Cast Complete for Taylor Mac's HIR at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces the complete cast for Hir, a Chicago premiere by celebrated playwright, actor, singer-songwriter and performance artist Taylor Mac.

Directed by Steppenwolf Artistic Producer Hallie Gordon, the cast features ensemble members Francis Guinan (Arnold) and Amy Morton (Paige), with Em Grosland (Max) and Michael Holding (Isaac). Previews begin June 29, 2017 and the show runs through August 20, 2017 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St.

Single tickets ($20-$89) to Taylor Mac's Hir, as well as ensemble member Tracy Letts's world premiere of Linda Vista, go on sale tomorrow, Friday, January 27 at 11am through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

The classic dysfunctional family drama has just crashed through into a wholly original place. Meet Paige, a wife and mother liberated from an oppressive and abusive marriage; Max, her newly out transgender child; and Isaac, Max's PTSD-addled older brother, who discovers a brand new war zone when he comes home from Afghanistan. Hir's crusade to shake up the patriarchy is disarmingly funny, absurd and surprising as it looks at an American family forced to build a new world out of the pieces of the old.

Ensemble member Francis Guinan has appeared in more than 30 shows, most recently John Steinbeck's East of Eden last season. Amy Morton has been a Steppenwolf ensemble member since 1997 and received Tony nominations for her roles in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and August: Osage County. Em Grosland makes his Steppenwolf debut in Hir, and most recently appeared Off-Broadway in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Masterworks Theatre Company. Michael Holding also makes his Steppenwolf debut in this production, and was most recently seen in Posh with Steep Theatre.

Taylor Mac (who uses "judy", lowercase sic, not as a name but as a gender pronoun) is a playwright, actor, singer-songwriter, performance artist, director and producer. Named "one of the most exciting theater artists of our time," by Time Out NY, judy is the author of 17 full-length plays and performance pieces including Hir, which placed on the top ten theater of 2015 lists of The New York Times, New York Magazine and Time Out NY.

Hallie Gordon (director) serves as Artistic Director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults and an artistic producer at Steppenwolf. Along with selecting the young adult productions each season, she has created the Young Adult Council, a group of high school students who collectively help to create innovative programming for their peers. Previously as SYA's Educational Director, Gordon worked closely with the Chicago Public Schools to create an environment in which all students and teachers have access to the theater. For Steppenwolf, Hallie has directed George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm, as well as Leveling Up, The Book Thief, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, To Kill a Mockingbird, the world premiere of a new adaptation by Tanya Saracho of The House on Mango Street and Harriet Jacobs, adapted for the stage by Lydia R. Diamond. A world premiere of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, also adapted by Lydia R. Diamond, won a Black Excellence Award from the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago and also transferred Off-Broadway to The New Victory Theatre. She is the recipient of The Helen Coburn Meier & Time Meier Achievement Award.

The Hir production team includes Collette Pollard (scenic design), Jenny Mannis (costume design), Ann G. Wrightson (lighting design), Richard Woodbury (sound design and original music) and Gigi Buffington (dialect coach). Other credits include Anna D. Shapiro (artistic producer), JC Clementz (casting director), Laura D. Glenn (stage manager) and Mary Hungerford (assistant stage manager).

Tickets also go on sale for Linda Vista tomorrow, Friday, January 27 at 11am at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org. A world premiere by ensemble member Tracy Letts, Linda Vista is directed by Dexter Bullard. The cast features ensemble members Ian Barford (Wheeler), Tim Hopper (Paul), Sally Murphy (Margaret) and Caroline Neff (Anita) with Kahyun Kim (Minnie), Cora Vander Broek (Jules) and Troy West (Michael). Previews begin March 30 (press performances are Saturday, April 8 at 3pm and Tuesday, April 11 at 7:30pm; opening night is Sunday, April 9) and the production runs through May 21, 2017 in the Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St.

Wheeler is 50. His marriage is over, his job is mundane, and the best years of his life appear to be behind him. A move from the cot in his ex-wife's garage to his own apartment opens up new possibilities for love and sex-complicated, painful and hilarious. Full of opinions, yet short on self-examination, Wheeler is a modern misanthrope who must reconcile the man he has become with the man he wants to be.

Black Card Memberships are available for audiences interested in extreme flexibility. Cards include six tickets for use any time, for any production, including the LookOut Series. The tickets are valid for one year with the option to add additional tickets as needed. Perks include easy and free exchanges, access to seats before the general public, savings on single ticket prices and bar and restaurant discounts for pre- and post-show socializing. More info at steppenwolf.org/memberships.

Steppenwolf's 2016/17 Season opened with the world premiere of Visiting Edna by David Rabe, directed by Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro (ended November 6), followed by the world premiere of Erika Sheffer's The Fundamentals (ended December 31, 2016). Playing now is the Chicago premiere of The Christians by Lucas Hnath, directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (now - January 29, 2017); next up is the Chicago premiere of Straight White Men, written and directed by Young Jean Lee (February 2 - March 19, 2017); the world premiere of Linda Vista by ensemble member Tracy Letts, directed by Dexter Bullard (March 30 - May 21, 2017); and the Chicago premiere of Hir by Taylor Mac, directed by Hallie Gordon (June 29 - August 20, 2017); and an additional summer show, Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu (June 1 - July 9, 2017).

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation's premier ensemble theater-redefining the landscape of acting and performance. Formed by a collective of actors in 1976, the ensemble has grown to 47 members who represent a remarkable cross-section of actors, directors and playwrights. Thrilling and powerful productions from Balm in Gilead to August: Osage County-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 14,000 participants annually from Chicago's diverse communities; the esteemed School at Steppenwolf; and Professional Leadership Programs for arts administration training. Steppenwolf's own Front Bar: Coffee and Drinks serves coffee, cocktails and a menu curated in partnership with the Boka Restaurant Group day and night. 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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