Steppenwolf Theatre Debuts Major Addition
Steppenwolf Theatre Debuts Major Addition
By Wes Hessel
One of the world class theater groups based in Chicago revealed to the press November 2nd their extensive expansion to the ensemble company’s campus on Halsted. The organization, which had its first long-term space in a Highland Park church basement, was birthed by the founding student trio of Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry, and Gary Sinise in January of 1974, in conjunction with Sinise’s friends Leslie Wilson and Rick Argosh. The full initial troup added H.E. Baccus, Nancy Evans, Moira Harris, Alan Wilder, Laurie Metcalf, and John Malkovich when the company formed as a non-profit in 1976.
In 1991, Steppenwolf (named for a book by Herman Hesse Mr. Argosh was reading when they came together) moved to its own space in the 1600 block of North Halsted in the city. Thirty years, 12 Tony’s, and a National Medal of Arts later, the group (now an ensemble of 49) brought to fruition an expansive growth to their building, featuring a new 400 seat cutting edge theater-in-the-round and the first dedicated space for theatrical education, already a cornerstone of Steppenwolf’s mission, in The Loft on the fourth floor. Along the way many more recognized names came into the troup, including Joan Allen, Kevin Anderson, Gary Cole, Kathryn Erbe, Glenne Headly, Tracy Letts, John Mahoney, Austin Pendleton, William Petersen, and Martha Plimpton, amongst others.
In addition to the new theater venue and The Loft (which also features visual art space for selected works by young people), the expansion about doubled the lobby/gathering space, which was new or completely redone. Included in the upstairs lounge is the History Wall, commissioned by Mr. Sinise, a collection of cases holding artifacts from the long, storied history of Steppenwolf. The costume shop also received fresh, larger digs.
The dedication was heralded in the ribbon cutting ceremonies by special guests Governor J.B. Pritzker and Illinois First Lady M.K. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and city First Lady Amy Eshleman, as well as Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan, previous Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro, current Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, and other Steppenwolf staff, associates, and supporters. The ceremony acted also as a precursor to the return of in-person performances at the company’s theaters, which will be coming soon. For more information, please see their website at www.steppenwolf.org.
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