2015/16 SEASON
CONTENTS
6 Welcome to The Compass
Letter from Steppenwolf for Young Adults Artistic Director Hallie Gordon
10
“The best play of the year” –New York Magazine
Bios
16 Quiz: What Type of Decision Maker Are You?
By Education Assistant Jared Bellot
18 Interview with Michael Rohd By Education Director Megan Shuchman
20 Feature on interviewees who helped shape The Compass
By Education Director Megan Shuchman
Winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
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
DONOVAN FOOTE
Cast Member
AN NA B R E N N E R
S H I LLA S HAKOOR I
AR IANA B U R KS
Three underpaid movie house employees argue about classic cinema while attempting true connection in this funny, moving and mesmerizing piece of theater.
HALLI E GOR DON
Photographer
EVAN HATFI E LD
M ICH E LLE NOLAN
JANETTE MARTINEZ
By Annie Baker Directed by Dexter Bullard
JOE L MOOR MAN
February 4 – May 8, 2016
MEGAN SHUCHMAN
Tickets start at just $20 | steppenwolf.org | 312-335-1650 Corporate Production Sponsors
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
Leading Corporate Season Production Sponsor of Steppenwolf for Young Adults
DAVID SCHMITZ Managing Director
ANNA D. SHAPIRO† Artistic Director
HALLIE GORDON Artistic Director of SYA
Compass 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
Devised and Directed by Michael Rohd F E AT U R I N G
Corporate Sponsor of Steppenwolf’s Career Readiness Program
Major Foundation Support for Steppenwolf for Young Adults is Provided by
LI N D S EY BAR LAG THOR NTON, B RYAN BOSQU E, CH E RYL LYN N B R UCE*, AR IANA B U R KS, JAS M I N CAR D E NAS, MELISSA DUPREY, CRUZ GONZALEZ-CADEL, TIM HOPPER†*, KRYSTE L MCN E I L, JOH NATHAN N I EVE S, AB BY PAJAKOWS KI, S EAN PAR R I S, E M I LIO G. ROB LE S, ALEJAN D RO TEY PRODUCTION COU RTN EY O’N E I LL + Scenic Design SU LLY RATKE Costume Design J.R. LE D E R LE Lighting Design
Lead Individual Supporters of Steppenwolf for Young Adults Robert and Louise Sanborn Ann and Richard Carr Capri Capitol Advisors LLP and L. Heather Mitchell Lynn Lockwood Murphy and Barrett B. Murphy
R ICK S I M S Sound Design and Original Music EVA B R E N E MAN Dialect Coach JOS E PH A. B U R KE Projection Design DAVI D MAS NATO Content Creator HALLI E GOR DON Artistic Producer J E SSAMYN FU LLE R Casting
The Steppenwolf Associates, a community of dynamic young professionals, dedicate their support to Steppenwolf for Young Adults. Steppenwolf for Young Adults is a citywide partner of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) School Partner Program.
CASS I E CALD E RON E* Stage Manager
The Compass was commissioned and first presented by Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago; Martha Lavey, Artistic Director, David Hawkanson, Executive Director.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for nonprofit professional theater. Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a participant in the Audience (R)Evolution Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and administered by the Theatre Communications group, the national organization for the professional not-forprofit American theatre.
† 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.
CONTENTS 5
RED. = 6 TICKETS FOR $100
W ELCOME TO
THE COMPASS My 14-year-old son faced a really huge decision—a decision with lasting implications. He had to sift through lots of information but ultimately trust his best hunch—his gut feelings— to find the answer. My son had to decide which Chicago public high school to attend. My husband and I both agreed that the decision, ultimately, was his to make. He, after all, would be the one spending nearly every day of his life there for the next four years. We wanted him to enjoy all the benefits of attending a great school, and for him to want to be there. We gave him some guidance, but not much—we didn’t dictate the terms, we restricted ourselves to asking him questions about what he hoped to get out of school, and gave him factors to consider in making his decision. So the decision really was his. The struggle of making decisions is an ongoing source of fascination to me. It can be hard at any age to make a decision. Choice can be galvanizing and invigorating. It can also be disastrous and paralyzing. And then there is the aftermath of our big decisions: having made one, how can we avoid being overcome by regret and questions? My father used to tell me that having kids and watching them make decisions (so often the wrong ones) is like having a crystal ball that sees the future but no one will listen to you. You have to remain a bystander—sometimes biting your tongue so hard you draw blood and let others, even when they are beloved to you, make awful decisions. Because that’s how people learn. My father provided this analogy before the internet, before social networks, which both amplify and accelerate all our choices. You can crowdsource everything now. You can find your
THAT’S LESS THAN $17 TO SEE ANY PLAY AT ANY TIME. THE ONLY CATCH...YOU HAVE TO BE 29 YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER.
tribe online, or you can get ganged up on for an opinion you post; you can find wise counsel, or you can get crushed under the weight of the rantings of marginal cranks. And it can all happen so quickly. The number and import of the decisions we face over the course of our lives has not diminished – but the proliferation of input and second guessing we get is nearly infinite now. Three years ago Michael Rohd came to me and said, “let’s create a performance piece that puts decision making and technology at its center.” How do both those things play a part in a young person’s life? Since then we met with psychologists who work with young people and analyze how they make decisions. We met with people who look at the brain and the way it’s wired to make decisions. We met with people who work at Google and Facebook and companies that create and fund new apps. We met teachers, trauma counselors, firms that market directly to youth, and sat down with hundreds of young people to talk about how they make decisions. You the audience are the final piece in this project. We are going to ask you to make decisions throughout the course of the piece you’ll see today. How are you going to decide? What will influence you? We are asking you to actively examine how you make decisions—in real time with us, right now. Your answers, your thoughts and your decisions will change the outcome of what you are about to see.
Hallie Gordon Artistic Director, Steppenwolf for Young Adults
GET RED.
GO SEE MIND-BLOWING THEATER ON YOUR OWN TERMS. steppenwolf.org/red | 312-335-1650 |
6 WELCOME
#SteppenwolfRED
CAST AND CONTRIBUTORS C A S T (in alphabetical order)
SETTING
LI N D S EY BAR LAG THOR NTON Facilitator
Unnamed American city, a few years from now
B RYAN BOSQU E Facilitator
A D D I T I O N A L S TA F F
CH E RYL LYN N B R UCE* Prosecutor, School Counselor
SON NY DAS Assistant Director
AR IANA B U R KS Marjan
D IANA RAI S E LI S Assistant Director and Script Supervisor
CR UZ GON ZALE Z-CAD E L Compass Designer (Ada), Facilitator
R I S H E R R E D D ICK Assistant Director
JAS M I N CAR D E NAS Facilitator
CH R I STOPH E R R HOTON Associate Scenic Designer
M E LI SSA D U PR EY Facilitator
CATH E R I N E YOU NG Assistant Costume Designer
TI M HOPPE R†* Entrepreneur, Mr. Ferguson
PE N NY LAN E STU D IOS Haircuts and Styling
KRYSTE L MCN E I L Facilitator
H I LARY S H I E LD S Wardrobe Crew
JOH NATHAN N I EVE S Chaz
AN D R EW LEX Additional Properties
S EAN PAR R I S Defense Attorney, Principal, Facilitator
AMAN DA CLAYTON Run Crew
AB BY PAJAKOWS KI Facilitator
ALI SON MCLEOD Stage Management Apprentice
E M I LIO G. ROB LE S Facilitator ALEJAN D RO TEY Facilitator U N DE R STU DI ES AS IA MARTI N Marjan JAZ M I N CORONA Prosecutor, Compass Designer (Ada) JOH NAR D WAS H I NGTON Defense Attorney, Entrepreneur, Mr. Ferguson TEVION D. LAN I E R Chaz N E LSON ROD R IG U E Z Facilitator LE EAN KI M TOR S KE Facilitator There will be a post-show discussion immediately following the performance.
8 CAST AND CONTRIBUTORS
SPECIAL THAN KS Project Compass Navigators, Miguel Aguilar, Alana Arenas, Sam Bailey, Charlie Belknap, Ian Belknap, Oscar Blanco, Nicole Bonk, Lucy Carapetyan, Joey De Bettencourt, Kevin Douglas, Jen Ellison, Paul Fagen, Raymond Fox, Julie Ganey, Emjoy Gavino, Sam Glassenberg, Kristen Huffman-Gottschling, Mike Kelly, Mildred Marie Langford, Sandra Marquez, Roberta Miles, Dr. Deborah Spitz, Joel Sugerman and James Taylor We also want to thank all the actors, stage managers, teens and visitors who participated in the workshops and readings as part of the development process for this play. Thank you for lending your talents to this special project. As a courtesy to the actors and your fellow patrons, please turn off your cell phones before the performance and after the 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. * member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. † member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble.
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. TICKETS ARE $10 (CAN ONLY BE USED DURING THE TEEN EVENT SERIES) All performances take place at 1650 N Halsted St Must present student ID at door Purchase tickets at the door 30 minutes before the show, or in advance by calling Steppenwolf Audience Services at 312-335-1650. Use code 20753. Questions? Please contact Steppenwolf for Young Adults Education Assistant Jared Bellot at 312-654-5643 or jbellot@steppenwolf.org.
UPCOMING EVENTS THE COMPASS
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 AT 7:30PM (POST-SHOW)
THE COMPASS BIOS LI N DSEY BAR LAG T H O R N TO N (Facilitator) is thrilled to be working with Steppenwolf for Young Adults on The Compass. Her recent collaborative and devised performance projects have been shown at Archer Ballroom, The Copernicus Center, Defibrillator Gallery, Links Hall, Hyde Park Art Center, Mana Contemporary, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sullivan Galleries, Tritriangle Gallery and Whitebox Studio Gallery, as well as in abandoned storefronts and on the streets of Chicago. She holds an M.F.A. in Performance from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Lindsey currently teaches at ChiArts and is a Teaching Artist for the Museum of Contemporary Art. Cast member Ariana Burks
10 BIOS
B R YA N B O S Q U E (Facilitator) is elated to contribute to The Compass, his first production with Steppenwolf for Young Adults. Chicago credits include Washer/Dryer (Rasaka Theatre Company); The Grown-Up (Shattered Globe Theatre); Harry and the Thief (Pavement Group); and The Deer, Barbecue Apocalypse and Matawan (The Ruckus). Bryan works as a teaching artist with Barrel of Monkeys. “Tremendous thanks to Michael and Megan for this project and to Erica at Lily’s Talent.” C H E R Y L LY N N BRUCE (Prosecutor, Counselor) returns to the Steppenwolf Theatre Company stage where she was last seen in Head of Passes as well as in Intimate Apparel, Everyman, Nomathemba and The Grapes of Wrath. Chicago credits include The Gospel of Lovingkindness, Eurydice, Snow Queen (Victory Gardens Theater); The Convert, Trojan Women, Cry, the Beloved Country (Goodman Theatre); RACE, The Great Fire (Lookingglass Theatre Company); and Flyin’ West (Court Theatre). Regional credits include The Convert (McCarter Theatre Center, Kirk Douglas Theatre); The Grapes of Wrath (La Jolla Playhouse, National Theatre); Harriet Jacobs, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Kansas City Rep); The Story (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre); and From the Mississippi Delta (Northlight Theatre, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage, The Old Globe, Circle in the Square). Film credits include The Fugitive, Music Box and Daughters of the Dust. Television credits include Separate But Equal, There Are No Children Here and To Sir With Love, Part 2.
Director Michael Rohd and cast
AR IANA B U R KS (Marjan) is thrilled to make her Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut. Recent theatre credits include Hairspray (Paramount Theatre); Wonderland: Alice’s Rock And Roll Adventure (Chicago Children’s Theatre); The Black & White Ball (FWD Theatre Projects); Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Broadway Playhouse); A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre); and Hairspray (Drury Lane Theatre). Film credits include Chicago Fire (NBC), The Jr. Cuisine Cooking Show (PBS) and PrankStars (Disney). Ariana is currently a young ensemble member at Lookingglass Theatre Company. CRUZ GONZALEZCADE L (Ada, Facilitator) is honored to be making her Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut with The Compass. Chicago credits include The Grown Up (Shattered Globe Theatre); The Life and Death of Madam Barker (Red Tape Theatre); i put the fear of mexico in ‘em (Teatro Vista); Your Problem With Men (Teatro Luna); The Clean House (Something Marvelous); and Corazon de
Manzana (Mortar Theatre Company). Cruz received her degree in acting from the Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, Argentina and graduated from the IO Theatre program. She is an artistic associate at Teatro Vista and part of Something Marvelous, a Chicago festival celebrating Magical Realism. JASM I N CAR DE NAS (Facilitator) is thrilled to be making her Steppenwolf debut. Chicago credits include ¿Niña Buena?...a solo show (Links Hall) written and performed by Jasmin; Electricidad, Esperanza Rising (Goodman Theatre); Devil Land, Beauty of the Father (UrbanTheater Company) where she is a proud ensemble member; Forgotten Future, Guinea Pig Solo (Collaboraction); The Blue House (Adventure Stage Chicago); True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Lifeline Theater). Jasmin is an Arts Educator, an awardwinning Bilingual Storyteller and proud SAG-AFTRA member. Television credits include NBC’s Chicago Fire & ABC’s Betrayal. “Mil gracias a mi bella familia!!!”
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MELISSA DUPREY (Facilitator) is excited to make her Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut. Chicago credits include The Inconvenience’s A Citizen’s Anthology (Victory Gardens Theater); the world premiere of Luna Gale (Goodman Theatre and Center Theatre Group); Blacula (Pegasus Theatre Chicago); and PUTAS! (Teatro Luna). Her solo works are SEXomedy and SUSHI-frito. She was selected as a new talent for the 2014 ABC Diversity Showcase in New York City. She has performed stand-up and improv in Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. She is currently the Producing Associate at Pegasus Theatre Chicago, an ensemble member of Urban Theatre Company and an Artist-in-Residence at Free Street Theatre.
J O H N AT H A N N I E V E S (Chaz) is ecstatic to be working on The Compass. He is a Co-Founder and an Associate Artistic Director of Visión Latino Theatre Company. Stage credits include I <3 Juliet (Q Brothers/Sketchbook Festival); Yellow Eyes (Visión Latino Theatre Company); My Mañana Comes (Teatro Vista); Balm in Gilead (Griffin Theatre); Willow Creek Christmas 2014 (Willow Creek); In The Heights, Fame (The Center Theatre); and Cabaret (Actors Training Center). Upcoming stage credits include: Jesus Hopped the A Train (Eclipse Theatre Company); and Taming of the Shrew (Oak Park Theatre Festival). Television credits include Empire and Chicago Fire. Johnathan is currently an actor with Gray Talent Group. visionlatino.com
TIM HOPPER (Entrepreneur, Mr. Ferguson) is a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble. Recent roles at Steppenwolf include Adam Trask in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden and Boris in Russian Transport. He directed Buena Vista (2013 First Look Repertory). Television appearances include Empire, The Americans and Chicago Fire. Film appearances include School of Rock, To Die For, the upcoming Consumed, Operator, Our Father and The Headhunter’s Calling.
S E A N PA R R I S (Defense Attorney, Principal, Facilitator) returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he was last seen in George Orwell’s Animal Farm and The Drunken City. Chicago credits include The Solid Sand Below (Goodman Theatre); The Whipping Man (Northlight Theatre); Seascape (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company); Pornography (Steep Theatre Company); A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); and A Girl With Sun in Her Eyes (Pinebox Theatre). Sean can next be seen in the world premiere of his two man show Space Age, co-acted and written with his boyfriend Ricardo Gamboa at Free Street Theater in June 2016. Sean received his MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University, a graduate of Black Box Acting Academy in Chicago and an ensemble member at Definition Theatre. He is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency. “Love to my Mom, Ricardo Gamboa and the ladies of Paonessa Talent.”
K RYSTE L M C N E I L (Facilitator) feels electrified to be making her Steppenwolf for Young Adults debut. Most recent credits include understudying in Spill (TimeLine Theatre Company); Women at War, understudying Look, We Are Breathing (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); Harry and the Thief (Pavement Group Theatre); Jar The Floor (2012 Best Ensemble Jeff nomination); and Ceremonies in Dark Old Men (ETA Creative Arts Foundation). Film credits include Spike Lee’s Chi-raq. Krystel graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Theatre Arts. She is a company member at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble and represented by Big Mouth Talent. 12 BIOS
Cast members Sean Parris and Cheryl Lynn Bruce
A B BY PA J A K O W S K I (Facilitator) is very grateful to be a part of The Compass. Chicago credits include Splendour Without Diminishment (Chicago Fringe); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rabid Bat Theatricals); and I and You (Redtwist Theatre). Abby performs in her two-clown show The King throughout the city and produces Potluck, a monthly variety hour at The Frontier. She is a graduate of Northwestern University. “The biggest of thank yous to Michael for this experience.” EMILIO G. ROBLES (Facilitator) is honored to make his Steppenwolf for Young Adults debut with The Compass. Acting credits include Teatro Vista, Stage Left, Big Noise Theatre, Reverie Theatre, Congo Square Theatre, Bloomington Playwright’s Project and A Red Orchid Theatre along with an episode of Chicago PD. He has appeared in industrial films and does a wide array of voice-over work in industrials, commercials and video games. He has also assistant directed for Lookingglass Theatre Company, Congo Square Theatre and Adventure Stage Company. As a teaching artist, Emilio works with Lookingglass Theatre Company, Global Voices Initiative, Columbia College (CCAP) and is the Senior Facilitator for Curriculum and Instruction with Steppenwolf for Young Adults. emiliogrobles.biz ALEJANDRO TEY (Facilitator Captain) is a Chicago-based actor, director and teaching artist. He has worked nationally with Sojourn Theatre, most recently as a performer/ facilitator in the professional premiere of How to End Poverty in collaboration with Portland Playhouse. Recent Chicago credits include Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of Portage Park (Filament Theatre Ensemble); Since I Suppose (onestepatatimelikethis, Chicago Shakespeare Theater); and The Princess, The Minstrel, and the Rabid Bat (Rabid Bat Theatricals). He is also a director and instructor with Actor’s Gymnasium, Mudlark Theater and For Youth Inquiry.
MICHAEL ROHD (Devisor/ Director) is founding artistic director of Sojourn Theatre, a 17-year-old ensemble-based company. Recipient of 2015 Otto Rene Castillo Award for Political Theater and the 2015 Robert Gard Foundation Award for Excellence. Faculty at Northwestern University helps lead the MFA Directing Program. Author credits include “Theatre for Community, Conflict & Dialogue” (18th printing, Heinemann Press, 1998). 2013-2016 Doris Duke Artist-in-Residence at Lookingglass Theater Company. Recent shows as Devisor/Director Wilson Wants it All (House Theater, 2010 Jeff Award for Best New Work); WillFul (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); and How To End Poverty in 90 Minutes (Sojourn Theatre). C O U R T N E Y O ’ N E I L L (Scenic Design) is excited to return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company having previously designed Life and Limb and Of Mice and Men. Recent Chicago credits include Moby Dick and The Little Prince (Lookingglass Theatre Company); Waiting for Godot (Court Theatre); You Can’t Take It With You (Northlight Theatre); and Good for Otto (The Gift Theatre). Regional credits include Milwaukee Repertory, Marin Theatre Company, Round House, Kansas City Repertory, Virginia Stage and Theatre Squared. She was the associate designer for Fish in the Dark and This Is Our Youth on Broadway. Courtney received a Jeff Award for Mud (The Hypocrites). She holds an MFA from Northwestern and a BFA from DePaul University, where she currently teaches. courtneyoneill.com S U L LY R A T K E (Costume Design) makes her Steppenwolf Theatre Company debut with The Compass. She is a recent graduate from the stage design MFA program at Northwestern University, with a fascination for all peoples and an intuition for connecting them - particularly through their common use of symbols, rituals and spiritual ideas. Fresh credits include Moby Dick (Lookingglass Theatre Company); Pocatello (Griffin Theatre); Big Love (Northwestern University); and The Turn of the Screw (Chicago Fringe Opera). Upcoming projects include Richard III (The Gift Theatre) and the new musical Hazel (Drury Lane Theatre). “Heya, Jimdear.”
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Cast member Tim Hopper*
J . R . L E D E R L E (Lighting Design) designed 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, Samuel J and K, To Kill A Mockingbird, The House on Mango Street, The Bluest Eye (also at New Victory in New York), Harriet Jacobs, The Water Engine (also at Theater on the Lake), A Tale of Two Cities, 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, Itinerant Theatre Guild, Indiana Repertory Theatre and elsewhere at Steppenwolf, including Sex with Strangers. J.R. 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 Theatre Company since 1995. E V A B R E N E M A N (Dialect Coach) is delighted to be back at Steppenwolf Theatre Company where she previously worked on The Herd, Marie Antoinette, Airline Highway, Russian Transport, Tribes, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Good People, The March, The 14 BIOS
Brother/Sister Plays, The Diary of Anne Frank, Huck Finn and Master Harold… and the Boys. Other credits include multiple productions at numerous Chicago theaters including Lookingglass Theatre Company, TimeLine Theatre Company, Court Theater, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Northlight Theatre, Writers Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook and Broadway Playhouse, among others. Regional credits include Love’s Labour’s Lost (Actor’s Theatre of Louisville); and Around the World in 80 Days (CenterStage and Kansas City Repertory). Television credits include Betrayal and The Chicago Code. Eva is an associate artist at TimeLine Theatre Company and a production affiliate of Lookingglass Theatre Company.
Company). Other Chicago credits include Betrayal, Gary, Fair Use, The Glass Menagerie (twice), To Kill a Mockingbird, Venus, Man in Love, fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life, Head of Passes, The Gospel of Franklin, The Wheel, Russian Transport, Hushabye, and Animal Farm (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Song for the Disappeared (Goodman Theatre); Grease, A Chorus Line (Paramount Theatre); The Homosexuals (About Face Theatre); Million Dollar Quartet (Chicago); The MLK Project (Writers Theatre); The Sparrow (The House Theatre of Chicago; Broadway in Chicago); and the Gay Games Opening Ceremony at Soldier Field. Regional credits include work with Arts Power National Touring Theatre, Catharsis Productions, Opera Illinois, Portland Stage, and the Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia Shakespeare Festivals. Cassie is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. “Love to my wife, Kelly and my new son, Benicio.”
J O S E P H A . B U R K E (Projection Design) is excited to be invited back to Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Currently residing in Chicago, Joseph specializes in theatrical lighting and projection design. As an artist, Joseph uses his design-eye to reinforce the story and performance dedicated to the creation of the overall stage picture. His passion for music and photography gives him the foundation to create and collaborate with other brilliant artists. 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, The Poetry Foundation, Travesty Dance Group and Spartan Theatre Company. D A V I D M A S N A T O (Content Creator) is excited to return to Steppenwolf Theatre Company following his 2013-14 apprenticeship in the marketing department. Chicago credits include digital asset production and website design for Walkabout Theater Company as well as various freelance clients throughout the greater Chicago area. David received his BA in Studio Art from Kenyon College. “Special thanks to my family, friends and girlfriend for their love and continued enthusiasm about this show! Also thank you to the excellent staff at Steppenwolf for having me back!” C A S S I E C A L D E R O N E (Stage Manager) returns to Steppenwolf Theatre Company for her 9th season after assistant stage managing Grand Concourse this past summer. Recent credits include The Heir Apparent (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and Marie Antoinette (Steppenwolf Theatre
* Steppenwolf ensemble member
R I C K S I M S (Sound Design and Original Music) has composed and designed sound for numerous Chicago area theatres such as Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Congo Square Theatre, Writers Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Hypocrites, The House Theatre, Court Theatre, American Theater Company, Victory Gardens Theater, Raven Theatre, Steep Theatre, Northlight Theatre and About Face Theatre. Out of town credits include The Getty, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Portland Playhouse. Rick has won a Jeff Award for sound design for Moby Dick and Hepheastus (Lookingglass Theatre Company) and a BTAA award for Brothers of the Dust (Congo Square Theatre). Rick is an artistic associate of Lookingglass Theatre Company, an artistic affiliate with American Blues Theatre and an associate designer with Aria Music Designs (Ray Nardelli and Josh Horvath). Rick also wrote the book, music and lyrics for Lookingglass’ Hillbilly Antigone.
H A L L I E G O R D O N (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.
A N N A D . S H A P I R O (Artistic Director) began working with Steppenwolf in 1995 as the original director of the New Plays Lab and joined the ensemble in 2005. She has directed dozens of notable Steppenwolf productions, including the world-renowned production of Tracy Letts’s August: Osage County, for which she received 2008 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. In 2011 she was nominated for a Tony Award for Stephen Adly Guirgis’s The Motherf**er with the Hat, which she also directed at Steppenwolf to critical acclaim. Additional Steppenwolf directing credits include A Parallelogram, Up, The Unmentionables, The Pain and the Itch (also at Playwrights Horizons), Man from Nebraska, (named by TIME as one of the Year’s Top Ten in 2003), The Drawer Boy and Three Days of Rain, among others. Broadway credits include the sold-out run of Larry David’s Fish in the Dark, the revival of Steppenwolf’s This Is Our Youth and the revival of Of Mice and Men, which National Theatre Live selected as the first American production to be broadcast to over 700 cinemas. Anna is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Columbia College and the recipient of a 1996 Princess Grace Award, as well as the 2010 Princess Grace Statue Award. She is a professor in Northwestern’s Department of Theatre and served as the Director of the Graduate MFA Directing Program from 2002 – 2014. D A V I D S C H M I T Z (Managing Director) has worked at Steppenwolf Theatre Company for ten years, serving in the role of Director of Finance and Administration, General Manager and currently as Managing 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 and is a former board member for the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce. David 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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5. WHICH OF THESE BEST DESCRIBES HOW YOU PROCRASTINATE ONLINE?
The following quiz was created for The Compass 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 accessible for all for free on our website at steppenwolf.org/sya.
DISCOVER YOUR DECISION MAKING STYLE Created by Education Assistant Jared Bellot
1. WHICH OF THESE ANIMALS MOST CLOSELY MATCHES YOUR PERSONALITY?
a. Kangaroo b. Turtle c. Chimpanzee d. Domesticated housecat 2. WHAT’S YOUR FLAVOR PROFILE? a. Sweet b. Spicy c. Salty
a. Facebook/Twitter b. Kitten videos c. Buzzfeed quizzes d. Wall Street ticker 6. FINALS ARE COMING UP SOON, HOW DO YOU PREPARE? a. Relearn, review, repeat b. You don’t c. Form a study group with all of your friends d. Wait until the night before to start studying. Pull an all-nighter. Ace Chemistry. AN S W E R K EY T ally your points based on your answers and use your score to discover your decision-making style below!
1. A) 4 points B) 1 point C) 2 points D) 3 points
2. A) 2 points B) 3 points C) 1 point D) 4 points
3. A) 1 point B) 2 points C) 4 points D) 3 points
4. A) 2 points B) 3 points C) 1 point D) 4 points
5. A) 4 points B) 3 points C) 2 points D) 1 point
6. A) 1 point B) 4 points C) 2 points D) 3 points
6-11 P OI NTS: TH E MARATHON R U N N E R Patient, particular and planned, The Marathon Runner is the type of person who likes to take it slow. You make your decisions while thinking about the big picture, and never rush into anything. You take the time to fully envision your decisions and all possible outcomes that could follow. You don’t take any chances, but this means that you always know exactly what you are going to get.
d. Bitter
12-1 4 P OI NTS: TH E CROW D SOU RCE R 3. WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL MOTTO? a. Slow and steady wins the race b. A person’s a person, no matter how small c. Carpe Diem d. Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get 4. WHICH OF THESE IS MOST LIKELY GOING TO CAUSE THE APOCALYPSE?
Thoughtful, flexible and curious, The Crowd Sourcer believes that the best decisions can be reached through thoughtful discussion with peers. Not one to rush into decisions, you make sure to exhaust your pros and cons list before ever fully committing to any particular decision. You believe in learning from others’ experiences, and are willing to listen to hear what others may have to say. You’re open-minded, and willing to change your mind based on what you discover.
1 5-17 P OI NTS: TH E F R E E S P I R IT Chill, easygoing and relaxed, The Free Spirit is all about going with the flow. Not one to make lasting commitments, you would much rather leave your options open and see which way the wind blows. If something excites you, you’re willing to give it a try, but that doesn’t mean that you view your decisions as permanent. You make decisions in the moment, and follow whims as they arrive. As you always say, “Just relax, and enjoy the ride.”
a. Zombie attack b. Giant meteor c. Global warming d. Donald Trump 16 FEATURES
17-24 P OI NTS: TH E GAM B LE R Risky, impulsive and passionate, The Gambler acts first and thinks second. You don’t agonize over the consequences of your decisions, and instead make choices based on your gut instinct. You are willing to take big chances in your decision-making, and don’t let the fear of failure or disappointment cloud your mind. In your eyes, there is nothing truly valuable in life that does not involve some sort of risk. You are never afraid to dream big, and act based on those dreams. FEATURES 17
MEET THE COMPASS DEVISOR AND DIRECTOR: MICHAEL ROHD
Rohd in conversation with a teen during a Compass workshop
“ I hope that youth will be interested in arguing about the ethics at the heart of the trial.”
Interview and profile by Education Director Megan Shuchman
Rohd is founding artistic director of Sojourn Theatre, a 17-year-old ensemble-based company. He is on faculty at Northwestern University and author of the widely translated book Theatre for Community, Conflict, and Dialogue. His work focuses on social practice, civic practice and capacity-building projects through collaboratively designed arts-based event, engagement and participation strategies. He leads the Center for Performance and Civic Practice, where current projects include Chicago’s Civic Practice Lab and The Catalyst Initiative. Rohd is devising and directing The Compass. Devising is a process by which Rohd and artists involved in the production create the show throughout the rehearsal process rather than starting with a set script. In collaboration, they improvise characters and scenes, using content gathered from research and interviews Rohd has conducted over the past two years. Rohd and members of the Steppenwolf for Young Adults(SYA) staff have met with social workers and counselors expert in the ways teens make decisions, marketers who focus on getting products to a youth market, app developers, game designers and others. In addition, over the past two years, SYA has hosted many community events for multigenerational audiences aimed at getting audience members to discuss and debate decision-making in exciting ways, all of which has served as fodder for the production. Says Rohd, “we’ve been exploring the idea of decision-making in unique ways for years in preparation for creating this show. We’ve been interviewing experts, conducting crossgenerational workshops, inviting other artists to respond to the theme of ‘decision making’ with their own short works. The show has been truly impacted by these interactions and encounters, which I find exciting.” Below is an interview between Education Director Megan Shuchman and Rohd, conducted prior to the start of rehearsals: MEGAN SHUCHMAN: At the beginning of this process two years ago, all you knew was that you wanted to create a show about decision-making. Can you talk about the evolution the show has undergone? MICHAEL ROHD: Early on, I knew I wanted to tackle the idea of decision-making which was quickly followed by the idea for this fictional app that could make better decisions for you 18 FEATURES
than you could for yourself. At first, the idea was that the entire play would just be about the app and the audience would serve as a focus group, deciding if the app should be made or not. In this iteration, everything in the play surrounded the launch of this app and the characters involved in its creation: an app marketer, a designer, a funder, etc. I liked this concept, but it didn’t feel
interesting enough. I wanted to make the show more complex. MS: Where did you go from there? MR: Well, then I made a big discovery. What if the app was on trial? Better yet, what if a young person who used on the app was on trial? Suddenly, I saw new stakes that I thought an audience could really invest in. I knew I wanted the young person at the center of this trial to be someone important for the students coming to see the play to meet on stage. Someone intelligent and complex and interesting and substantive. So now with this new idea, the audience is no longer a focus group for the app, but a jury in a criminal trial. It’s up to our audience to decide the outcome of the trial (in this case, the fate of the protagonist) and therefore how the play ends each performance. MS: Knowing you are creating this show for youth specifically, is your devising process any different than it would normally be? MR: Conceptually, my process is the same. But in terms of narrative, I am very conscious of what will be required of the central characters for the audience to invest in them in a substantive way. I hope that youth will be interested in arguing about the ethics at the heart of the trial. In casting, I was also aware that I had to find facilitators—responsible for leading a group
of 20-25 audience members in small group discussions throughout the play—who could be effective “jurors” for the show. These facilitators have to be strong performers who also have facilitation chops and experience leading groups of teens in dialogue. We found a group of amazing teaching artists with experience working with youth to serve as facilitators. MS: What is one thing you want teachers, parents or chaperones to tell young people before they attend the show? MR: This show assumes that you are smart and have strong beliefs, which we know you are and have. Bring both those things to the theater and know that the more you participate, the better the show. We are counting on your voice. Without it, our show won’t be as interesting or complex as it can be. MS: What do you hope this play accomplishes? MR: I want the audience to be pulled in and compelled from the moment the play starts through the end. I want them to follow the story, to be interested in putting the pieces of the trial together, and most importantly, I want them to want to debate the questions at the heart of the story. I will consider the play a success if the audience, particularly the teen audience, is sitting forward and really in it. I hope people leave the theater reflecting on the power of decision-making and really thinking about what they are responsible for in their lives.
FEATURES 19
DECISION-MAKING EXPERTS WEIGH IN By Education Director Megan Shuchman
During the two years of lead up to the premiere of The Compass, devisor Michael Rohd and Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ staff conducted over a dozen interviews and events with experts on the topic of decision-making.
These interviews helped shape the content of The Compass. Below are three highlights from these interviews from the research phase of this play.
I NTE RVI EW #1: W HO: Dr. Deborah Spitz, MD AR EA OF E X P E RTI S E I N R E LATION TO T H E COM PASS: Behavioral psychiatrist at the University of Chicago with a focus on decision-making I NTE R VI EW TOP IC: How is adolescent decision-making similar or different than that
TH E E X P E RTS I NTE RVI EW E D I NCLU DE D:
of adults? How do youth actually learn decision-making?
• Game designers • Marketers • App designers and funders • Social media platform executives • Lawyers with expertise on the consequences of technology • Gamers • Social workers focused on youth development • Youth psychiatrists • Artists who create around the theme of decision-making in their own lives • Teens (lot of teens!) • And many more
20 FEATURES
CROW D SOU RCI NG In the interview, Dr. Spitz revealed that youth are less likely to make decisions by themselves because so much of what they do daily is in response to what their friends do. Youth decisionmaking is like crowd-sourcing: from succumbing to peer pressure to simply choosing what one wants for lunch based on where everyone else wants to go.
“B ECAUS E I SAI D SO” Dr. Spitz talked about the strong impact adults have on youth as they develop their decision making abilities. As youth enter adulthood, it is through the process of decision-making that they begin to explore the individuality that will shape them as adults. This is often reflected in one of two ways: making choices rooted in values instilled in them by their parents or guardians, and making choices that directly rebel against the adults in their lives.
P RACTICE MAK E S P E R F ECT When presented with the idea of The Compass, a fictional app that could make decisions for youth, Dr. Spitz expressed a concern about what would happen if this app became a reality. Dr. Spitz explained that decision making is a muscle that needs to be exercised through trial and error: by exercising decision-making, young people learn from their mistakes. If the app takes away the need to make decisions, there would be no way to ensure youth are learning to assess both the factors going into their decisions, as well as the results from their decisions. Dr. Spitz concluded, “The ability to weigh all of the options presented and make a decision based on your personal, moral compass is a learned skill that can’t be honed if youth don’t actively practice decision-making themselves.”
FEATURES 21
Mike Kelly and Michael Rohd in coversation
I NTE RVI EW #3: W HO: Mike Kelly, CEO of Ora Interactive A R EA OF E X P E RTI S E I N R E LATION TO TH E C OM PAS S: Founder of Chicago’s leading app-creation agency
I NTE RVI EW #2:
I NTE RVI EW TOP IC:
W HO: Ad executives and Marketers
How does an app get created? How does one know if an app will be successful?
A R EA OF E X P E RTI S E I N R E LATION TO T H E COM PASS: Ad agency executives with focus on youth market
I NTE RVI EW TOP IC: What makes teens a unique audience to market to? How does a company employ specific tactics to reach a youth market?
TE E N S WANT CHOICE S—B UT NOT TO O MANY! Adults assume that teens are always searching for freedom and choice, but studies have shown that teens can feel paralyzed with fear if they are overwhelmed with too many options. Because of this, teens often seek out products that help them make decisions. They also gravitate towards brands or products that help them better understand the world they live in and deal with on a daily basis (as you can likely guess, the marketers we met with thought The Compass would be very popular with teens for this reason!).
A R ETR EAT TO P R IVACY As the popularity of social media booms, adults might be surprised to hear that teenagers are actually becoming more careful with what they post and what platforms they use (right, teens?). This is reflected in the amount of teens that make their Instagrams private, or teens who love Snapchat because what they send cannot be saved. Despite the increase in platforms for sharing and networking, teens are becoming more selective in what they share with their friends and family, and products that protect their privacy are very appealing.
B E S P ECI F IC So many people don’t want to choose a specific market for their product as they don’t want to isolate their potential audiences. However, especially when it comes to teens, the marketing firm we spoke with advised specificity in targeting a key audience. Many teens don’t want to use the same products or networks as the adults in their lives (the creator of the fictional Compass app seems smartly clued in to this). 22 FEATURES
F ROM A B RAI N STOR M ON A NAP K I N TO TH E AP P STOR E Kelly’s organization is responsible for taking people’s ideas for new apps and making them a reality. Said Kelly, “I like the idea of taking an idea someone wrote on a napkin and turning it into a viable product that can be distributed.” His team works to create a practical application to distribute an app to the app store and make it actually work. An app typically takes about two to three months to build from creation, launch and getting to market (editor’s note: though the Compass would likely take years to actually build). Good app design companies invest in vetting the app with a small test audience first; otherwise, a lot of time and money get invested only to find out people didn’t want the app in the first place. Said Kelly, “We start off with the user experience: this is what the app wants to look like, this is where this screen will take the user when she is making a decision. We first design the user flow in black and white and let the users weigh in. This allows a team to collect the maximum amount of customer focused learning.”
“M I LLION S, MAYB E B I LLION S OF ALGOR ITH M S WOU LD B E N E E DE D TO F U E L TH E C OM PAS S” During the interview, Kelly said that the most intensive part of creating the Compass app would be writing software capable of intelligent behavior. In order to create something like the Compass, it would need to connect to an API, an Application Interface, which would help power the app. Explained Kelly, “The API is the big brain making decisions for the user. In order to create the Compass, the creators would need to come up with a unique algorithm to interpret, process, and accurately answer each of the questions a user might ask. That would be the most intensive part of the process.”
B UT C OU LD TH I S TH I NG ACTUALLY WOR K?! In August 2014, when Kelly was interviewed, he assessed that the app (in theory) was technically feasible! 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 40 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 44 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
The Steppenwolf Ensemble Tina Landau
Martha Lavey
Tracy Letts
John Mahoney
John Malkovich
Mariann Mayberry
Tarell Alvin McCraney
James Vincent Meredith
Laurie Metcalf
Amy Morton
Sally Murphy
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
STEPPENWOLF 25
Board of Trustees
Steppenwolf Staff Anna D. Shapiro Artistic Director
Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise Executive Artistic Board
Artistic
Development
Jonathan Berry Aaron Carter Hallie Gordon Artistic Producers
Sandy Karuschak Director of Development
Polly Hubbard Literary Manager 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 Assistant Emilio G. Robles Senior Facilitator of Curriculum and Instruction Sindy Castro Amanda Dunne-Acevedo Cara Greene Epstein Greg Geffrard Ali Hoefnagel Jeremy Ohringer Thom Pasculli Ashley Roberson Mara Stern Teaching Artists
Administration Rachel D. Freund Director of Operations and Management Courtney Anderson Events Management Director Scott Macoun It Director Jackie Snuttjer Finance Director
Eric Evenskaas Associate Director of Development Kristy Conway Director of Foundation and Government Relations Megan A. McGuane Director of Corporate Relations Kendra Van Kempen Director of Special Events Emilie De Angelis Campaign Project Manager Lauren Fisher Donor Relations Manager Suzanne Miller Annual Fund Manager Anna Brenner Development Coordinator Jessica Gretch Individual Giving Coordinator Karyn Todd Development Associate
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
Yolanda Davis Human Resources & Professional Leadership Programs Coordinator
Joel Moorman Digital Content Producer
Jovito Alvarez Finance Manager
Neel McNeill Marketing Manager
Brian Hurst Finance Coordinator
Jacqueline Rosas Marketing Assistant
Paul Miller Office Manager
Casey VanWormer Audience Services Director
Lupe Garcia Quiles Events Management Associate
Jimmy Freund Social Media Director and Audience Services Supervisor
Lauren Sivak Special Projects Coordinator Steven Yandell Administrative Assistant
26 THE COMPASS
Kevin Castillo Digital Marketing Manager
Billie Rye Bryant Audience Services Manager Stephanie Heller Audience Services Subscription Manager
Mike Brunlieb Sarah Giovannetti Audience Services Supervisors Molly Layton Group Sales Associate
David Schmitz Managing Director
Audience Experience Evan Hatfield Director of Audience Experience Danielle Shindler Food & Beverage Director
Roseann Bishop Subscriptions and Audience Aaron Aptaker Services Assistant Colleen Debelius Benjamin Adams Anna Donnell Craig Barnes Ali Drumm Rebecca Butler Will Quam Rebekah Camm Maia Reed-Siragusa Sarah Carter Eleni Sauvageau Reynaldo Dumas David Seeber Elizabeth Gottman Leah Seisfeld Kevin Greene Dan Smeriglio Geehoon Lim Chelsea Smith Annaliese McSweeney Annabel Steven Dana McGarr Brittany Stock Jake Allen Miller Toby Walters N.J. Phillips Audience Experience Charles Strater Associates Audience Services Donald Coulson Associates Parking Manager Audience Outreach Mustafa Chaudhry Tiffany Rae Wilson Parking Staff Audience Outreach Lauren Louer, The Saints Manager Volunteer Usher Max Lando Coordination Audience Outreach Supervisor Production Benjamin Adams Adrian Azevedo Charles Frydenberg Rukmini Girish Marilyn Hillary N.J. Phillips Isaiah Polstein Michael Russell Audience Outreach Associates
Tom Pearl Production Manager
Operations
Mike Donohue Assistant Technical Director
Cory Jeanes Facilities Director Peter Van Kempen Operations Manager Adrian Castro Operations Coordinator David Albert Marshall Hansen Harold Jaffe Facilities Staff David Barati Victor David Padam Dhungel Tul Ghaley Madan Gurung Noor Alam Islam Ababe Mekonen Aminata Talawally Bhagirath Timsina Custodial Staff
Brianna Parry Assistant Production Manager Erin Cook Company Manager Russell Poole Technical Director
Christopher Kristant Shop Foreman Kyle Land Russell Scott Jon Woelfer Scenic Carpenters Zoe Shiffrin Interim Scenic Charge Jenny DiLuciano Properties Master Emily Guthrie Jay Tollefsen Assistant Properties Masters
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 Dana Nestrick Dryer, Painter, Craft Artisan 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 Cassie Calderone Malcolm Ewen Christine D. Freeburg Laura D. Glenn Jonathan Nook Brian Maschka Stage Managers
Professional Leadership Program Zhanna Albertini Izik Alequin Brian Balcom Katie Creeggan Tam Dickson Courtney Evans Kenya Hall Jaclynn Joslin Janette Martinez Alison McLeod Joshua McCammon Denise Serna Hilary Shields Selby Souza Lydia Strini Valerie Tu Claire Weibel Catharine Young
Executive Committee Nora Daley Chair Eric Lefkofsky Secretary Paul W. Goodrich Treasurer Henry S. Bienen Carole L. Brown Douglas R. Brown Elizabeth H. Connelly Keating Crown Rich Feitler Matthew Gray Caryn Harris L. Heather Mitchell Lynn Lockwood Murphy Kenneth J. Porrello Deborah H. Quazzo Randall K. Rowe Bruce Sagan Harry J. Seigle Stephanie B. Smith John R. Walter Helen Zell
Trustees
Sarah Beardsley Michael W. Bender Marlene Breslow-Blitstein Ebs Burnough Terri L. Cable Robin Tennant Colburn Beth Boosalis Davis Amy Eshleman Juliette Feld D. Cameron Findlay Lawrence M. Gill Aimee Graham Robert J. Greenebaum, Jr. John Hart Jon Michael Hill Dennis D. Howarter George A. Joseph Tina Landau Donna La Pietra 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mannyâ&#x20AC;? 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 Laurence Edwards John N. Fox, Jr. Elliott Lyon Gordon Murphy William H. Plummer Bruce Sagan Gloria Scoby Donna Vos
Charles Moser Master Properties Artisan Jessica Stratton Wardrobe, Hair and Make-Up Supervisor AJ Littlefield Staff Wardrobe
STEPPENWOLF 27
WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR STEPPENWOLF FOR YOUNG ADULTS DURING THE 2015 /16 SEASON.
Benefactors $50,000 – $99,999
Sustainers $5,000 – $9,999
Associates $2,500-$4,999
Allstate Insurance Company
Sara Albrecht
Anonymous
Alphawood Foundation
Robert and Isabelle Bass Foundation, Inc.
Deann and Rick Bayless
Paul M. Angell Foundation
Michael Bender and Sheridan Prior‡
Michael and Cathy Brennan
J.P.Morgan
Douglas R. Brown
Amy Eshleman and Lori Lightfoot
Polk Bros. Foundation
Mr. and Ms. John A. Canning Jr.
John Harney
Steppenwolf Associates*
Carol and Douglas Cohen
John Hergert and Kathryn Stevens
United Airlines
Mary Dempsey, Philip H. Corboy Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Jane Fleming
Caroline and Keating Crown
Anna and Robert A. Livingston
Producers $25,000 – $49,999 BMO Harris Bank The Crown Family Lloyd A. Fry Foundation Robert and Louise Sanborn
Patrons $10,000 – $24,999
Nene Foxhall
Verett Mims
Ice Miller LLP
Clint Paton
Illinois Tool Works Foundation
PNC
John Hart and Carol Prins‡
Randy and Betsy Rochman
David and Susan Kalt
Emily Sachs-Wong and Thad Wong
Janet Melk
Louis & Nellie Sieg Fund
Christopher and Eileen Murphy
Stephanie B. Smith and Gerald Smith
Deborah and Stephen Quazzo
Mr. and Ms. Joseph Squeri
Helen Brach Foundation
Lynn Hauser and Neil Ross
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Sue and Harry Seigle
Capri Capital Partners, LP
Siragusa Foundation
Ann and Richard Carr
Anna D. Shapiro and Ian Barford
CNA Finacial Corporation
Toni Sandor Smith
Kent and Liz Dauten
Nina B. Winston
The Field Foundation of Illinois Lynn Lockwood Murphy and Barrett B. Murphy‡ Colonel Stanley R. McNeil Foundation Newcastle Limited
Guarantors $1,000-$2,499 Carl and Cynthia Curry Marjorie Bransfield Dover Foundation Mr. and Ms. David E. Mendelsohn Colette Cachey Smithburg and Tom Smithburg
In-Kind Contributors
Marcello’s A Father and Son Restuarant
Northern Trust Charitable Trust Dr. Scholl Foundation Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
‡ 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 and Upstairs 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 loop in the 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! Both the main and balcony levels of the Downstairs Theatre are equipped with an induction loop, 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 60-Second 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.
2015/16 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, 2016. Corporate Sponsor of Steppenwolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Career Readiness Programs
Like the Steppenwolf Young Adult Council on Facebook! Or visit steppenwolf.org/youngadultcouncil for more information.