Steppenwolf Explores Gun Violence in America With The Burials

The Burials begins performances tonight at Steppenwolf Theatre.

In this world premiere production from playwright Caitlin Parrish, Sophie is everything an upstanding young millennial should be: engaged, devoted to her family, and a likely valedictorian. But her life is shattered when her brother goes on a high school shooting rampage. Thrust into the national spotlight, Sophie finds herself torn between defying the narrative being woven about her brother in the media, and stopping the father she loves from using the rampage for his own political ends.

The cast includes Aurora Adachi-Winter, Stephanie Andrea Barron, Joel Boyd, Olivia Cygan, Matt Farabee, Coburn Goss, Ty Olwin, Becca Savoy, and Kristina Valada-Viars. Erica Weiss directs.

"We were privileged to be able to go to high schools around Chicagoland and talk to students about what their experiences have been growing up in a country where gun violence, and specifically school shootings, is a very real possibility," said Parrish. "It was important for us to reflect and listen to the way that students experience this reality."

The production team includes Courtney O'Neill (scenic design), Alarie Hammock (costume design), J.R. Lederle (lighting design), Matt Chapman (sound design), Joseph Burke (projection design) and Rachel Flesher (fight choreographer). Additional credits include Tess Golden (stage manager) and JC Clementz and Tam Dickson (casting) and Hallie Gordon (artistic producer).

Performances run through October 22.

For more information and tickets, click here.