezekiel Cheever, of the School at Steppenwolf. She is Mercy Lewis) is delighted to represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. be working at Steppenwolf Travis A. Knight Theatre Company. Chicago (John Proctor) is happy to credits include Men On Boats be making his Steppenwolf (American Theater Company), a reading Theatre Company debut. of Saint Joan with the Chicago Inclusion Chicago credits include Project (Writers Theatre); and Romeo & Ah, Wilderness!, A Christmas Carol, The Sign Juliet (Teatro Vista). Film credits include in Sidney Burstein’s Window, Measure for Landline and The Box Spring. Avi received Measure, Camino Real (Goodman Theatre); their BA from California State University, and Camelot (Drury Lane Theatre). Fullerton. “Much love and thanks to my Regional credits include The Tempest, family and friends for their continuous The Glass Menagerie, Two Gentlemen of support and encouragement.” Verona, Troilus and Cressida and Richard Stephanie Shum III (American Players Theatre); Hoodoo (Ann Putnum, Susanna Love, A Streetcar Named Desire (Uprooted Walcott, Martha Corey) Theatre); Vanya and Sonia and Masha and makes her Steppenwolf Spike (Forward Theatre); and The Persians Theatre Company debut. (Renaissance Theaterworks). Television and Past credits include Men on Boats film credits include Chicago Fire, Chicago (American Theater Company); Merge, Kin PD, Mind Games and Henry Gamble’s Folk, reWILDing Genius, Kate and Sam Birthday Party. Are Not Breaking Up (The New Colony); Mother of Smoke (Walkabout Theater/Red has worked with numerous theaters over the years and is a company member of Erasing the Distance Theatre. “Love and thanks to Chuck, whose support makes everything possible.”
Bios 11
…cont’d Bios
Tape Theatre); The Realization of Emily Linder (Redtwist Theatre); Circle-Machine (Oracle Theatre); and understudying at Victory Gardens Theater and Silk Road Rising. She is an ensemble member with The New Colony and Red Tape Theatre, a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf and is represented by Actors Talent Group. stephanieshum.com
(New Group) and served as an understudy for the Broadway cast of August: Osage County. Film and television credits include Law and Order: CI, Shameless, Black Box and Molly’s Girl (Iris Prize Best Actress in a Feature). Kristina served as Assistant Director on The Matchmaker (Goodman Theatre) and Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England (Theater Wit) and directed the world premiere of Scapegoat with The New Colony in Spring 2017. She is a recipient of a 2017 Princess Grace Theatre Fellowship (Gant Gaither Theater Award) with Steppenwolf.
Michael Patrick Thornton (Deputy Danforth) is the co-founder and artistic director of The Gift Theatre. Michael is thrilled to return to the program that first introduced Philip Winston (Thomas Michael to the arts when he was in high Putnam, John Willard) school. Theatre credits include The Good is thrilled to be working Thief (Joseph Jefferson Award), Richard at Steppenwolf Theatre III, Suicide, Incorporated, Othello (The Gift Company. He was an Theatre); Title and Deed (Lookingglass ensemble member of the now disbanded Theatre Company); Colossal (Olney Signal Ensemble Theatre where his credits Theatre); Our Town (Actors Theatre of include The Ballad of the Sad Café, The Louisville); Middletown, and The Elephant Birthday Party and 1776 (Joseph Jefferson Man (Steppenwolf Theatre). Film and Award nomination). Other Chicago credits television appearances include The Exorcist, include As You Like It (First Folio Theatre); Elementary, Private Practice; The View From You Can’t Take It With You (Northlight Tall and The Dilemma. Theatre); Romeo and Juliet (Teatro Vista); The Realm (The Other Theatre Company); Kristina Valada-Viars and Dancing at Lughnasa (Irish Theatre (Elizabeth Proctor, Betty of Chicago). Philip holds his MFA in acting Parris) was last seen here in from The Shakespeare Theatre’s ACA at Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ George Washington University and is a The Burials. Other credits graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. include Time Stands Still ( Steppenwolf Theatre, Jeff Nomination-Supporting Actress); The Source (Route 66 Theatre); The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence, Completeness (Theater Wit); The Diary of Anne Frank (Writers Theatre); The Great God Pan (Next Theatre); and Pony (About Face Theatre). New York credits include Monstrosity (13P); Love Drunk (Abingdon); The Music Teacher 12 Bios
Arthur Miller (Playwright) was born in New York City and studied at the University of Michigan. His plays include The Man Who Had All the Luck (1944), All My Sons (1947), Death of a Salesman (1949), The Crucible (1953), A View from the Bridge, A Memory of Two Mondays (1955), After the Fall (1964), Incident at Vichy (1964), The Price (1968), The Creation of the World and Other
Business (1972), The Archbishop’s Ceiling (1977), The American Clock and Playing for Time (1980). Later plays include The Ride Down Mt. Morgan (1991), The Last Yankee (1993), Broken Glass (1994), Mr. Peters’ Connections (1998), Resurrection Blues (2002) and Finishing the Picture (2004 world premiere at Goodman Theatre). Among other honors, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1949 for Death of a Salesman. Jonathan Berry (Director) is an Artistic Producer at Steppenwolf and a director and teacher in Chicago. Steppenwolf productions include Constellations, Gary and A Separate Peace. Jon is a Steep Theatre ensemble member where productions include Earthquakes in London, Posh, If There Is I Haven’t Found it Yet, The Knowledge, Festen, Moment and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. He’s also an ensemble member at Griffin Theatre where productions include Winterset, Pocatello, Balm in Gilead, Golden Boy, Spring Awakening, Punk Rock, Port and On the Shore of the Wide World. Jon has served as the Assistant Director for Anna D Shapiro’s Broadway productions of Of Mice and Men and This Is Our Youth. Other theatre credits include Dirty, Suicide, Incorporated, Othello (Gift Theatre); The Solid Sand Below, The World of Extreme Happiness for New Stages (Goodman Theatre); Kill Floor (American Theatre Company); Little Shop of Horrors, Sideman( American Blues Theater); I am Going to Change the World (Chicago Dramatists); and The Casuals (Jackalope Theatre Company). He pursued his MFA in directing from Northwestern University. He has taught at University
of Michigan, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Columbia College and The School at Steppenwolf. Arnel Sancianco (Scenic Design) makes his Steppenwolf for Young Adults debut with this production of The Crucible. He moved to Chicago to attend Northwestern University where he received his MFA. Since then he’s designed shows in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Milwaukee and numerous productions in Chicago. Chicago credits include The Wiz, Little Fish, (Kokandy Productions); Pilgrims (The Gift Theatre); Hookman, Earthquakes in London (Steep Theatre); Peerless (First Floor Theatre); How We Got On (Haven Theatre); You on The Moors Now (The Hypocrites); Carousel, Titanic, Rock of Ages (Timberlake Playhouse); and Xanadu (American Theatre Company). Izumi Inaba (Costume Design) returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company where she previously designed George Orwell’s Animal Farm and Constellations. Her recent credits include King Of The Yees (Goodman Theatre in association with Center Theatre Group); The Who And The What (Milwaukee Repertory Theater); James And The Giant Peach (Drury Lane Theatre); Harvey (Court Theatre); A Wonder In My Soul (Victory Gardens Theater); and Faceless (Northlight Theatre). She is a recipient of Michael Maggio and Non-Equity Jeff Awards. Izumi received her MFA in Stage Design from Northwestern University. Lee Fiskness (Lighting Design) is a Chicago-based designer whose credits include The Fundamentals (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Chicago, Hazel, White Christmas, Billy Elliot, Camelot (Jeff Nomination), Young Frankenstein (Drury Lane Theatre); Spring Awakening Bios 13
…cont’d Bios
(The Marriott Theatre); Yellow Moon (Writers Theatre); A Wonder in My Soul, Sucker Punch (Jeff Nomination), Gospel of Loving Kindness, L-Vis, (Victory Gardens Theater); A Year With Frog and Toad, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Frederick (Chicago Children’s Theatre); End Days (Next Theatre; Jeff Nomination); Souvenirs (Northlight Theatre); Peter Pan (Lookinglass Theatre Company); The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (People’s Light); Forever Plaid, Ring of Fire, Song Man Dance Man, Liberace (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre); Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living In Paris (Two River Theatre). Lee received his MFA from Northwestern University. He is the Lighting Director at Santa Fe Opera. Kevin O’Donnell (Sound Design and Original Music) is pleased to be back at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where previous credits include The Wheel (Jeff Nomination), Sex with Strangers, Art and Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ productions Samuel J&K, The House on Mango Street and The Elephant Man. His work in Chicago has earned 20 Jeff Nominations (10 Awards) and 2 After Dark Awards. Chicago credits include Court Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Northlight Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and The House Theatre of Chicago (company member). He’s worked regionally at The Seattle Rep, Olney Theatre Center, A.R.T., Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Arsht Center; New Orleans: Le Petite Theatre (Big Easy Award nomination), Southern Repertory Theatre and New Orleans Shakespeare Festival. New York credits include Signature Theatre, St. Anne’s Warehouse, Cherry Lane and 59E59. As a musician he has recorded and/or 14 Bios
performed with Andrew Bird, Nickel Creek, Jimbo Mathus, Kelly Hogan and many others. Christina Gorman (Fight Choreography) is an actor and fight choreographer originally from the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York. She is thrilled to be working with Steppenwolf Theatre Company again after fight choreographing Visiting Edna. Other fight credits include The Nether (A Red Orchid); Lela & Co, Wastwater, Posh, Brilliant Adventures, The Cheats (Steep Theatre); The Commons of Pensacola (Northlight Theatre); Ragtime (Griffin Theatre); The Orchestra (Akvavit Theatre); Miles Away (The Side Project); In the Heat of the Night, The Rose Tattoo, Mill Fire, Our Country’s Good, Happy Now and The Whaleship Essex for Shattered Globe Theatre, where she is an ensemble member. Special thanks to Mahm and F.B. for their support. Michelle Medvin (Stage Manager) is thrilled to return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Favorites over fourteen seasons with the company include the 2007 version of The Crucible, Tribes, Clybourne Park, August: Osage County, The Pillowman, Purple Heart (also at Ireland’s Galway Arts Festival), Art and many others. She has also worked with Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Hartford Stage, Dallas Theater Center and Portland Center Stage. Michelle currently serves as Production Manager and Adjunct Faculty at Governors State University. She is proud to be a member of Actors’ Equity, a graduate of Smith College, Mary’s wife and Elliott & Lena’s mama. Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager) is happy to return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company where her credits
include Pass Over, The Fundamentals, Constellations, John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, The Herd, and Airline Highway. Other recent credits include A Doll’s House, Part 2, Flora & Ulysses, Office Hour (South Coast Repertory Theatre); Cinderella at the Theater of Potatoes (The Hypocrites); Hand to God (Victory Gardens Theater); Far from Heaven (Porchlight Music Theatre); and Gotta Dance (Broadway in Chicago). She also stage manages for South Coast Repertory’s youth conservatory program. Kat holds a BA from Kalamazoo College in Michigan.
(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). OffBroadway 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.
Hallie Gordon (Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults) is currently an artistic producer, where she most recently directed The Rembrandt and Hir by Taylor Mac. Other Steppenwolf directing credits include the world premiere of Monster by Walter Dean Myers, George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, the world premiere of The Book Thief, To Kill a Mockingbird and the world premiere of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. Hallie has also directed for Northlight Theatre and is an ensemble member for Rivendell Theatre where she directed the critically acclaimed Dry Land and Eat Your Heart Out.
David Schmitz (Executive Director) has worked at Steppenwolf Theatre Company for 11 years, serving in the roles of Director of Finance and Administration, General Manager 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.
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 Theater, Labyrinth Theater). Other directing credits at Steppenwolf include Visiting Edna, Mary Page Marlowe, Three Sisters, A Parallelogram, Up, The Crucible, The Unmentionables (also at Yale Repertory Theatre), The Pain and the Itch
Bios 15
The World of The Crucible: A Conversation with Director Jonathan Berry Conducted by Education Manager Jared Bellot
Education Manager Jared Bellot sat down with Jonathan Berry, director of The Crucible, to discuss his vision for the show, what makes this production of a beloved classic different than the productions that have come before it and how the world of Salem will be realized on the Steppenwolf stage.
Jared: What about re-reading the play now made it feel more relevant than it had when you read the story back in high school?
Jared Bellot: Jon, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me about the upcoming production of The Crucible that you are directing for Steppenwolf for Young Adults. I’m curious, what initially drew you to this story?
“The more time I spend with this play, the more clear it becomes that it is a piece that is as complex as our national conversation right now.”
Jonathan Berry: The Crucible is a play that has been on my directing wish list for a while, but it’s also a play that is done frequently, so I figured I probably wouldn’t be able to direct it for some time. When Hallie Gordon, [the Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults] brought it to me and asked if it was something I might be interested in, I felt like this remarkable gift had been dropped in my lap. I immediately sat down and re-read it to re-familiarize myself with the play and was amazed at what I discovered–I think that The Crucible is one of those pieces that everyone thinks that they know, but there is so much more to it.
Jared: What do you hope that this production offers to conversations that are happening in our communities today?
Jared: What was it like to reread the play? Jonathan: It was thrilling to sit down with Arthur Miller’s words again. He wrote an incredibly good play, which seems so sort of silly to say, but the fact is, when I first read it in high school, it was very difficult to get through. I think there is an immediate sort of distancing that happens for high school students because of when and where this play takes place and how the characters talk. Re-reading this play, I was able to see a really tense, important, driving story about a lie that grew and took over this town like a fever and the people who stood up against it. There wasn’t any dust on this story. The distance that I had felt twenty years ago in high school wasn’t there anymore.
“I think that The Crucible is one of those pieces that everyone thinks that they know, but there is so much more to it. Re-reading the play… there wasn’t any dust on this story.”
16 Features
Jonathan: I think The Crucible is frequently reduced to: “John Proctor is a good man, and he’s standing up for truth. He begins the play as a hero and he ends the play as a hero.” The more time I spend with this play, the more clear it becomes that it is a piece that is as complex as our national conversation right now. The Crucible feels like a necessary story for the time that we’re living in right now.
Jonathan: The thing that Arthur Miller did, which I am really leaning into, was reach backwards in order to speak to his present moment. I think that’s what any good dramatist does, open up the opportunity for growth in perspective and compassion in response. During McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials, he saw people in power using differences in ideologies to further their own personal gains. Miller used this play as a forum to reflect on that part of society. We see those same ideologies being used to divide us today, whether it be political ideology, or race, or gender. My hope is that by reaching back, we’re actually able to see our present moment a little bit more clearly. By reaching backwards and by examining something that is a little further away, I hope maybe we can get a little bit closer to some shared and common ground in our current moment. In Miller’s initial stage directions, he asks that the stage be dressed with plain black curtains with as little furniture to be used as possible. He is not interested in creating a world where the thing that you are looking at is an exact recreation of that time period. In creating a blank playing space, Miller actually opens up the possibility of a gateway between then and now, allowing us a chance to reflect on the conversations that are happening in our communities today, in 2017.
“My hope is that by reaching back, we’re actually able to see our present moment a little bit more clearly. By reaching backwards and by examining something that is a little further away, I hope maybe we can get a little bit closer to some shared and common ground in our current moment.”
Features 17
Jared: Except that our theater won’t be completely empty, it will be filled by members of the cast portraying this story. Anything that we should keep an eye out for in terms of the casting of this production? Jonathan: The script asks for twenty-three actors, which is a monumental number, so we’ve actually limited the cast size. I saw this as an opportunity to start a conversation about casting the same actor in multiple roles in a way that creates significance for the audience. For instance, the actor playing the role of Tituba will also be playing the role of Judge Hathorne, two people of really, really different positions of power, almost opposite ends of the power spectrum. When we’re having a conversation about power and how it’s wielded, who has it and how you control it, I’m hoping that this doubling will ask us from a really modern perspective what it means to have a black woman playing Tituba and that same black woman playing Judge Hathorne and how we experience that differently. I’m hoping this doubling is going to build a little bit of resonance about what it means when an actor is in one role and what it means when that same person is in another role and how they behave differently. Jared: I’m curious to hear your take on the character of Abigail–you’ve spoken about how the driving force of the action in the play is her attempt to gain agency for herself. Can you speak more to this idea? Jonathan: Abigail is a person who has lost both her parents, which means she’s not supported in any kind of way. She does not own any land nor has she inherited a great fortune, which means, that in Salem in the 1690s, no one is interested in marrying her. For a person who has no other prospects, no agency, and no voice in the community, to tell this lie and suddenly find herself in a position of power where she is suddenly now lifted up—for me it’s no wonder that she grabs ahold of that. I think for Abigail, the lie that she tells grows into something that is real for her. I think that she comes to believe the lie that she tells, because to disbelieve it starts to discount her position and take her back to that place where she doesn’t have any agency and where she doesn’t a say or voice in this community. Set Design by Arnel Sanciano
Jared: Could you talk a little about the design of The Crucible and what we’ll see when we walk in? What does the world of the play look like? Jonathan: Our set designer has done a really remarkable job. He’s designed what we’re calling ‘The Tongue’–a long, thin platform in the middle of the stage where all of the action will take place. Because The Tongue is sort of floating out there in the middle of the stage, it feels isolated in the way that Salem did at the turn of the century. Up above the stage, there are some rafters that both contain the stage-trapping everyone onstage, and pressurizing the space–building the tension and emphasizing the friction in the story. So much of this play relates back to the idea of a rumor that catches fire and explodes so quickly that there is no room to breathe until suddenly, that lie has become what is accepted as a truth. All of our design is trying to create that feeling of that breathless space isolated from everything within the vast empty container of the Downstairs Theatre at Steppenwolf.
“For a person who has no other prospects, no agency, and no voice in the community, to tell this lie and suddenly find herself in a position of power where she is suddenly now lifted up—for me it’s no wonder that she grabs ahold of that.”
18 Features
I’m really trying to invest in what’s driving Abigail’s behavior, because I think its important to always ask ourselves ‘How did this thing happen? What are the circumstances that got us here?’ I hope that audience members will ask themselves this question and perhaps recognize themselves in Abigail and then ask the question: ‘Would I do what Abigail does?’ Jared: This fall, thousands of students from across the Chicagoland area will be seeing this production. What do you hope that they will take away from it? Jonathan: How do we open up our ideas in a way that lets us see and or hear other people and other perspectives? The Crucible asks us to really question where our ideas are coming from and interrogate what we accept as the truth. To ask where are we holding onto things because we’re afraid of the unknown. I think we cling to ideas sometimes because we are afraid to experience the possibility of change—and whether that’s a fear of being wrong or fear of being an outcast or fear of being someone in society who is shunned for what they’re holding onto. There are all different kinds of reasons that fuel our tight, tight grasp on what we believe. Certainly in the McCarthy era, there was an incredibly hard line that was drawn, which was: if you believe this thing, then you are the enemy. And I think any time you make that kind of absolute statement that draws a hard line and makes basically monsters out of people, I think any time there’s not some opportunity to interrogate ideas or approach with compassion, I think we’re in dangerous territory. Jared: Jon, thanks again for sitting down with me–I can’t wait for the production!
Features 19
Cold, Hard, Wicked Facts:
10 Things You May Not Know About The Crucible By Education Intern Hanna Samawi
Maybe you’ve read The Crucible. Maybe you’ve seen it on stage or on screen. Maybe you’ve never even heard of it! Arthur Miller, the playwright, is known for his famous works such as All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, and of course, The Crucible. He lived his adult life during a politically turbulent time, which influenced the themes and content included in his plays. The Crucible is arguably one of Miller’s most controversial plays because of the way in which he challenged the US government with his writing at a time when dissenting artists were literally being put on trial. Keep reading to learn something new about the play, the playwright, and the events that provided the foundation for The Crucible.
WHAT’S IN A NAME? A crucible can refer to a severe test or trial or a metal container used for heating and purifying substances. Both definitions make a fitting title for Miller’s play; the court of Salem tried and punished a myriad of people for witchcraft in order to purify the nature of their town. A FAILING SUCCESS When The Crucible first premiered on the Broadway stage, critics were unforgiving. A New York Times review offered a particularly harsh analysis of the play: “It may be that Mr. Miller has tried to pack too much inside his drama, and that he has permitted himself to be concerned more with the technique of the witch hunt than with its humanity.” However, despite receiving less than favorable reviews, The Crucible went on to win the Tony Award for Best Play that year and has since been a highly acclaimed play. A NOT SO FOREIGN LANGUAGE The unique language in The Crucible mimics the language written in the King James Bible. Miller familiarized himself with the 1611 version of this Bible in order to accurately portray the speech rhythms and patterns used at the time. AUTHOR TO AUTHOR Arthur Miller always had the intention of commenting on communism and McCarthyism, but the inspiration for using the Salem Witch Trials as an allegory came from a book: “…it was not until I read a book published in 1867 – a two-volume, thousand-page study by Charles W. Upham, who was then the mayor of Salem – that I knew I had to write about the period.” MATTER OVER MIND If Betty and Abigail weren’t possessed by the devil, what caused their unusual behavior? Linnda Caporael, a doctor of psychology, came up with a theory in 1976 that the chaos leading up to the Salem Witch Trials was caused by ergotism, a type of food poisoning caused by infected grains that can cause symptoms eerily similar to the ones Betty, Abigail, and the other girls experienced. Studies published afterward discarded the idea of ergotism, and what actually afflicted these girls remains a mystery.
20 Features
ARTISTIC LIBERTIES In The Crucible, John Proctor is described as a farmer in his middle thirties and Abigail Williams as a 17-year-old girl. At the time of the Salem Witch Trials, however, John Proctor was actually 60 years of age while Abigail was only 11-years-old! Arthur Miller altered their ages on purpose. Why? Well, he took artistic liberty with their relationship. The affair between John and Abigail never actually existed, but Miller incorporated it in order to heighten the drama and focus the story of the play. THE MILLER FAMILY TREE The 1996 movie based on The Crucible featured Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor. Did you know that Lewis is Arthur Miller’s son-in-law? While on set for The Crucible, Lewis was introduced to Rebecca Miller, the playwright’s daughter. Later that year, they tied the knot! INACCURACY & CONTROVERSY In the movie adaptation of The Crucible, John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey recite The Lord’s Prayer just before they are hung. This scene was added for dramatic effect, but the inspiration for it came from the trials. Reverend George Burroughs, accused and executed for witchcraft, was heard praying just before he was hung. This confused and troubled the citizens of Salem; it was commonly believed that a witch could not speak in prayer. A CONDUCTOR’S BROOM The Crucible has been produced on Broadway three times (most recently in 2016), but did you also know it is an opera? In 1961, The Crucible, written by Robert Ward, premiered at the New York City Opera. It received a Pulitzer Prize for Music as well as a citation from the New York Music Critics Circle. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH In 1956, Arthur Miller was called before The House Un-American Activities Committee in regard to his leftist political leanings. When asked to give the names of other pro-Communists, he said to the court: “I could not use the name of another person and bring trouble on him.” As a result, Miller was found guilty of contempt of Congress, disallowed a US passport and blacklisted by Hollywood. Fortunately for him, his plays were still performed on the Broadway stage.
BONUS FACT A STAR STUDDED ROMANCE Did you know that Arthur Miller was married to Marilyn Monroe? While they never had kids, they were married for five years from 1956 to 1961.
Features 21
What Makes a Witch Hunt? Mapping the History of the Salem Witch Trials By Education Intern Hanna Samawi Welcome to Salem, MA... three centuries ago. The Salem Witch Trials began in 1692 and lasted just over a year, but were the product of a frenzy that was a long time in the making. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a dramatization of these historical events, but a lot of what he wrote is based in historical fact. Salem may be remembered as a relic of the past, but check out the article below as we map out the history of Salem, MA 325 years ago.
Witchcraft was declared a crime punishable by the British government in 1641. English Protestants, also known as Puritans, were certain that the devil was a spirit capable of pervading the bodies and souls of the innocent. Any association with the devil could send you to the court. The law of the time stated: “if any man or woman be a witch – that is, hath or consulteth with a familiar spirit – they shall be put to death.” In 1647, Alse Young, a 47-year-old woman living in Connecticut, became the first individual to be hanged for witchcraft. Over the next 45 years, over 60 individuals were tried for witchcraft, 20 of whom were executed. In Salem in 1692, cousins Elizabeth Parris (9 years-old) and Abigail Williams (11 years-old) were recorded as exhibiting abnormal behavior. “They screamed, threw things, uttered peculiar sounds, and contorted themselves into strange positions.” Reverend Parris, Elizabeth’s father, requested that a local doctor pay a visit to understand what was ailing these young girls. Unfortunately, even this medical professional couldn’t conjure up a conclusive diagnosis. He declared that they were not suffering from a physical illness, rather, a spiritual one: the devil had entered their souls. 11 year-old Ann Putnam soon began experiencing similar symptoms, as did many other young girls. Suspicion arose, and the girls were interrogated. The girls blamed three women for their supposed dealings with the devil: Tituba, Reverend Parris’ slave from Barbados, Sarah Good, a beggar woman and Sarah Osborne, a poor elderly woman. In March of 1692, Tituba became the first of the accused women to confess to witchcraft. She described for the court vivid dreams and hallucinations of the devil. She claimed to have been visited by the devil himself, which the court deemed as valid evidence. She also confessed that she and the other witches were plotting to destroy the Puritans. The three women were sent to jail.
22 Features
After the first incarceration, accusations became more frequent and flagrant. The court needed little to no proof to indict; a simple proclamation was enough. Throughout the year, approximately 200 people were tried and 20 executed based on these false accusations: Bridget Bishop, Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, Sarah Wildes, George Burroughs, George Jacobs, Martha Carrier, John Proctor, John Willard, Giles Corey, Martha Corey, Mary Eastey, Mary Parker, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmot Redd, Margaret Scott and Samuel Wardwell, Sr.
The executions halted in September of 1692, but the accusations continued for a few more months. There was no definite end to the Salem Witch Trials. In 1693, testimonies based on dreams or hallucinations became invalid. Because of this, none of the accusers had reliable evidence to disclose to the court, and the chaos dwindled soon after. Some say the governor demanded an end to the trials after his wife was accused. Ultimately, the witch hunt ceased.
In 1702, the trials were deemed illegal. Four years after, Ann Putnam, who stood firmly in her accusations against the innocent, publicly apologized. “I desire to lie in the dust, and earnestly beg forgiveness of God, and from all those unto whom I have given just cause of sorrow and offence, whose relations were taken away or accused.”
It was not until 1711 that the names of those executed were cleared. Their families were given financial compensation, 600 pounds to be exact, which today would amount to about $120,000.
In 2001, five of the accused and executed women (Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Wilmot Redd, and Margaret Scott) were exonerated by the state of Massachusetts. A group of their descendants fought to make this happen. Shari Kelley Worrell, the eighth great-granddaughter of Susannah Martin, told the New York Times, “I want to make sure that people know she was not a witch. History will now record her as being what she really was.”
The history of the Salem Witch Trials has been examined and reexamined, for it holds a unique place in our nation’s history. A single false accusation triggered a domino effect that led to the death of 20 innocent individuals and the persecution of many more. As proven with Salem, a witch hunt doesn’t need start with a mob; it only takes one lie. In background: Map of Salem, MA (1692) The articles in this program were created for The Crucible study guide. Steppenwolf Education creates an original study guide for each of its Steppenwolf for Young Adults productions. Study guides are available for all teachers attending the production and accessible for all for free on our website at www.steppenwolf.org/education.
Features 23
The Steppenwolf Ensemble 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 42 years and Steppenwolf Theatre Company has become the nation’s premier ensemble theater—redefining the landscape of acting and performance. The ensemble has grown to 49 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.
THE STEPPENWOLF ENSEMBLE
JOAN ALLEN
KEVIN ANDERSON
ALANA ARENAS
RANDALL ARNEY
KATE ARRINGTON
IAN BARFORD
ROBERT BREULER
GARY COLE
GLENN DAVIS
KATHRYN ERBE
AUDREY FRANCIS
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
NAMIR SMALLWOOD
LOIS SMITH
RICK SNYDER
JIM TRUE-FROST
ALAN WILDER
AD
STEPPENWOLF STAFF
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Anna D. Shapiro Artistic Director
Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise Executive Artistic Board
David Schmitz Executive Director
Artistic
Gabriel Alaniz Events Management Associate Nic Andrews IT Associate
Joel Moorman Digital Content Producer Kevin Castillo Digital Marketing Manager Development Neel McNeill Marketing and Sandy Karuschak Memberships Director of Manager Development Jacqueline Rosas Eric Evenskaas Marketing Associate Director Coordinator of Development Patrick Zakem LookOut Producer/ Courtney Anderson Audience Engagement Director of Special Coordinator Events David Masnato Kristy Conway Graphic Designer Director of Corporate Leean Kim Torske and Foundation PR Assistant Relations Casey VanWormer Leslie Mastroianni Audience Services Campaign Director Director Billie Rye Bryant Suzanne Miller Audience Services Annual Giving Manager Director Stephanie Heller Jessica Gretch Audience Services Individual Giving Subscription Manager Manager Jimmy Freund Max Lando Audience Services Training Manager Institutional Giving Manager Mike Brunlieb Geehoon Lim Karyn Oates Audience Services Donor Engagement Supervisors Manager Molly Layton Sarah Giovannetti Group Sales Special Events Coordinator Coordinator Roseann Bishop Membership A.J. Roy Coordinator Development Benjamin Adams Coordinator Craig Barnes Chelsea Smith Itzel Blancas Campaign Rebecca Butler Coordinator Rebekah Camm Sarah Carter Samantha Price Juli Del Prete Development Allison Diamond Associate Rachel DuBose Kenya Hall Marketing, Michael Russell Communications & Charles Strater Audience Services Audience Services Associates John Zinn Director of Marketing and Communications Audience Outreach Donovan Foote Design Director Joshua Cashman Audience Outreach Madeline Long Manager Communications Director Spencer Blair Audience Outreach Erika Nelson Supervisor Marketing Director Benjamin Adams Greta Honold Charles Frydenberg LookOut Producer/ Audience Engagement Rukmini Girish Marilyn Hillary Producer Brian Lee
Isaiah Polstein Michael Russell Audience Outreach Associates
Jonathan Berry Aaron Carter Hallie Gordon Artistic Producers JC Clementz Casting Director Polly Hubbard Literary Manager Francis Guinan Tracy Letts Amy Morton Yasen Peyankov Associate Artists
Education
Hallie Gordon Artistic Director Megan Shuchman Director of Education Jared Bellot Education Manager Fatima Sowe Education Projects Assistant John Rooney PLP Assistant Peter Andersen Kari Betton Christina El Gamal Charles Andrew Gardner Cara Greene Epstein Greg Geffrard Jazmin Corona Larry Grimm Mara Stern Tiffany Fulson Wilfredo Ramos, Jr. Fatima Sowe Teaching Artists
Administration
Karena Fiorenza General Manager Lupe Garcia Quiles Events Management Director Jackie Snuttjer Finance Director Jovito Alvarez Finance Manager Paul Miller Office Manager LaDonna Lane Human Resources Generalist Brian Hurst Finance Coordinator
26 The Crucible
Cassandra Bowers Morgan Burkey Ben Burmeister Tori Davidson Jake Drummond Operations Quinn Hegarty Jared Hecht Cory Jeanes Director of Operations Dani Nicole James Juwan Lockett Peter Van Kempen Patty Malaney Facilities Manager Alyson Morrill Mike Mroch Meaghan Morris Facilities Project Ashley Schilling Coordinator Lukas Vlasnik Raquel Villalobos Adrian Castro Taleshia Walker Operations Front Bar Staff Coordinator Angel Aguilar Harold Jaffe Mustafa Chaudry Facilities Staff Sam Morales Irukia Ahmed Ali Gabriel Sanchez Victor David Parking Associates Padam Dhungel Jack Meyer and Tul Ghaley Lauren Louer, The Madan Gurung Saints Noor Alam Islam Volunteer Usher Ababe Mekonen Coordination Shamshuddin Mohamed Shofi Production Aminata Talawally Tom Pearl Bhagirath Timsina Director of Production Custodial Staff Brianna Parry Audience Associate Production Manager Experience Erin Cook Evan Hatfield Company Manager Director of Audience and Assistant to the Experience Artistic Director Danielle Shindler Mike Donohue Food & Beverage Technical Director Director, Front Bar General Manager Chad Hain Associate Technical Denise Yvette Serna Director Front of House Erin Freeman Manager Scene Shop Donald Coulson Supervisor Parking Manager Kyle Land Aaron Aptaker Audience Experience Ryan Luwe Russell Scott Coordinator Lydia Strini Nick Burt Scenic Carpenters Jennifer Castillo Jon Woelfer David Clauson Draftsperson Lynn Cosby Bryce Gangel Zoe Shiffrin Maureen Davies Scenic Charge Artist Allison Heinz Jenny DiLuciano Curtis Jackson Properties Master Megan Kaminsky Allison Kupfer Emily Feder Leah Meacham Jay Tollefsen Greg Mehl Assistant Properties Chrystle Morman Masters Elizabeth Myrick Charles Moser Renato Sanchez Master Properties Allison Shackelford Anthony Silvestri Artisan Jessica Smith Aimee Plant Shunna Tolliver Properties Artisan Kelly Voke Shannon Higgins Elizabeth Wigley Audience Experience Wardrobe, Hair and Make Up Supervisor Associates 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 Light Board Operator Cassie Calderone Malcolm Ewen Christine D. Freeburg Laura D. Glenn Brian Maschka Stage Managers
Professional Leadership Program Elyse Balogh Katelynn Barker Madi Bivins Alex Dillon Evan Duckworth Shelby Edwards Estrellita Edwell Rachel Hogen Jane Kittendorf Persephone Lawrence Am’Ber Montgomery Rio Ragazzone Jacqueline Saldana Alexi Siegel Kiefer Szumlas Regina Victor Cody Von Ruden Ellen Wiese
Agency of Record Grip
Executive Committee Eric Lefkofsky, Chair Keating Crown, Vice Chair Deborah H. Quazzo, Secretary L. Heather Mitchell, Treasurer Henry S. Bienen Douglas R. Brown Elizabeth H. Connelly Nora Daley Rich Feitler Paul W. Goodrich Lynn Lockwood Murphy Bruce Sagan Matthew Shapiro Stephanie B. Smith John R. Walter Helen Zell Trustees Sarah Beardsley Michael W. Bender Amy Bluhm Meredith Bluhm-Wolf Marlene Breslow-Blitstein Carole L. Brown Ebs Burnough Beth Boosalis Davis Amy Eshleman Juliette Feld D. Cameron Findlay Matthew Gray Robert J. Greenebaum, Jr. Caryn Harris John H. Hart Dennis D. Howarter George A. Joseph Mary Ludford Ronald J. Mallicoat, Jr. Holly Maloney Tarell Alvin McCraney David E. Mendelsohn Verett Mims Christopher M. Murphy Katherine Nardin Yasen Peyankov Cari B. Sacks Robert Sanborn Manuel “Manny” Sanchez Anna D. Shapiro Colette Cachey Smithburg Elliot A. Stultz Bryan Traubert
Emeritus Trustees J. Robert Barr Lawrence Block Michael Cahan John N. Fox, Jr. Lawrence M. Gill Donna La Pietra Kenneth J. Porrello Merle Reskin Randall K. Rowe 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
steppenwolf 27
WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS DURING THE 2017/18 SEASON.
Grand Benefactors $100,000+
Patrons $10,000 – $24,999
Allstate Insurance Company
Robert and Isabelle Bass Foundation, Inc.
City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
Helen Brach Foundation
The Crown Family‡
Citadel LLC
United Airlines
Douglas R. Brown Nora Daley and Sean Conroy Amy Eshleman and Lori Lightfoot
Benefactors $50,000 – $99,999 Alphawood Foundation Ann and Richard Carr Lynn Lockwood Murphy and Barrett B. Murphy‡ Paul M. Angell Foundation Polk Bros. Foundation Robert and Louise Sanborn Steppenwolf Associates*
Producers $25,000 – $49,999 Archer Daniels Midland Company BMO Harris Bank The Field Foundation of Illinois J.P. Morgan Lloyd A. Fry Foundation Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation
ComEd Mary and Paul Finnegan Joan Hall Lefkofsky Family Foundation‡ Tracy Letts Dr. Scholl Foundation Siragusa Family Foundation Zell Family Foundation‡
Sustainers $5,000 – $9,999 Sarah Beardsley and Dr. Christopher Randolph Michael and Cathy Brennan Citi Private Bank Caroline and Keating Crown Illinois Tool Works Foundation John Hart and Carol Prins David and Susan Kalt Brad and Kim Keywell Verett Mims The Orlebeke Foundation Anne and Don Phillips PwC Deborah and Stephen Quazzo Becky and Ilan Shalit Louis & Nellie Sieg Fund Stephanie B. Smith and Gerald Smith Nina B. Winston
‡ 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 PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL LITCHFIELD
Accessibility at Steppenwolf 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
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 of the Downstairs Theatre are equipped with induction loops. 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 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.
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
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.
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.
Content Disclaimer: Steppenwolf does not offer advisories about subject matter, as sensitivities vary from person to person. If you have any questions about content, age-appropriateness 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.
AD
A WARM, CREATIVE SPACE TO GRAB A DRINK, HAVE A BITE, OR MEET UP WITH FRIENDS AND COLLABORATORS, DAY OR NIGHT.
1700 N HALSTED ST | ALL DRINKS, NO DRAMA.
Join us 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 discussion 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 JUST $10
ADMISSION IS FREE!
Purchase tickets at the door 30 minutes before the show, or in advance by calling Steppenwolf Audience Services at 312-335-1650. Use code 35026
To reserve your spot, please RSVP to Education Manager Jared Bellot at jbellot@steppenwolf.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
THE SCENE: THE CRUCIBLE
WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY, WEDNESDAY,
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 AT 3PM (post-show)
THE SCENE: THE BURN SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24 AT 7:30PM (post-show)
NOVEMBER 1 DECEMBER 6 JANUARY 31 APRIL 11 MAY 2
All events last from 4:30-6:00pm
Questions? Please contact Steppenwolf’s Education Manager Jared Bellot at 312-654-5643 or jbellot@steppenwolf.org.