Steppenwolf NOW Concludes First Virtual Season with WHERE WE STAND

What does community mean? And what do we owe to one another? Steppenwolf NOW presents the final offering in its inaugural virtual season, Where We Stand, a bold feat of storytelling about community and accountability written, performed and composed by 2021 Whiting Award Winner Donnetta Lavinia Grays.

Directed by Tamilla Woodard, this 70-minute filmed play begins streaming June 16, 2021. Access the work with purchase of a Steppenwolf NOW membership, which includes six Dynamic Productions all available to stream through August 31, 2021. Ticket details at steppenwolf.org/now.

Hailed as a "charismatic feat" (New York Magazine) with "enchanting lyrics and flourishes of humor" (The New York Times), Where We Stand was originally commissioned for The Public Theatre's Mobile Unit and later received its world premiere Off Broadway at WP Theater in 2020 to critical acclaim. This filmed play captures a performance originally presented at Baltimore Center Stage co-produced with WP Theater.

When a man who has been shunned by his town makes a deal on behalf of it with a mysterious stranger, he must stand before his community to ask for forgiveness in the hopes that they might answer these enduring questions as they determine his fate. Through poetic verse and music, Where We Stand challenges our capacity to forgive and our ideas of mercy and who might deserve it.

Following the virtual production of Where We Stand, viewers are invited to take a stance and cast their vote to either punish this man for the crimes he has committed by sending him back to the outskirts of town and, in exchange, make our wealth a reality; or absolve this man of his crimes and keep him here among us, knowing that we will be left with this destruction and must rebuild on our own from nothing.

"It's town hall, it's theater, it's civic dialogue all in one place. We're going to get to grapple with a story and a decision together. There's no right and there's no wrong. There's only the value of having the conversation," shares director Tamilla Woodard.

The creative team of Where We Stand includes Claire DeLiso (Scenic Design); Ntokozo Fuzunina Kunene (Costume Design); Deane Lyons (Film Producer); David Lee Roberts, Jr. (Editor); Norman Anthony Small (Stage Manager); Leelai Demoz and Kenya Hall (Artistic Producers) and Leelai Demoz (Archival Producer). Read full bios of Where We Stand team at steppenwolf.org/wherewestand.

Where We Stand is the final of six productions in Steppenwolf NOW's first virtual season. Get access to all six productions (streaming through August 31, 2021) with the purchase of a virtual membership for only $75. Discounts available for essential workers, artists, students and teachers. Find more information at steppenwolf.org/now. Press are invited to review; please RSVP to Madeline Long, mlong@steppenwolf.org. Note: if you've already received press access to past Steppenwolf NOW productions there is no need to RSVP, your same login will apply for Where We Stand beginning June 16.

In May 2021, Steppenwolf NOW released its fifth production in the virtual lineup, a stunning audio adaptation of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, based on the novel by Erika L. Sánchez adapted from the stage play by Isaac Gómez and co-directed by ensemble members Sandra Marquez and Audrey Francis. Featuring ensemble member Karen Rodriguez, the production runs 110 minutes and is available for members to stream now through August 31, 2021.

Adapted from the New York Times best-selling novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is a Chicago story about family, community and coming together even when that feels impossible. Julia, a Chicago high school student, navigates the trials and tribulations of following her dreams of becoming a writer alongside the death of her sister, Olga-who might not have been quite as perfect as she seemed. This story is a timeless reminder that no matter one's country of origin, no matter what language one speaks or what status one occupies, we all have dreams.

In September 2021, Steppenwolf builds on the global reach and acclaim of its virtual stage (currently streaming in all 50 states and more than 20 countries) with a lineup of NEW virtual works by ensemble members Tina Landau, Tracy Letts and Tarell Alvin McCraney. These pieces create the opening landscape of the 2021/22 Comeback Season and will be available via single tickets (or as a discounted bundle), serving as a bridge in the lead-up to a safe return to live theater and packed houses.

For more information, call Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or visit steppenwolf.org.

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