Bailiwick, Buzz22 and Theatre Seven Set for Steppenwolf Theatre's GARAGE REP 2013, Beginning Today

Steppenwolf Theatre Company welcomes three Chicago companies for the fourth annual Garage Rep: Bailiwick Chicago, Buzz22 Chicago and Theatre Seven of Chicago. These innovative storefront companies present three productions in rotating repertory for a ten-week run tonight, February 14 - April 21, 2013in The Steppenwolf Garage (1624 N Halsted St).

"In selecting the companies for Garage Rep 2013, we wanted to create a kaleidoscope of experience-a vibrant repertory of three distinct and exciting plays. Bailiwick Chicago, Buzz22 and Theatre Seven bring a unique mix of innovative and aesthetically diverse projects to The Steppenwolf Garage," comments Steppenwolf Associate Producer Jacob Padrón. "In our most intimate theatre, come see a stirring chamber musical inspired by Rashomon, an epic tale that blurs the lines between reality and imagination, and a gripping story that questions our capacity to love in the face of trauma. Michael John LaChiusa is one of our great contemporary composers, and Qui Nguyen and Christina Anderson are both thrilling emerging playwrights of color. We are proud to partner with these companies for Garage Rep as we continue our commitment to providing a space for new plays, new artists and millennial audiences."

Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Garage Rep 2013 Line-up
(All plays, artists and dates are subject to change)

Bailiwick Chicago presents
See What I Wanna See
Words and Music by Michael John LaChiusa
Directed by Lili-Anne Brown

A 1950s murder noir, a priest's crisis of faith in post-9/11 New York, and the final tryst of two lovers in feudal Japan all serve to explore the relativity of truth in Michael John LaChiusa's three-part musical. The lush musical score incorporates jazz, pop, classical and Asian influences, driving the storytelling in this virtuosic five-person ensemble piece.

Bailiwick Chicago (Lili-Anne Brown, Artistic Director; Kate Garassino, Executive Director; Jonathan Verge, Producing Director) is a theater company that was formed by a group of dedicated actors, directors and production professionals after Bailiwick Repertory Theater closed its doors in September 2009. This Collective is the artistic ensemble responsible for the mission and vision of the company. In its first two seasons, Bailiwick Chicago garnered 28 award nominations and received critical acclaim for its innovative ChicaGo Productions. For more information, visit bailiwickchicago.com.

Buzz22 Chicago presents
She Kills Monsters
By Qui Nguyen
Directed by Scott Weinstein

Following the death of her geeky teenage sister, Tilly, Agnes's life is turned upside down when she stumbles upon Tilly's Dungeons & Dragons notebook and embarks on an action-packed quest to save her sister's soul. As her reality blurs, Agnes comes face to face with homicidal fairies, raunchy ogres and blood thirsty cheerleaders, and discovers a side of her sister she never got to know.

Buzz22 Chicago (Scott Weinstein and Sara Sawicki, Co-Artistic Directors; Phil de Guzman, Managing Director) was founded by seven Northwestern University graduates in 2010. Since then, Buzz22 has staged four productions, including the Midwest premiere of Residue by Joel Sinensky and Quake by Melanie Marnich, performed in repertory at Royal George Theatre. The company seeks to provide a home for up-and-coming artists in the Chicago area. Buzz22 stages stories to explore the constant coming of age: the ever-occurring moments that challenge who we are and who we want to be. For more, go to buzz22chicago.com.

Theatre Seven of Chicago presents
BlackTop Sky
By Christina Anderson
Directed by Cassy Sanders

After police rough up a fellow resident of the projects, 18-year-old Ida takes an interest in the homeless man who sleeps on a nearby bench. When an unlikely friendship emerges, will it strengthen her connection to home or drive her away in search of a new life? BlackTop Sky examines the intersection of love, violence and seduction inside an institution with a haunting Chicago legacy: the public housing project.

Theatre Seven of Chicago (Brian Golden, Managing Artistic Director; Cassy Sanders, Associate Artistic Director) produces work that explores the diverse Chicago experience. Since 2007, the company has produced 16 standout offerings, greeted 12,000 audience members, paid 200+ artists for their contributions, earned nominations for three Jeff Awards and two Black Theatre Alliance Awards and won the 2012 Emerging Theatre Award. The company's noted world premieres include The Chicago Landmark Project, We Live Here, Diversey Harbor, Yes, This Really Happened To Me and Cooperstown. Theatre Seven also hosts a robust menu of auxiliary programming, including a monthly reading series, Shikaakwa. Go to theatreseven.org for more information.

Since the inaugural repertory in 2010, Garage Rep has brought the work of nine storefront theater companies in Chicago to the Steppenwolf stage, including: The Twins Would Like To Say by Dog & Pony Theatre Company, punkplay by Pavement Group and Adore by XIII Pocket in 2010; Heddatron by Sideshow Theatre Company, The Three Faces of Doctor Crippen by The Strange Tree Group and Sonnets for an Old Century by UrbanTheater Company in 2011; and Hit the Wall by The Inconvenience, Oohrah!by LiveWire Chicago and He Who by Theatre Zarko in 2012. Garage Rep 2013 marks the fourth annual series, adding Bailiwick Chicago, Buzz22 Chicago and Theatre Seven of Chicago to the distinguished list of Garage Rep alumni.

The Steppenwolf Garage is dedicated to new plays, new artists and new audiences for the American theater. It offers artists the opportunity to present their work with the scale, space and resources it merits. For audiences, it provides opportunities to engage in multigenerational conversation about the new, provocative work emerging from Chicago's diverse and vibrant theatre scene.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is America's longest standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, producing nearly 700 performances and events annually in its three Chicago theater spaces-the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat Garage Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 43 actors, writers and directors. Artistic programming at Steppenwolf includes a five-play Subscription Season, a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season and three repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work, Garage Rep and Next Up. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Sydney and Dublin. Steppenwolf has the distinction of being the only theater to receive the National Medal of Arts, in addition to numerous other prestigious honors including an Illinois Arts Legend Award and nine Tony Awards. Martha Lavey is the Artistic Director and David Hawkanson is the Executive Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf's Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre and twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.

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