Steppenwolf Sets 2014-15 Season: Conor McPherson's THE NIGHT ALIVE, Rory Kinnear's THE HERD & More

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Martha Lavey announced today the 2014/15 Subscription Season, including a series of premieres; one remaining title will be announced at a later date. The season begins in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre with Conor McPherson's The Night Alive, directed by Henry Wishcamper. Up next, Joe Mantello directs the world premiere of Airline Highway by Lisa D'Amour. In the Upstairs Theatre, Robert O'Hara directs Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi. And in April 2015, ensemble member K. Todd Freeman directs The Herd by Rory Kinnear.

"Our 2014/15 season is a treasure trove of great plays and exciting artists. Part of our job at Steppenwolf is to offer both the familiar and the new. We do this in our selection of plays and in our presentation of artists. We are anchored in the work of our ensemble and feel privileged to bring their extensive collaborations into our home," comments Artistic Director Martha Lavey.

Steppenwolf ensemble members currently confirmed for the 2014/15 season include: Alana Arenas, Ian Barford, Robert Breuler, K. Todd Freeman, Francis Guinan, Tim Hopper, Ora Jones, John Mahoney and Alan Wilder. Additional artists to be announced.

Season subscriptions are currently on-sale. Packages start at $100. Student, educator and access discount subscriptions available. To purchase a 2014/15 subscription, visit Audience Services at 1650 N Halsted St, call 312-335-1650 or visit steppenwolf.org.

Chicago Premiere
The Night Alive
By Conor McPherson
Directed by Henry Wishcamper
Featuring ensemble members Ian Barford, Francis Guinan and Tim Hopper
September 18 - November 16, 2014 in the Downstairs Theatre

The kindness of strangers comes with complications. Tommy is getting by-kind of: he is crashing in his uncle's ramshackle house in Dublin, dodging his estranged family, and plotting a parade of get-rich-quick scenes with his buddy Doc. Then one day he defends a destitute woman against a violent attack, and a fragile glimmer of hope appears as Tommy tends to her in his run-down room. From the author of The Weir, Shining City and The Seafarer comes this compelling new drama-by turns funny and frightening, but always deeply human.

The Night Alive premiered at the Donmar Warehouse in 2013. Steppenwolf audiences know playwright Conor McPherson's work from productions of his plays The Seafarer, Dublin Carol and The Weir. Director Henry Wishcamper makes his Steppenwolf debut; recent Chicago credits include Goodman Theatre's productions of Other Desert Cities, Talking Pictures and Animal Crackers.

World Premiere
Airline Highway
By Lisa D'Amour
Directed by Joe Mantello
Featuring ensemble member Robert Breuler
December 4, 2014 - February 8, 2015 in the Downstairs Theatre

In the parking lot of The Hummingbird, a once-glamorous motel on New Orleans' infamous Airline Highway, a group of friends gather. A rag-tag collection of strippers, hustlers and philosophers have come together to celebrate the life of Miss Ruby, an iconic burlesque performer who has requested a funeral before she dies. The party rages through the night as old friends resurface to pay their respects. A world premiere from the author of Detroit, Airline Highway is a boisterous and moving ode to the outcasts that make life a little more interesting.

Playwright Lisa D'Amour's other work includes Detroit (world premiere at Steppenwolf in 2010, subsequently in New York and London), Cherokee and Night Sky. Two-time Tony Award-winning director Joe Mantello's Broadway credits include Wicked, Take Me Out and Assassins.

Chicago Premiere
Marie Antoinette
By David Adjmi
Directed by Robert O'Hara
Featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Tim Hopper, Ora Jones and Alan Wilder
February 5 - May 10, 2015 in the Upstairs Theatre

Before Britney Spears and Justin Bieber, there was Marie Antoinette. In David Adjmi's contemporary take on the young queen of France, Marie is a confection created by a society that values extravagance and artifice. But France's love affair with the royals sours as revolution brews, and for Marie, the political suddenly becomes very personal. From the light and breezy banter at the palace to the surging chants of "Liberté! Egalité! Fraternité!" in the streets, Marie Antoinette holds a mirror up to our contemporary society that might just be entertaining itself to death.

Marie Antoinette premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2012, a co-production with American Repertory Theater. David Adjmi is a playwright based in Brooklyn Heights, New York; his other work includes 3C, Caligula and Stunning. Robert O'Hara is an NAACP- and Helen Hayes Award-winning playwright and director, who has staged the world premiere of The Brother/Sister Plays, In the Continuum and his play, Booty Candy.

US Premiere
The Herd
By Rory Kinnear
Directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman
Featuring ensemble members Francis Guinan and John Mahoney
April 2 - June 7, 2015 in the Downstairs Theatre

It's Andy's 21st birthday and preparations for the party are under way. But Andy and his caregiver are running late. As his family gathers, two unexpected guests appear, straining the delicate family dynamic. With a deft comic touch, The Herd introduces us to a suburban English family who have had to re-organize themselves around the extraordinary needs of one of their own, bringing to light the challenges of reconciliation, the power of shared memories and the irresistible pull of family.

In 2013 London's Bush Theatre produced the world premiere of The Herd, actor-turned-playwright Rory Kinnear's debut work. Steppenwolf ensemble member K. Todd Freeman returns to the Downstairs Theatre following his acclaimed production of David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People in 2012.

Free post-show discussions are offered after every performance in the subscription season. Steppenwolf is located near all forms of public transportation and is wheelchair accessible. Valet parking service ($13 cash) is available directly in front of our main entrance at 1650 N Halsted St starting at 5pm on weeknights, 1pm on weekends, and at 12 noon before Wednesday matinees. Street and lot parking are also available. Performances featuring American Sign Language interpretation, open captioning and audio description are offered during the run of each play. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance.

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