Monday, May 20, 2019

FREE Theatre: If I Could Tell You at Steppenwolf's 1700 Space Tuesday, May 21 & Wednesday, May 22, 2019

ChiIL Live Shows on our radar

Steppenwolf Education’s WHAT IF? Residency and
Lane Technical College Prep Drama Ensemble Presents

If I Could Tell You

Tuesday, May 21 & Wednesday, May 22 At 6pm


In Conjunction with LookOut, This Student-Devised Play Explores
Race, Body Image and Stereotypes

Proud mom moment: My 18 year old son, Dugan, will be graduating in a few short weeks and heading off to study theatre (performance) at Northwestern University with a full ride scholarship. This will be his last performance in high school, and I'm beyond excited that it will be at Steppenwolf! If I Could Tell You is an original show, written and performed by Lane Tech drama students, and we can't wait to check it out. 

Steppenwolf Education and Drama Students at Lane Technical College Prep High School are proud to present a student-devised performance exploring the themes of racial prejudice and the erasure of communities of color, as brought to light through the Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ (SYA) spring production of We are Proud to Present a Presentation.... This play was developed in Steppenwolf Education’s What If? Residency inspired by the creative inquiry question “What If?” and “What would happen to stereotypes, racism and body image if we learned who people truly were?”

If I Could Tell You explores questions posed by the directing team of the Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ We Are Proud to Present a Presentation....: “What if things were different?” and “What if things were better?” Through a series of scenes and monologues, Lane Tech Ensemble’s original play connects the themes of cultural erasure, appropriation and colonization in SYA’s production to the pressing topics of racism, stereotypes and body image as relevant to the student’s day-to-day lives. This talented group of teen actors takes the audience through a journey asking, “What if we could know who people truly were?"

Performances for If I Could Tell You are Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22 at 6pm in Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre. These public performances are free and available in person, online, or by phone - subject to limited availability. For more information and to reserve tickets, click HERE. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Walkup reservations will begin 30 minutes prior to curtain at 1700 N Halsted, pending availability.



WHAT IF? PROJECT
The WHAT IF? PROJECT is an extended residency program through Steppenwolf Education in which a classroom teacher partner of Steppenwolf’s In-School Residency Program creates an artistic project with their class in response to a Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) production. This teacher collaborates with a Steppenwolf teaching artist to provide students a unique chance to advance their skills by exploring the creative inquiry question of, “WHAT IF?” Throughout the course of their 20 residency sessions, students utilize skills of Steppenwolf's teaching pedagogy, aesthetic education, to generate an original work in conversation with productions they viewed.

Steppenwolf Education’s unique approach combines play production with educational components to enhance arts education for young audiences, as well as their teachers and families, as well as a Professional Leadership Program for early-career professionals. Every season Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) creates two full-scale professional productions specifically for teens. Working closely with the Chicago Public and metropolitan area schools and other community partners, Steppenwolf Education annually ensures access to the theater for more than 15,000 participants from Chicago’s diverse communities. The initiative also includes post-show discussions with artists; classroom residencies led by Steppenwolf-trained teaching artists in almost 100 classrooms in public high schools; professional development workshops for educators; and the Young Adult Council, an innovative year-round after-school initiative that uniquely engages high school students in all areas of the theater’s operations, as well as other teen and community-based programs.



LookOut is Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form, emerging artists and performance legends, quintessential Chicago companies and young aspiring ensembles, familiar Steppenwolf faces and new friends. Greta Honold and Patrick Zakem are the producers for LookOut. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/lookout.

Visitor Information
Steppenwolf is located at 1650 N Halsted St near all forms of public transportation, bike racks and Divvy bike stands. The parking facility ($13 or $15, cash or card) is located just south of our theater at 1624 N Halsted. Valet parking service ($15 cash) is available directly in front of the main entrance starting at 5pm on weeknights, 1pm on weekends and at 12noon before Wednesday matinees. Limited street and lot parking are also available. For last minute questions and concerns, patrons can call the Steppenwolf Parking Hotline at 312.335.1774.

Sponsor Information
United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf.

Accessibility
The 1700 Theatre features wheelchair-accessible seating, an Induction Hearing Loop, and assistive listening devices. Front Bar features a push-button entrance, all-gender accessible restrooms and accessible counter and table spaces.

Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks
Connected to the main lobby is Steppenwolf’s own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks, offering a warm, creative space to grab a drink, have a bite, or meet up with friends and collaborators, day or night. Open Tuesdays – Sundays, Front Bar serves locally roasted coffee and espresso by Passion House Coffee Roasters and features food by The Goddess and Grocer. The menu focuses on fresh, accessible fare, featuring grab-and-go salads and sandwiches for lunch and adding shareable small plates and desserts for evening and post show service. www.frontbar.com



Year of Chicago Theatre
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is proud to be part of the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre, presented by the City of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres. To truly fall in love with Chicago, you must go to our theatres. This is where the city bares its fearless soul. Home to a community of creators, risk-takers, and big hearts, Chicago theatre is a hotbed for exciting new work and hundreds of world premieres every year. From Broadway musicals to storefront plays and improv, there’s always a seat waiting for you at one of our 200+ theatres. Book your next show today at ChicagoPlays.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble members represent a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead and August: Osage County to Pass Over and Downstate—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony Awards—have made the theater legendary. Steppenwolf produces hundreds of performances and events annually in its three spaces: the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat 1700 Theatre. Artistic programing includes a seven-play season; a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; Visiting Company engagements; and LookOut, a multi-genre performances series. Education initiatives include the nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, which engages 15,000 participants annually from Chicago’s diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

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