Steppenwolf Theatre to Present the World Premiere of BALD SISTERS by Vichet Chum in December

Steppenwolf Theatre Company will continue its 47th season with the world premiere of Vichet Chum's Bald Sisters, a brazen, comic examination of the ties that bind multigenerational families of immigrants together. Directed by Jesca Prudencio, Bald Sisters will play December 1, 2022 - January 15, 2023 in Steppenwolf's stunning new in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, the centerpiece of its recently unveiled Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. The press opening is Sunday, December 11 at 6 pm.

Bald Sisters will feature Francesca Fernandez McKenzie, Coburn Goss, Wai Ching Ho, Jennifer Lim and Nima Rakhshanifar.

Ma is dead; now what happens? Vichet Chum's world premiere follows two sisters - at odds since birth - as they settle the affairs of their strong-willed, wise-cracking mother while reconciling their family's Cambodian heritage with its ever-so-complicated American present. Where's the will? A burial or cremation? And what happens with Ma's teeth? Bald Sisters is an irreverent, comic and ultimately poignant examination of the ties that bind multigenerational families of immigrants together: history, spirituality and humor.

Single tickets for Bald Sisters starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at 312-335-1650.

Steppenwolf 2022-23 Flex Memberships are currently on sale: Black Card Memberships with six tickets for use any time for any production, and Red Card Memberships for theatergoers under 30.

Performance Details:

Bald Sisters

By Vichet Chum

Directed by Jesca Prudencio

Featuring Francesca Fernandez McKenzie (Sophea), Coburn Goss (Nate), Wai Ching Ho (Ma), Jennifer Lim (Him) and Nima Rakhshanifar (Seth).

In the Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell, 1650 N. Halsted St., Chicago

December 1, 2022 - January 15, 2023

Press opening: Sunday, December 11 at 6 pm

Ticket information: Single tickets starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org and the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.

The production team includes Andrew Boyce (Scenic Design), Izumi Inaba (Costume Design), Stacey Derosier (Lighting Design), Pornchanok Kanchanabanca (Sound Design & Original Music), Mike Tutaj (Projection Design), Gigi Buffington (Company Voice & Text Coach), Tom Pearl (Producing Director), JC Clementz, CSA (Casting Director), Laura D. Glenn (Production Stage Manager) and Jaclynn Joslin (Assistant Stage Manager). For full cast and creative team bios, visit https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets--events/seasons/2022-23/bald-sisters/.

Playwright/Director Biographies:

Vichet Chum

(Playwright) is a Cambodian-American playwright and theater maker, originally from Dallas, Texas and now living in New York City. His plays have been workshopped at Steppenwolf Theatre, the Magic Theater, The Alley Theatre, the UCROSS Foundation, Fault Line Theatre, Crowded Outlet, Second Generation Productions, Weston Playhouse, Cleveland Public Theatre, All For One Theater, Amios, Florida State University, Merrimack Repertory Theatre and the New Harmony Project. He received the 2018-19 Princess Grace Award in Playwriting with New Dramatists, serves as an Associate Artist at Merrimack Repertory Theatre and is a current board member for the New Harmony Project. This season, Vichet is a part of the 2019 Resident Working Farm Group at Space on Ryder Farm, the 2020 Interstate 73 Writer's Group at Page 73 and the 2020 Ars Nova Play Group. He's currently working on a commission from the Audible Theater Emerging Playwrights Fund and Cleveland Play House. He is a proud graduate of the University of Evansville (BFA) and Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company (MFA). He's represented by Beth Blickers at APA Agency. vichetchum.com.

Jesca Prudencio

(Director) is a director and choreographer dedicated to developing new theatrical works that humanize issues nationally and internationally. Upcoming: Dot Dot Dot (TheatreWorks USA), Exotic Deadly; or the MSG Play (The Old Globe). Recent: King Liz (Geffen Playhouse), Can We Now? (La Jolla Playhouse WoW Fest), It's a Ship Show! (Virgin Voyages), Interstate (Mixed Blood, East West Players). Other credits: The Great Leap by Lauren Yee (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Vietgone, Actually (San Diego Rep); Calling (La MaMa ETC); Man of God (East West Players); A&Q (Pineapple Lab, Philippines); FAN (B-Floor, Thailand). Jesca has developed new work at MCC Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, Cleveland Playhouse, Arena Stage, NAMT and La MaMa. She is a recipient of The Drama League Fellowship and the inaugural Julie Taymor World Theater Fellowship. Jesca is head of directing at SDSU where she is an Associate Professor. BFA: NYU Tisch, MFA: UC San Diego. jescaprudencio.com

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