Steppenwolf for Young Adults Announces 2017-18 Season

Steppenwolf for Young Adults has announced the two productions set for its 2017-18 season.

First will be The Crucible, the Tony Award-winning American classic by Arthur Miller, directed by Steppenwolf artistic producer Jonathan Berry. The play premiered in 1953, portraying the historic Salem Witch Trials as an allegory for the rise of McCarthyism in the late 1940s. Performances will run October 4-21 in the Downstairs Theatre.

The second production will be The Burn, a Steppenwolf for Young Adults commission written by Philip Dawkins and directed by Devon de Mayo. The story is described as follows: "Mercedes is an outsider. Tara makes sure she knows it. When a high school production of The Crucible forces them together, tensions escalate into acts of bullying — both online and IRL. This world-premiere play explores what happens to a teacher and his students when a classroom conflict turns into an online witch-hunt." Performances will run from February 14-March 3, 2018, in the Upstairs Theatre.

The Chicago company has also announced a new department, Steppenwolf Education, under which Steppenwolf for Young Adults will be housed and continue its tradition of creating world-class productions for teen audiences. In addition to these productions, Steppenwolf Education will oversee educator training, teen programming, and an expanded model for community partnerships, allowing Steppenwolf to reach neighborhoods and communities in new ways.

"The creation of Steppenwolf Education puts education in the heart of all we do at Steppenwolf and better aligns our vision for the mission of this theater with our vital education programs," says executive director David Schmitz. "We look forward to expanding and deepening our partnerships in schools and communities through Steppenwolf Education and all that can come from this exciting change."

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