Theater News

David Rabe and Tracy Letts Premieres Set for New Steppenwolf Theatre Season

This season is the first to be curated by artistic director Anna D. Shapiro.

| Chicago |

March 8, 2016

Tracy Letts is the author of Linda Vista, which will premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre this season. — Tracy Letts is the author of *Linda Vista*, which will premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre this season.
(© David Gordon)

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced the lineup of productions planned for its 2016-17 season, the first to be curated by its Tony-winning artistic director Anna D. Shapiro with the Steppenwolf artistic team.

The 2016-17 season will include Visiting Edna (September 15-November 6), a world premiere from playwright David Rabe (Hurlyburly). Directed by Shapiro, the production will feature ensemble members Ian Barford, K. Todd Freeman, and Sally Murphy .

The world premiere of Erika Sheffer's new play The Fundamentals (November 10-December 23), commissioned by Steppenwolf, will be directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov, reuniting the team behind Russian Transport. Ensemble members Alana Arenas and Alan Wilder will star.

Linda Vista (March 30-May 21), a world-premiere comedy by ensemble member Tracy Letts, will feature ensemble members Ian Barford and Tim Hopper. The show's director will be announced at a later date.

Ensemble members Francis Guinan and Amy Morton have been cast in the Chicago premiere of Taylor Mac's subversive comedy Hir (June 29-August 20), with two more Chicago premieres including Lucas Hnath's The Christians (December 1, 2016-January 29, 2017), directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman, and Young Jean Lee's Straight White Men (February 2-March 19), with ensemble members Tim Hopper and Alan Wilder in the cast.

An additional seventh play, the world premiere of Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu, will be presented in May 2017.

Lookout, Steppenwolf's new performance series that will present a wide variety of genres and shows, from dance to live music to spoken word, will kick off with the Chicago premiere of Voice Lessons, a one-act comedy starring ensemble member Laurie Metcalf (May 31-June 12) in the new 1700 Theatre. The 1700 Theatre will also host a remount of Definition Theatre Company and The New Colony’s hit production of Byhalia, Mississippi (July 22-August 21).

For tickets and more information on Steppenwolf's new season, click here.