Activism and Atrocities Abound: Review of Steppenwolf For Young Adults' World Premiere of a home what howls

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List: 

Theatre For Young Adults On Our Radar 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere of

a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)

By Matthew Paul Olmos

Directed by Laura Alcalá Baker 

Featuring ensemble member Tim Hopper with Charín Álvarez,

Leslie Sophia Pérez, Isabel Quintero and Eddie Torres

 February 7 – March 2, 2024 in the Ensemble Theater

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Meet Soledad Vargas (expertly embodied by Leslie Sophia Pérez), a youth activist standing up to the forces of injustice, imminent domain land grabs, greedy developers, displacement, and even murder. Words matter, and neighborhood renewal is a spin for developers' glossy ads, and usually not a positive for uprooted families, forcibly evicted and/or priced out of land and homes that have been theirs for generations. Steppenwolf's world premiere of a home what howls is a welcome reminder of who bears the highest cost and consequences for gentrification. This poetic and powerful look at real-life struggles of displaced communities around the globe is a lyrically-rendered exploration of humanity's capacity for evil and environmental devastation. 

A coyote howling. A home in disarray. A young woman alone. In Matthew Paul Olmos’ world premiere, Soledad Vargas is in the city, fighting for her family’s right to live on their land. When hope starts to dwindle, how far will she go, and what will she be forced to leave behind? 

With a talented, primary Latinx Chicago cast, this production pops. The cast includes ensemble member Tim Hopper (Downstate, Chicago, New York & London) with Charín Álvarez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, ¡Bernarda!), Leslie Sophia Pérez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter), Isabel Quintero (La Osa Menor) and Eddie Torres (Downstate, Chicago, New York & London).

Interesting lighting and audio choices enhance the story telling, as this all too timely modern myth plays out on a simple stage with rock formations, a water feature made of light, and the jagged remains of what was once a family home. Don't miss this. Recommended. 

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to present Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ (SYA) world premiere of a home what howls (or the house what was ravine) by Matthew Paul Olmos and directed by Laura Alcalá Baker. This powerful and poetic look at displacement and youth activism will play February 7 – March 2, 2024 in Steppenwolf’s stunning in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, 1646 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. 

The cast of Steppenwolf Theatre’s world premiere of a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)

includes (left to right) Eddie Torres, Isabel Quintero, Leslie Sophia Pérez,

Charín Álvarez and ensemble member Tim Hopper. Photo by Joel Moorman.

$5 Tickets for High School Students and School Groups

Tickets Starting at $20 for all Public Performances

Ticket Information

a home what howls will feature both public performances and student matinees, inviting all audiences to experience this world premiere. Regular tickets are $5 for high school students, $15 for college students and begin at $20 for the general public. Single tickets to a home what howls are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and (312) 335-1650.

Student Matinees

Student matinees will take place at 10 am on weekdays from Wednesday, February 7 – Friday, March 1, 2024. Tickets are only $5 for students and chaperones are free. Recommended for grades eight and up. To register your school, click here.

The a home what howls production team includes Lauren Nichols (Scenic Design), Uriel Gómez (Costume Design), Lindsey Lyddan (Lighting Design), Peter Clare (Sound Design), April Dawn Guthrie (Original Music), Maya Vinice Prentiss (Fight Choreographer & Intimacy Consultant), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach), Mike Przygoda (Music Consultant), Bryar Barborka (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Elise Hausken (Production Manager), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager) and Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager).

 

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Cast: Charín Álvarez (abrana vargas), Tim Hopper (frank, male conductor), Leslie Sophia Pérez (soledad), Isabel Quintero (coyotl/syera loma) and Eddie Torres (manuel vargas).

Location: Steppenwolf’s Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, 1646 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Friday, February 9 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, February 10 at 3 pm

Press Performance/Opening: Saturday, February 10 at 7:30 pm

Public Run: Saturday, February 17 – Saturday, March 2, 2024

Public Performance Curtain Times: Saturdays at 3 pm & 7 pm. Please note: there will be an added 7:30 pm performance on Friday, February 23 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets: Single tickets for a home what howls ($20 - $30) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Regular tickets are $5 for high school students and $15 for college students.

 

Accessible Performance Dates:

Spanish Language-Captioned Student Matinee: Friday, February 16 at 10 am

Open-Captioned Public Performance: Saturday, February 17 at 3 pm

Relaxed Sensory Friendly Public Performance: Saturday, February 17 at 3 pm

Audio-Described and Touch Tour Public Performance: Saturday, February 24 at 3 pm (1:30 pm touch tour, 3 pm curtain)

ASL-Interpreted Student Matinee: Friday, March 1 at 10 am

ASL-Interpreted Public Performance: Saturday, March 2 at 3 pm

 

Artist Biographies:

Matthew Paul Olmos (Playwright) is a Mexican-American playwright who focuses on the creation of space for marginalized, underrepresented communities and gives them poetics and theatricality. While his work is always personal, it is aimed at reaching across sociopolitical boundaries, showing the ridiculous of how separate we are, and illuminating hope for future generations.

He is a three-time Sundance Institute Fellowship/Residency recipient, inaugural Dramatists Guild Foundation Catalyst Fellow, Echo Theater Company Resident Playwright, lifetime Ensemble Studio Theatre member and Sloan Commission recipient, Playwrights’ Center Core Writer and two-time Venturous Playwright Fellowship nominee. Previous Actors’ Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival Commission, Arizona Theatre Company’s National Latine Playwriting Awardee, Baryshnikov Arts Center Resident Artist, Brooklyn Arts Exchange Resident Artist, Center Theatre Group LA Playwright, Drama League nominee, Geffen Playhouse Writers Room, Ingram New Works at Nashville Repertory, INTAR H.P.R.L., a proud Kilroys nominator, New York Theatre Workshop Fellow, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Black Swan Lab, two-time Ojai Playwrights Conference, inaugural Primary Stages Creative Development Grantee and Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group, Princess Grace Awardee in Playwriting, Repertorio Español Miranda Family Nuestra Voces Playwriting Awardee. 

He spent two years as a Mabou Mines/SUITE Resident Artist being mentored by Ruth Maleczech, was chosen/mentored by Taylor Mac for Cherry Lane’s Mentor Project, and was La MaMa e.t.c.'s Ellen Stewart Emerging Playwright Awardee as selected by Sam Shepard. His work has been presented nationally and internationally, taught in university and is published by Concord Theatricals/Samuel French and NoPassport Press. matthewpaulolmos.com

Laura Alcalá Baker (Director, she/they) is a Chicago-based director and new work developer specializing in unearthing the missing canon and reimagining the existing one. She lives in the intersection of a mixed child, one and both – Mexican American. Chicago directing credits include: Anna in the Tropics (Remy Bumppo), The Leopard Play, or sad songs for lost boys (Steep Theatre); The Way She Spoke (DCASE, Greenhouse Theater Center); Nancy García Loza’s BRAVA (Make-Believe Association); BULL: a love story (Paramount Theatre); and The Pillowman (The Gift Theatre). Regional directing credits include Somewhere Over the Border (City Theatre/People’s Light), Equivocation, The Giver, 11:11 and Collapse (B Street Theater). New play workshops and readings include work with Steep Theatre, The New Colony, Paramount Theatre and the Goodman Theatre New Stages Festival. She is a Steep Theatre ensemble member and a proud former member of the Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists. She was nominated for “Best Casting Director” and “Best Director: Brava” at the ALTA Awards. labdirecting.com

Charín Álvarez (abrana vargas) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, La Ruta, Infidel, Ordinary Yearning, Fermi. Chicago: Anna in the Tropics, Passage, Skin of Our Teeth, Clean House (Remy Bumppo); Lettie, Mojada, Oedipus El Rey, Anna in the Tropics, A Park in the House (Victory Gardens Theater); The Scene (Writers Theatre); 2666, Pedro Paramo, El Nogalar, Dollhouse, Electricidad (Goodman Theatre); In The Time of the Butterflies, Our Lady of the Underpass, I Put the Fear of Mexico in ‘em, Dreamlandia, Another Part of the House (Teatro Vista); Water by the Spoonful (Court Theatre); What We Once Felt (About Face Theatre); Kita & Fernanda (16th Street Theatre); Esperanza Rising (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Two Sisters and a Piano (Apple Tree Theatre); Generic Latina (Teatro Luna); La Casa de Bernarda Alba (Aguijon Theatre). Film/TV: Rooftop Wars, Arc of a Bird, Were the World Mine, Chicago Overcoat, First and Only Lesson, Dogwalker, Olympia: An Instruction Manual For How Things Work, Signature Move, En Algun Lugar, Somebody Somewhere, Paper Girls, Ripple Effects, Chicago Med, Easy, Shameless, Chicago Fire, Mob Doctor, Boss, Chicago Code, Approach Alone, Rogers Park, Princess Cyd, Single File, Teacher, Hala, Saint Frances, Rounding, Heartsong, Museum, Last Drop, Single Car Crashes and Adult Children.

Tim Hopper (frank/male conductor) is a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble. Recent roles at Steppenwolf include Andy in Downstate, which traveled to the National Theatre in London, and to Playwrights Horizons in New York. He also appeared at the Goodman Theatre in the title role of Uncle Vanya. Television appearances include Chicago Fire, the Amazon series Utopia, Fargo, The Americans, The Exorcist, Empire and Chicago Med. Film appearances include Perpetrator; Knives and Skin, School of Rock and To Die For, among others. Recipient of the 2018 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship. Broadway: Present Laughter. Off-Broadway: New York Theatre Workshop, Theatre for a New Audience, Vineyard Theatre and the Atlantic Theater. Regionally, at Long Wharf; Williamstown and La Jolla Playhouse. Internationally, the Edinburgh Festival and Antwerp's De Singel Theatre. 

Leslie Sophia Pérez (soledad) Class of ‘23 graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University. Steppenwolf Theatre Company: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (also at Seattle Rep). Chicago: Project Potential (Theater on the Lake); Assumptions and Forgiveness (American Blues Theater). Television: Chicago PD, HBO Max Pilot: Computer School. Commercial: Visa commercial. @_leslie.sophia.

Isabel Quintero (coyotl/syera loma) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: The House On Mango Street (u/s), La Osa Menor (LookOut 2019, 2023). Chicago: In The Heights (Porchlight Music Theatre); The Sins of Sor Juana, Blood Wedding ad., Yasmina’s Necklace (u/s), Let the Eagle Fly, Boleros for the Disenchanted (u/s) (Goodman Theatre); Living Large in a Mini Kind of Way, Quita Mitos (Teatro Luna); La Posada Magica (Teatro Vista); Mark of Zorro (Lifeline Theatre) Regional: The Roommate (Renaissance Theaterworks); Mojada (Indianapolis Shakespeare Company); Quixote Nuevo (Roun House Theatre) Calabasas Street (Children’s Theater of Madison) Film: Holy Trinity, A Handful of Dirt, L.A.I.D.; Television: Chicago P.D.,The Chi. Awards: DCASE Esteemed Artist Award 2022;  laosamenoralbum.com

Eddie Torres (manuel vargas) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Downstate (2023 Lortel nomination/Best Featured Performer in a Play) at Playwrights Horizons, The National Theatre in London and Steppenwolf Theater Company. Directing: The Old Globe, productions of El Borracho, Familiar, Native Gardens and Water by the Spoonful. Geffen Playhouse, Second Stage, Goodman, The Public, Repetorio Espanol, and more. He directed the world premiere of Kristoffer Diaz's The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. (Victory Gardens Theatre & Teatro Vista), which was named Best Play and New York Times (2010).  Received Joseph Jefferson Awards, including Best Production and Director.  Awards: Latin ACE Award (Best Musical, Artist de Teatro Independient (Best Director). He is an Associate Professor in Theater at University of Illinois Chicago and is Artistic Director Emeritus at Teatro Vista.

Accessibility

As a commitment to make the Steppenwolf experience accessible to everyone, performances featuring American Sign Language Interpretation, Open Captioning and Audio Description are offered during the run of each STC production (see dates above). Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. Our building features wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility or e-mail access@steppenwolf.org.

Sponsor Information

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from Northern Trust, Allstate Insurance Company, Amazon, Conagra Brands Foundation, Kirkland & Ellis, PNC, ArentFox Schiff, and Vinci Restaurant. Additional Steppenwolf Education support comes from the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Polk Bros. Foundation, ADM and the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events. 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Chicago theater that is home to America’s ensemble. The company began performing in the mid-1970s in the basement of a Highland Park, IL church—today Steppenwolf is the nation’s premier ensemble theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Deeply rooted in its ensemble ethos, the company is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to all. Groundbreaking productions from Balm in Gilead and August: Osage County to Downstate and Pass Over—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony® Awards—have made the theatre legendary. Artistic programming includes a membership series; a Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; and LookOut, a multi-genre performance series. The nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education engages more than 20,000 participants annually in Chicagoland communities promoting compassion, encouraging curiosity and inspiring action. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. 2021 marked the opening of Steppenwolf’s landmark Lefkofsky Arts & Education Center—deepening the company’s commitment to Chicagoland teens and serving as a cultural nexus for Chicago. Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis are the Artistic Directors and E. Brooke Flanagan is Executive Director. Keating Crown is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees.

Steppenwolf’s Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. 

We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Hellish, Hopeful, and Highly Recommended: Review of TimeLine Theatre’s Notes from the Field

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List: 

Adult Shows With Family Themes On Our Radar 

TIMELINE THEATRE PRESENTS CHICAGO PREMIERE OF ANNA DEAVERE SMITH’S 

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

JANUARY 31 - MARCH 24, 2024

Mildred Marie Langford, Shariba Rivers, and Adhana Reid give voice to 19 real-life people in director Mikael Burke’s staging of Smith’s searing indictment of America’s school-to-prison pipeline

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

A dirt floor, a sparse set, a chorus of 3 figures in black speaking in unison. 3 pairs of bare feet grounding, connecting, and rooting a series of disparate stories with a common thread of injustice, so something incredible can grow. Three powerful women channeling the true stories of 19 individuals fighting to overcome and transform America’s education and criminal justice systems. One must see performance that will blow the blinders off audience members and bring systemic racism, classism, and school/police failures into the spotlight. Notes from the Field is an eye opening compilation of heart wrenching stories, staged in a stark and moving way. Kudos to all the TimeLine cast and creatives for bringing critical, true stories into the spotlight, encouraging empathy, and inciting change. Highly recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars. 

Adhana Reid (from left), Shariba Rivers, and Mildred Marie Langford collectively become Sherrilyn Ifill from the NAACP. All production photos by Brett Beiner Photography.

Three is a magic number, and Mildred Marie Langford, Adhana Reid, and Shariba Rivers are transformation in action and bring the stage magic! By simple costume changes and impressively different body language, cadence and accents, these 3 masters of the craft embody 19 vastly different human beings, and bring their real experiences to our eyes and ears in a visceral, chill-inducing way.

We live in difficult times socially, politically, environmentally, and economically. Yet, we could also be on the cusp of exciting,historic change. Lots of elements in our society are failing, and one of the first steps to making positive changes is acknowledging the problems. 

Shariba Rivers as fisherman and former inmate Taos Procter shares his story 

of ending up in prison

I have many friends who are teachers, so for years I've heard a barrage of stories about our broken system. A close friend who taught in an alternative school in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood had a student in class with an ankle monitor and another who disappeared from her English class one day, and when she asked around she discovered he had murdered his two housemates and was arrested. So many students are dealing with unimaginable stress and untenable living situations, with few safety nets or services to help, before situations hit critical. Another close friend of mine teaches kids who have been kicked out of public school, in a near western burb. She's had many success stories, as well as the heartbreak of seeing more than one promising student get murdered, and several classmates kill each other! And then we have to take into account the lesser but relentless daily discipline problems, poverty, and life stressors. I still think the general public is oblivious or buying knee-jerk fear mongering without taking a good look at surrounding social problems and more effective solutions.

I'm the mother of 2 graduates of Chicago Public Schools and walking though metal detectors and past cops every day from 7th-12th grade was routine for them, along with active shooter drills, and even school bomb threats. My daughter was stopped by a squad car while walking to school her sophomore year. Her crime? She was a few minutes tardy, since the L train was late and she missed her connecting bus. They scared, grilled, and hassled her, accused her of being from another school and causing trouble, and eventually released her, much tardier than she would have been. She was a cute, little white girl. How different would it have been if she was a black boy, especially one who ran when they pulled up? How could that scary encounter have gone if she had ADHD, or had other physical or mental disabilities that made her unable to hear them or comply with their demands?

Here at ChiIL Mama, we can't praise TimeLine enough for producing the uncomfortable work that sparks difficult discussions. Chicago's new Mayor campaigned on a promise to remove police officers from Chicago Public Schools, so we're at an interesting moment where school counselors, and those trained in deescalation over incarceration may see more funding and support. At this juncture, Notes from the Field couldn't be more timely. There are so many nuggets of wisdom, common sense and compassion in this show. The idea that children in crisis need to be pulled closer, nurtured, and helped, not incarcerated and separated, truly resonates. It's easy to become numb to the constant negative news cycles, but elevating a crisis to the stage makes a unique impact.  

 

Adhana Reid as Chief Judge Abby Abinanti shares why it’s better to pull our children closer when they stray rather than push them away.

Despite some truly horrific situations, Notes from the Field ends on a hopeful note. Activists are making headway and the general public seems to be open to the possibility of change. TimeLine does an excellent lobby display tie-in for each of their shows, which includes concrete steps to take and contact information for the change makers, along with more history on the topic. Come early or stay after and check it out.

We're excited to see director Mikael Burke, making his TimeLine debut. Don't let his fabulous Oscar the Grouch coat fool you... Mikael Burke is no mere Muppet curmudgeon, hiding out on Sesame Street. We keep bumping into him everywhere, and seeing his work all over town. This ubiquitous up-and-comer is one to watch! 

Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, he's been a favorite of ours for years. We caught both of his recent critically acclaimed stagings, Blues for an Alabama Sky for Remy Bumppo and Tambo & Bones for Refracted Theatre Company, and we were wowed. With Mikael Burke at the helm, and three top Chicago actors—TimeLine Company Member Mildred Marie Langford, Adhana Reid and Shariba Rivers on stage, TimeLine Theatre’s Notes from the Field is in great hands. Don't miss this! 

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Hellish, Hopeful, and Highly Recommended

★★★★ Four out of four stars. 

Bonnie Kenaz-Mara, ChiILMama.com

TimeLine Theatre’s Chicago premiere of Notes from the Field by Anna Deavere Smith. Performances are January 31 - March 24, 2024 at TimeLine’s longtime home, 615 W. Wellington Ave., in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood. 

Notes from the Field is a strikingly intimate evening of theater unlike anything you’ve experienced before, presenting snapshots from a variety of real people, documenting their intersections with the American dream and the obstacles that work to block them from it. Utilizing verbatim dialogue pulled from more than 250 accounts from students, faculty, prisoners, activists, politicians, and victims’ families, Notes from the Field takes audiences on an emotional journey through the faults and injustices of an American criminal justice system that seems more focused on incarceration over education.

Deeply human, profoundly moving, and full of moments of humor, compassion, and resilience, Notes from the Field is a masterful work by one of the most accomplished theater artists of our time that asks audiences to observe, be present, and join the call for urgent and necessary change. The New York Times called it "a searing and urgent work that confronts some of the most pressing issues of our time with honesty, intelligence, and compassion.”  

Originally performed by creator Anna Deavere Smith as a one-woman show, TimeLine’s Chicago premiere features TimeLine Company Member Mildred Marie Langford, Adhana Reid and Shariba Rivers to weave together narratives of change makers, activists, and those caught within and trying to change the school-to-prison pipeline.

Mildred Marie Langford as inmate Denise Dodson expresses what prison has taught her and how a better education could have given her a different path.

In sum, Smith gives voice to 19 real-life instigators of change, from household names to brave Americans who were unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight of history, including Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Rev. Jamal Harrison Bryant, who eulogized Freddie Gray in Baltimore; Niya Kenny, the high school student who confronted a violent police deputy—all caught on film; activist Bree Newsome, who took the Confederate flag down from the South Carolina State House grounds; and many others. She ends the play with the late Congressman John Lewis, who personifies both a violent time in American history with the civil rights movement, and the promise of what American character is all about.

TimeLine’s production team includes Eleanor Kahn (Scenic Designer, she/her), Christine Pascual (Costume Designer, she/her), Eric Watkins (Lighting Designer), Ellie Terrell (Properties Designer, she/her), Rasean Davonté Johnson (Projections Designer, he/him), Christie Chiles Twillie (Sound Designer, she/her), DeRon S. Williams (Dramaturg, he/him), Dina Spoerl (Dramaturgical Display Designer, she/her), Sammi Grant (Dialect Coach, she/her), Regina Victor (Associate Director, pharaoh/they/them) and Katie Klemme (Stage Manager, she/her). Understudies are Ashli Rene Funches (any pronoun), Stephanie Mattos (she/her) and Jenese Upton (she/her).

Adhana Reid as student Niya Kenny shares her personal experience with police interference in the classroom.

NOTES FROM THE FIELD: “EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH IT, AT LEAST ONCE” 

Originally performed as a one-woman show by creator Anna Deavere Smith, this 2017 Obie Award-winning production was hailed by The Guardian as “captivating political theatre, a devastating document of racial inequality and the most rousing of rallying calls. Everyone should watch it, at least once.” Deeply human, profoundly moving, and full of moments of humor, compassion, and resilience, it’s a masterful work that makes it impossible to look away from the urgent need for change.

Said TimeLine Artistic Director PJ Powers, “Notes from the Field is the latest installment of what Anna Deavere Smith has referred to as her life’s work: a series of plays she calls On the Road: A Search for American Character. It’s a provocation, highlighting on-the-ground difference-makers who, in their own way, are instigators of change, from household names to a few brave Americans who were unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight of history as outspoken voices for change.”

Shariba Rivers as educator Sari Muhonen explains how student discipline and assistance in Finland differs from the United States.

NOTES FROM THE FIELD PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Previews are Wednesday, January 31 through Friday, February 2 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, February 3 at 4 p.m.; Sunday, February 4 at 2 p.m.; and Tuesday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. Press Night is Wednesday, February 7 at 7:30 p.m. Opening Night is Thursday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. (sold out). Regular performances continue through March 24: Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Exceptions: No 4 p.m. show Saturday, February 10; and no performances on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17. There are three added performances: Tuesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. and matinees on Wednesday, March 13 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, March 14 at 2 p.m.

BUYING TICKETS

Single tickets to Notes from the Field are $35-$67. For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the TimeLine Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.

Preview tickets are $35. Single tickets to regular performances are $52 (all evening performances) and $67 (all matinee performances). Student discount is 35% off regular price with valid ID. TimeLine is also a member of TCG’s Blue Star Theatre Program and is offering $25 tickets to U.S. military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their spouses and family.

Ticket buyers ages 18-35 may join TimeLine’s free MyLine program to obtain access to discounted tickets, special events and more. Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are also available. Visit timelinetheatre.com/discounts for more about available discounts.

LOCATION/TRANSPORTATION/PARKING

Notes from the Field will take place at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood, near the corner of Wellington and Broadway, inside Chabad East Lakeview, the former Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ building. TimeLine is served by multiple CTA trains and buses. There are multiple paid parking options nearby, plus limited free and metered street parking. Visit timelinetheatre.com/timeline-theatre for details and available discounts.

DISCUSSIONS

Post-Show Discussions: A brief, informal post-show discussion hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and featuring the dramaturg and members of the production team on Thursday, February 15; Sunday, February 18; Thursday, March 7; and Wednesday, March 13 (2 p.m. matinee).

Pre-Show Discussions: Starting one hour before the performance, a 25-minute introductory conversation hosted by a TimeLine Company Member and the dramaturg on Thursday, February 22, and Sunday, March 10.

Company Member Discussion: A post-show discussion with the collaborative team of artists who choose TimeLine’s programming and guide the company’s mission on Sunday, February 25.

Sunday Scholars Panel Discussion: A one-hour panel discussion featuring experts on the themes and issues of the play alongside a member of the production team in a moderated discussion, following the performance on Sunday, March 3.

All discussions are free and open to the public. For details, visit timelinetheatre.com. 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Mask-wearing is no longer required at TimeLine performances. Exception: One scheduled Distanced Performance for each production. Anyone is welcome to attend the Distanced Performance, but due to very limited capacity, we ask that immunocompromised patrons be given the first chance to reserve. 

While masking is no longer required at most performances, TimeLine supports an individual’s choice to mask and will continue to make good quality masks available upon request. Protocols are subject to change based on current public health recommendations; for the most current information, visit timelinetheatre.com/health-and-safety.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

Following Notes from the Field, TimeLine’s 2023-24 subscription season finale is another riveting play that links past, present and future, the world premiere of Black Sunday by Dolores Díaz. Developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective and directed by Sandra Marquez, Black Sunday is a startling look at conflicts of climate change, race, and gender in the days leading up to an infamous dust storm in 1930s Texas. Previews start May 8, 2024. Press opening is Wednesday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run through June 29.

ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY

TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. Currently celebrating its 27th season, TimeLine has presented 90 productions, including 13 world premieres and 41 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program and TimeLine South summer arts program, which bring the company's mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools and beyond. Recipient of the Alford-Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 60 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.

The company has long been bursting at the seams of its current leased home located at 615 W. Wellington Avenue in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood, where the theatre has been in residence since 1999. The company is currently working to develop its new home, located at 5035 North Broadway in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Plans feature an intimate black box theater seating up to 250 audience members, expanded area for the immersive lobby experiences that are a TimeLine hallmark, new opportunities for education and engagement, room to allow audience members to arrive early and stay late for theatergoing experiences that extend far beyond the stage, and more.

TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Executive Director Mica Cole, and Board President John Sterling. TimeLine Company members are Tyla Abercrumbie, Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, and Maren Robinson.

Major corporate, government and foundation donors providing season support via TimeLine’s Annual Fund include: Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Crown Family Philanthropies; Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation; Laughing Acres Family Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at Prince; Polk Bros. Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; Van Dam Charitable Foundation; and Walder Foundation. TimeLine also acknowledges the support of a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

BIOGRAPHIES             

Anna Deavere Smith (Playwright) is an actress, teacher, playwright, and the creator of the acclaimed On the Road series of one-woman plays, which are based on her interviews with diverse voices from communities in crisis. A recipient of the National Humanities Medal from President Obama and two Obie Awards, her work has also been nominated for a Pulitzer and two Tonys. Onscreen, she has appeared in many films and television shows, including Philadelphia, The West Wing, Black-ish, and Nurse Jackie. She is University Professor in the department of Art & Public Policy at New York University, where she also directs the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue. In 2019, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Mikael Burke (Director) is a Chicago-based director, deviser, and educator, making his TimeLine directing debut. A Princess Grace Award-winner in Theatre and Jeff Award-nominated director, Burke has worked with Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Remy Bumppo, Victory Gardens, Northlight, Raven, Jackalope, First Floor, The Story, and Refracted in Chicago, and regionally with Yale Rep, Forward Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Indiana Rep, Theatreworks Hartford, Urbanite, Theatreworks Colorado Springs, Asolo Rep, Geva, Phoenix Theatre Indianapolis, and Third Avenue Playworks. Burke previously served as Associate Artistic Director at both About Face Theatre and First Floor Theater, and adjuncts at DePaul and Roosevelt universities. Recent directing credits include the world premiere of The Salvagers by Harrison David Rivers (Yale Rep); Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage (Remy Bumppo); the Chicago premiere of Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris (Refracted); Clyde’s by Lynn Nottage (Theatreworks Hartford); and The Magnolia Ballet by Terry Guest (About Face; 2022 Jeff Award – Production, Short Run). He holds an MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University. mklburke.com.

Mildred Marie Langford as activist Bryan Stevenson shares how speaking out can help make the change we need.

Mildred Marie Langford has been a TimeLine Company Member since 2012. She was last seen last season at TimeLine in the world premiere of Boulevard of Bold Dreams, as well as in A Raisin in the Sun (BTAA nomination), My Kind of Town and In Darfur (Black Excellence Award nomination). Other credits include The Bluest Eye (A Noise Within Theatre, Los Angeles), The Great Jheri Curl Debate (East West Players, Los Angeles), Intimate Apparel (Northlight; BTAA, Equity Jeff, and Black Excellence award nominations–Best Actress), Gunshot Medley: Part 1 (CAB/Rogue Machine Theatre, Los Angeles; Ovation award nomination–Lead Actress), Native Son (Antaeus Theatre Company/Kirk Douglas Theatre 2019 Block Party, Los Angeles), Domesticated, Animal Farm, Venus and The Crucible (Steppenwolf), The Royale (American Theater Company, BTAA winner–Best Featured Actress), Luck of the Irish (Next), A Raisin in the Sun (Milwaukee Rep) and Failure: A Love Story (Victory Gardens). TV and film credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Bosch, Delilah, Chicago Med, Masters of Sex, Magic Funhouse, and the indie film projects Cotton Candy Bubble Gum, Morning Steep, The Three Phases of Isa, Upload, Dignity, Your Beautiful Baby, Concrete Rose and Analysis Paralysis.

Adhana Reid as artist and activist Bree Newsome shares her story of taking down a Confederate flag in South Carolina.

Adhana Reid is making her Timeline Theatre debut. Her Chicago credits include School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play (Goodman Theatre), Rocky Horror Picture Show (Haven Theatre), The MLK Project (Writers Theatre), Sheepdog (Shattered Globe), A Christmas Carol and The Color Purple (Drury Lane Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors (Mercury Theatre), Eclipsed (Pegasus), Big River (Theatre at the Center) and Spring Awakening (Marriott Theatre). adhanareid.com

Shariba Rivers as pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant urges his congregation to break the stigmas around them and fight back.

Shariba Rivers had her TimeLine debut last season with her critically acclaimed portrayal of Wiletta Mayer in Alice Childress’ Trouble in Mind. Other Chicago credits include The Nacirema Society (Goodman), The October Storm and Hoodoo Love (Raven), Sweat (Paramount), Small Jokes about Monsters (16th Street), The Tasters (Rivendell) and In the Canyon (Jackalope). Regional credits include Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play (TheatreSquared, Fayetteville, AK) and We are Continuous (Geva Theatre, Rochester, NY). Film/TV credits include Smoking Gun!, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. (NBC), The Chi (Showtime) and Empire (Fox). sharibatheactor.com

For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com or Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (@TimeLineTheatre on all platforms).

 

Mildred Marie Langford as educator Stephanie Williams tells an emotional story of her experience in an elementary classroom, in TimeLine Theatre Company’s Chicago premiere production of Notes from the Field, by Anna Deavere Smith and directed by Mikael Burke. Presented at TimeLine Theatre, January 31 – March 24, 2024. Production photo by Brett Beiner Photography.

Goodman Presents The Chicago Premiere of The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood March 2 – 31, 2024

 ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List: 

Adult Shows With Family Themes On Our Radar

JENNIFER MORRISON STARS AS “PENELOPE,” LEADS AN ALL-FEMALE, ALL-CHICAGO CAST OF 13 IN 

MARGARET ATWOOD’S THE PENELOPIAD

DIRECTED BY SUSAN V. BOOTH, CHOREOGRAPHY BY JOANN M. HUNTER

***BOOTH’S FIRST PRODUCTION TO DIRECT AS NEW GOODMAN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, THE CHICAGO PREMIERE APPEARS MARCH 2 - 31, 2024 IN THE ALBERT THEATRE***

(L-R Back Row) Hannah Whitley, Ericka Ratcliff, Laura Savage, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Allison Sill and Noelle Kayser. (L-R Front Row) Helen Joo Lee, Demetra Dee, Tyler Meredith, Jennifer Morrison, Maya Lou Hlava, Aja Alcazar and Andrea San Miguel.

Here at ChiIL Mama, we're so excited for Susan V. Booth's first mainstage production as Goodman Theatre's new Artistic Director. We're huge fans of Margaret Atwood's novels as well as women centered works. I'm especially jazzed for this one as I've just begun a 7 week writing workshop with Goodman called GeNarrations, a storytelling performance workshop for adults 55+ on the themes of The Penelopiad. I expect the workshop and this production will both hit close to home, as I'm a recent empty nester who just spent 20 years at home, raising children, while my husband literally traveled the world with film crews, having epic adventures! 

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale) will star Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time, House) in the title role of the Chicago premiere. Atwood serves up a new perspective on literature’s most famous domestic vigil by shifting authorial control to Penelope, Odysseus’ long-suffering wife, in this unexpected remix of Homer’s ancient classic. Portraying Penelope’s 12 faithful maids are Aja Alcazar, Demetra Dee, Maya Lou Hlava, Noelle Kayser, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Helen Joo Lee, Tyler Meredith, Ericka Ratcliff, Andrea San Miguel, Laura Savage, Allison Sill and Hannah Whitley. Casting is by Lauren Port, CSA. This ancient tale told anew by “one of the most admired authors in North America” (NPR) features choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter (Broadway’s Bad Cinderella, School of Rock, On A Clear Day). The design team includes Neil Patel (Sets); Kara Harmon (Costumes); Xavier Pierce (Lighting); Willow James (Sound); Samuel Davis (Music Composition); Jeremy Ramey (Music Direction); and Neena Arndt (Dramaturg). Kimberly McCann is the Production Stage Manager and Jennifer Gregory is the Stage Manager. Goodman Theatre’s Women’s Board is the Major Production Sponsor of The Penelopiad; The BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle is the Production Sponsor; the National Endowment for the Arts provides Production Support; and Winston & Strawn LLP is the Corporate Sponsor Partner. The Penelopiad appears March 2 – 31 in the 856-seat Albert Theatre. Tickets ($25 – 90; subject to change) are available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Penelopiad or by phone at 312.443.3800.

“When you think about stories of journeys, there is always someone left at home—and their story tends not to be told. I devoured Margaret Atwood’s funny, subversive novella on a plane ride, immediately struck by the paradigm shift of a story I thought I knew well,” said Susan V. Booth, who in 2022 was named Goodman Theatre’s eighth Artistic Director in 97 years, and is the first woman to assume the role. “I’m thrilled to direct this fantastic play as my first as Artistic Director. It just feels like an essential part of my inaugural season leading this theater.”

For the titular role of Penelope, Booth tapped stage and screen star Jennifer Morrison, who notes, “As a kid who grew up in Chicago, I was in awe of the productions at Goodman Theatre. It’s truly a childhood dream come true to return to my home town and perform here.” Morrison was raised in Arlington Heights and graduated from Loyola University Chicago. Best known for her roles on television and in films—including Dr. Allison Cameron in the series House and Tess in the film Warrior—she appeared on Broadway at the Circle In The Square Theatre in The Miracle Worker and at the off-Broadway MCC Theater in The End of Longing.

Jennifer Morrison

Choreographer JoAnn M. Hunter has more than 30 credits on Broadway, the West End and Australia. She most recently directed and choreographed SuperYou, The Musical (Lyric Theater in London) in the fall of 2023 and a live album concert at Carnegie Hall of SuperYou in 2022; Anyone Can Whistle with Ted Sperling (Carnegie Hall); 50 Years Of Broadway (Kennedy Center). Broadway: Bad Cinderella, Disaster, School of Rock, On A Clear Day, Broadway Bound. Love Life (City Center Encores 2025). National Tour/Regional: UnMasked, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (World Premier- PMP); Ever After (Alliance Theatre); World Premiers of August Rush with John Doyle, Beatsville by Glenn Slater, Harmony (Alliance/Ahmanson Theatre); the world premiere of Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes’ The Nutty Professor. Upcoming projects: Bran Castle, Jo The Musical, The Mulan Project.

Margaret Atwood is the author of more than 50 books of fiction, poetry and critical essays. Her novels include Cat’s Eye, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin, and the Maddaddam trilogy. Atwood's 1985 classic, The Handmaid’s Tale, was followed in 2019 by a sequel, The Testaments, which was a global number one bestseller and won the Booker Prize. In 2020 she published Dearly, her first collection of poetry in a decade, followed in 2022 with Burning Questions, a selection of essays from 2004-2021. Her next collection of short stories, Old Babes in the Wood, was published in March 2023. Atwood has won numerous awards, including the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Imagination in Service to Society, Franz Kafka Prize, Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award and Dayton Literary Peace Prize. In 2019 she was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to literature. She has also worked as a cartoonist, illustrator, librettist, playwright and puppeteer. She lives in Toronto, Canada.

Susan V. Booth joined Goodman Theatre in the fall of 2022, having previously served as Artistic Director of Atlanta’s Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre, premiering new work that went on to national, international and commercial life. She has directed at the Goodman, Hartford Stage, Ford's Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, New York Stage and Film, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens, Court Theatre and others. She has held teaching positions at Northwestern, DePaul and Emory Universities. She is past president of the Board of Directors for the Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for the field.

ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE

Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. Led by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director/CEO Roche Schulfer, the theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large-scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earner two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, among other accolades. The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, now in its fifth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters.

Using the tools of theatrical practice, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand and empathize with cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.

Goodman Theatre was built on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations. We recognize that many other Nations consider the area we now call Chicago as their traditional homeland—including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo and Mascouten—and remains home to many Native peoples today. While we believe that our city’s vast diversity should be reflected on the stages of its largest theater, we acknowledge that our efforts have largely overlooked the voices of our Native peoples. This omission has added to the isolation, erasure and harm that Indigenous communities have faced for hundreds of years. We have begun a more deliberate journey towards celebrating Native American stories and welcoming Indigenous communities.

The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.

Julie Danis is Chair of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Lorrayne Weiss is Women’s Board President and Kelli Garcia is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.

World Premiere of a home what howls via Steppenwolf Theatre February 7 – March 2, 2024

ChiIL Mama’s ChiIL Picks List: 

Theatre For Young Adults On Our Radar 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere of

a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)

By Matthew Paul Olmos

Directed by Laura Alcalá Baker 

 

Featuring ensemble member Tim Hopper with Charín Álvarez,

Leslie Sophia Pérez, Isabel Quintero and Eddie Torres

 February 7 – March 2, 2024 in the Ensemble Theater

The cast of Steppenwolf Theatre’s world premiere of a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)

includes (left to right) Eddie Torres, Isabel Quintero, Leslie Sophia Pérez,

Charín Álvarez and ensemble member Tim Hopper. Photo by Joel Moorman.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to present Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ (SYA) world premiere of a home what howls (or the house what was ravine) by Matthew Paul Olmos and directed by Laura Alcalá Baker. This powerful and poetic look at displacement and youth activism will play February 7 – March 2, 2024 in Steppenwolf’s stunning in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, 1646 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. 

The cast includes ensemble member Tim Hopper (Downstate, Chicago, New York & London) with Charín Álvarez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, ¡Bernarda!), Leslie Sophia Pérez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter), Isabel Quintero (La Osa Menor) and Eddie Torres (Downstate, Chicago, New York & London).

A coyote howling. A home in disarray. A young woman alone. In Matthew Paul Olmos’ world premiere, Soledad Vargas is in the city, fighting for her family’s right to live on their land. When hope starts to dwindle, how far will she go, and what will she be forced to leave behind? A modern myth drawn from the real-life struggles of displaced communities around the globe, a home what howls is a lyrically-rendered quest of youth activism standing against forces of injustice.

$5 Tickets for High School Students and School Groups

Tickets Starting at $20 for all Public Performances

Ticket Information

a home what howls will feature both public performances and student matinees, inviting all audiences to experience this world premiere. Regular tickets are $5 for high school students, $15 for college students and begin at $20 for the general public. Single tickets to a home what howls are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and (312) 335-1650.

Student Matinees

Student matinees will take place at 10 am on weekdays from Wednesday, February 7 – Friday, March 1, 2024. Tickets are only $5 for students and chaperones are free. Recommended for grades eight and up. To register your school, click here.

The a home what howls production team includes Lauren Nichols (Scenic Design), Uriel Gómez (Costume Design), Lindsey Lyddan (Lighting Design), Peter Clare (Sound Design), April Dawn Guthrie (Original Music), Maya Vinice Prentiss (Fight Choreographer & Intimacy Consultant), Kate DeVore (Vocal Coach), Mike Przygoda (Music Consultant), Bryar Barborka (Dramaturg), Patrick Zakem (Creative Producer), Elise Hausken (Production Manager), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting), Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager) and Kathleen Barrett (Assistant Stage Manager).

 

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Cast: Charín Álvarez (abrana vargas), Tim Hopper (frank, male conductor), Leslie Sophia Pérez (soledad), Isabel Quintero (coyotl/syera loma) and Eddie Torres (manuel vargas).

Location: Steppenwolf’s Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, 1646 N. Halsted St., Chicago

Dates: Previews: Friday, February 9 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, February 10 at 3 pm

Press Performance/Opening: Saturday, February 10 at 7:30 pm

Public Run: Saturday, February 17 – Saturday, March 2, 2024

Public Performance Curtain Times: Saturdays at 3 pm & 7 pm. Please note: there will be an added 7:30 pm performance on Friday, February 23 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets: Single tickets for a home what howls ($20 - $30) are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650. Regular tickets are $5 for high school students and $15 for college students.

 

Accessible Performance Dates:

Spanish Language-Captioned Student Matinee: Friday, February 16 at 10 am

Open-Captioned Public Performance: Saturday, February 17 at 3 pm

Relaxed Sensory Friendly Public Performance: Saturday, February 17 at 3 pm

Audio-Described and Touch Tour Public Performance: Saturday, February 24 at 3 pm (1:30 pm touch tour, 3 pm curtain)

ASL-Interpreted Student Matinee: Friday, March 1 at 10 am

ASL-Interpreted Public Performance: Saturday, March 2 at 3 pm

 

Artist Biographies:

Matthew Paul Olmos (Playwright) is a Mexican-American playwright who focuses on the creation of space for marginalized, underrepresented communities and gives them poetics and theatricality. While his work is always personal, it is aimed at reaching across sociopolitical boundaries, showing the ridiculous of how separate we are, and illuminating hope for future generations.

He is a three-time Sundance Institute Fellowship/Residency recipient, inaugural Dramatists Guild Foundation Catalyst Fellow, Echo Theater Company Resident Playwright, lifetime Ensemble Studio Theatre member and Sloan Commission recipient, Playwrights’ Center Core Writer and two-time Venturous Playwright Fellowship nominee. Previous Actors’ Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival Commission, Arizona Theatre Company’s National Latine Playwriting Awardee, Baryshnikov Arts Center Resident Artist, Brooklyn Arts Exchange Resident Artist, Center Theatre Group LA Playwright, Drama League nominee, Geffen Playhouse Writers Room, Ingram New Works at Nashville Repertory, INTAR H.P.R.L., a proud Kilroys nominator, New York Theatre Workshop Fellow, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Black Swan Lab, two-time Ojai Playwrights Conference, inaugural Primary Stages Creative Development Grantee and Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group, Princess Grace Awardee in Playwriting, Repertorio Español Miranda Family Nuestra Voces Playwriting Awardee. 

He spent two years as a Mabou Mines/SUITE Resident Artist being mentored by Ruth Maleczech, was chosen/mentored by Taylor Mac for Cherry Lane’s Mentor Project, and was La MaMa e.t.c.'s Ellen Stewart Emerging Playwright Awardee as selected by Sam Shepard. His work has been presented nationally and internationally, taught in university and is published by Concord Theatricals/Samuel French and NoPassport Press. matthewpaulolmos.com

Laura Alcalá Baker (Director, she/they) is a Chicago-based director and new work developer specializing in unearthing the missing canon and reimagining the existing one. She lives in the intersection of a mixed child, one and both – Mexican American. Chicago directing credits include: Anna in the Tropics (Remy Bumppo), The Leopard Play, or sad songs for lost boys (Steep Theatre); The Way She Spoke (DCASE, Greenhouse Theater Center); Nancy García Loza’s BRAVA (Make-Believe Association); BULL: a love story (Paramount Theatre); and The Pillowman (The Gift Theatre). Regional directing credits include Somewhere Over the Border (City Theatre/People’s Light), Equivocation, The Giver, 11:11 and Collapse (B Street Theater). New play workshops and readings include work with Steep Theatre, The New Colony, Paramount Theatre and the Goodman Theatre New Stages Festival. She is a Steep Theatre ensemble member and a proud former member of the Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists. She was nominated for “Best Casting Director” and “Best Director: Brava” at the ALTA Awards. labdirecting.com

Charín Álvarez (abrana vargas) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, La Ruta, Infidel, Ordinary Yearning, Fermi. Chicago: Anna in the Tropics, Passage, Skin of Our Teeth, Clean House (Remy Bumppo); Lettie, Mojada, Oedipus El Rey, Anna in the Tropics, A Park in the House (Victory Gardens Theater); The Scene (Writers Theatre); 2666, Pedro Paramo, El Nogalar, Dollhouse, Electricidad (Goodman Theatre); In The Time of the Butterflies, Our Lady of the Underpass, I Put the Fear of Mexico in ‘em, Dreamlandia, Another Part of the House (Teatro Vista); Water by the Spoonful (Court Theatre); What We Once Felt (About Face Theatre); Kita & Fernanda (16th Street Theatre); Esperanza Rising (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Two Sisters and a Piano (Apple Tree Theatre); Generic Latina (Teatro Luna); La Casa de Bernarda Alba (Aguijon Theatre). Film/TV: Rooftop Wars, Arc of a Bird, Were the World Mine, Chicago Overcoat, First and Only Lesson, Dogwalker, Olympia: An Instruction Manual For How Things Work, Signature Move, En Algun Lugar, Somebody Somewhere, Paper Girls, Ripple Effects, Chicago Med, Easy, Shameless, Chicago Fire, Mob Doctor, Boss, Chicago Code, Approach Alone, Rogers Park, Princess Cyd, Single File, Teacher, Hala, Saint Frances, Rounding, Heartsong, Museum, Last Drop, Single Car Crashes and Adult Children.

Tim Hopper (frank/male conductor) is a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble. Recent roles at Steppenwolf include Andy in Downstate, which traveled to the National Theatre in London, and to Playwrights Horizons in New York. He also appeared at the Goodman Theatre in the title role of Uncle Vanya. Television appearances include Chicago Fire, the Amazon series Utopia, Fargo, The Americans, The Exorcist, Empire and Chicago Med. Film appearances include Perpetrator; Knives and Skin, School of Rock and To Die For, among others. Recipient of the 2018 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship. Broadway: Present Laughter. Off-Broadway: New York Theatre Workshop, Theatre for a New Audience, Vineyard Theatre and the Atlantic Theater. Regionally, at Long Wharf; Williamstown and La Jolla Playhouse. Internationally, the Edinburgh Festival and Antwerp's De Singel Theatre. 

Leslie Sophia Pérez (soledad) Class of ‘23 graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University. Steppenwolf Theatre Company: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (also at Seattle Rep). Chicago: Project Potential (Theater on the Lake); Assumptions and Forgiveness (American Blues Theater). Television: Chicago PD, HBO Max Pilot: Computer School. Commercial: Visa commercial. @_leslie.sophia.

Isabel Quintero (coyotl/syera loma) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: The House On Mango Street (u/s), La Osa Menor (LookOut 2019, 2023). Chicago: In The Heights (Porchlight Music Theatre); The Sins of Sor Juana, Blood Wedding ad., Yasmina’s Necklace (u/s), Let the Eagle Fly, Boleros for the Disenchanted (u/s) (Goodman Theatre); Living Large in a Mini Kind of Way, Quita Mitos (Teatro Luna); La Posada Magica (Teatro Vista); Mark of Zorro (Lifeline Theatre) Regional: The Roommate (Renaissance Theaterworks); Mojada (Indianapolis Shakespeare Company); Quixote Nuevo (Roun House Theatre) Calabasas Street (Children’s Theater of Madison) Film: Holy Trinity, A Handful of Dirt, L.A.I.D.; Television: Chicago P.D.,The Chi. Awards: DCASE Esteemed Artist Award 2022;  laosamenoralbum.com

Eddie Torres (manuel vargas) Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Downstate (2023 Lortel nomination/Best Featured Performer in a Play) at Playwrights Horizons, The National Theatre in London and Steppenwolf Theater Company. Directing: The Old Globe, productions of El Borracho, Familiar, Native Gardens and Water by the Spoonful. Geffen Playhouse, Second Stage, Goodman, The Public, Repetorio Espanol, and more. He directed the world premiere of Kristoffer Diaz's The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. (Victory Gardens Theatre & Teatro Vista), which was named Best Play and New York Times (2010).  Received Joseph Jefferson Awards, including Best Production and Director.  Awards: Latin ACE Award (Best Musical, Artist de Teatro Independient (Best Director). He is an Associate Professor in Theater at University of Illinois Chicago and is Artistic Director Emeritus at Teatro Vista.

Accessibility

As a commitment to make the Steppenwolf experience accessible to everyone, performances featuring American Sign Language Interpretation, Open Captioning and Audio Description are offered during the run of each STC production (see dates above). Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance and all our spaces are equipped with an induction hearing loop. Our building features wheelchair accessible seating and restrooms, push-button entrances, a courtesy wheelchair and all-gender restrooms, with accessible counter and table spaces at our bars. For additional information regarding accessibility, visit steppenwolf.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility or e-mail access@steppenwolf.org.

Sponsor Information

United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from Northern Trust, Allstate Insurance Company, Amazon, Conagra Brands Foundation, Kirkland & Ellis, PNC, ArentFox Schiff, and Vinci Restaurant. Additional Steppenwolf Education support comes from the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Polk Bros. Foundation, ADM and the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation. Steppenwolf also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events. 

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Chicago theater that is home to America’s ensemble. The company began performing in the mid-1970s in the basement of a Highland Park, IL church—today Steppenwolf is the nation’s premier ensemble theater with 49 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Deeply rooted in its ensemble ethos, the company is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to all. Groundbreaking productions from Balm in Gilead and August: Osage County to Downstate and Pass Over—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony® Awards—have made the theatre legendary. Artistic programming includes a membership series; a Steppenwolf for Young Adults season; and LookOut, a multi-genre performance series. The nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education engages more than 20,000 participants annually in Chicagoland communities promoting compassion, encouraging curiosity and inspiring action. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. 2021 marked the opening of Steppenwolf’s landmark Lefkofsky Arts & Education Center—deepening the company’s commitment to Chicagoland teens and serving as a cultural nexus for Chicago. Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis are the Artistic Directors and E. Brooke Flanagan is Executive Director. Keating Crown is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees.

Steppenwolf’s Mission: Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. 

We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Chekhov’s Seagull and Diva Dementia Center Stage in Charming Chayka

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival 

Chayka

Belova-Iacobelli Theatre Company From Belgium/Chile

Recommended for Ages 13+ 

REVIEW:

By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing Chayka at the Chopin Theatre's main stage. This lovely solo show features one puppeteer with a life-sized, half body puppet that shares her feet and one arm. A teddy bear, a book, a scarf stand in for the other main characters in Chekhov’s play, The Seagull. And of course, there's a seagull. 

As Chayka, an aging diva with dementia makes her final appearance on stage as Chekhov’s Arkadina, the 4th wall is broken down, and the audience is privy to both the actress and the character in turn.  The puppetry is exquisite, as the young woman puppeteer and Chayka alternately dialogue, merge and split, and even swap places, in a dance of memories and forgetting. 

English subtitles are projected above, so it was easy to follow the plot and transcend any language barriers. 

On a minimalist, stripped down set, Chayka relives the glory days when she played a host of the younger Seagull characters, bemoans the lack of a lake, and finds her light. It's a poignant piece, and a bold choice. Puppet genre shows dealing with aging and endings are rare. 

Despite the melancholy subject, there's plenty of humor, and the opportunity to run the gamut of emotions, escalating to a set deconstructing, table flipping rage. In the past few years, I've seen both The Seagull and also Stupid F*#@ing Bird, Aaron Posner's irreverent, contemporary remix of Chekhov’s The Seagull. All 3 productions  explore the timeless tussle between young and old, past and present, in search of meaning. If you're a fan of creative puppeteering and particularly Chekhovian explorations of frustration and decline, make a point to experience Chayka. 

Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and Mama to 2 amazing adults. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly). 

Chayka

Belova-Iacobelli Theatre Company

Belgium/Chile

Chopin Theatre (mainstage), 1543 W. Division St., Wicker Park

January 26-28

Three shows: Friday and Saturday, January 26 and 27 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, January 28 at 3 p.m.

60 minutes (English subtitles)

Ages 13 and up

Tickets: $30-$40

In the backstage of a theater, an aging actress named Chayka struggles to remember why she is there. A young woman arrives to remind her: tonight she must play the part of Arkadina in Chekhov’s The Seagull. As her memory fades, not knowing quite who she is nor the part she is meant to be playing, Chayka is determined at least to give this last performance. In her struggle and descent, reality and fiction intersect.

 

This multi-award winning production, told in a dreamlike style, is a duo performance for one actress and one puppet, and is the first piece from the Belgo-Chilean company Belova ~ Iacobelli. In 2012, the Chilean actress and stage director Tita Iacobelli met the Belgo-Russian puppeteer Natacha Belova in Santiago, Chile, at the La Rebelión de los Muñecos Festival. In 2015, again in Santiago, they created an experimental theater laboratory for contemporary puppet theater. When the two-month experience was over, they decided to develop a play together. Chayka was the first production, created in June 2018 in Santiago de Chile, followed In September 2021, by LOCO at the Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles in Belgium. In October 2022, the performance Sisypholia, by Natacha Belova co-directed with Dorian Chavez, was presented at the International Biennial of Living Arts Toulouse Occitanie in France. belova-iacobelli.com. 

Everything you need to know about the 6th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival January 18-28, 2024

January in Chicago isn't all dreary, cold, and grey. Puppet fest is back to put some color and joy into your January. Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we've covered the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival every year since it's inception. We're elated that they're now an annual fest instead of every other year, and we'll be out to review as much of the fest as possible once again in 2024. Check out the schedule below to save the dates. There'll be plentiful family friendly and adult puppet fun and we'll have the scoop right here. 

Tickets are now on sale for the 6th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, the largest of its kind in North America, returning January 18-28, 2024, at venues large and small throughout the city. 

The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is the largest event dedicated to the art form in North America. In the heart of winter, the Festival spans 11 days and dozens of Chicago venues, sharing 100+ puppetry activities with 14,000+ guests. The festival includes performances, the Free Neighborhood Tour, a Puppet Hub open throughout the festival on the fourth floor of the Fine Arts Building, a symposium, the Catapult Artist Intensive, workshops, and more. 

Visit chicagopuppetfest.org for tickets and information about the 6th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, and sign up for the festival’s e-news.

Follow the festival on Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, hashtag #ChiPuppetFest.