THE CHRISTIANS to Continue Steppenwolf Theatre's 41st Season This Winter

Steppenwolf continues its 41st season with the Chicago premiere of Lucas Hnath's The Christians directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman.

The cast features ensemble member Tom Irwin as Pastor Paul and ensemble member Robert Breuler as Elder Jay with Shannon Cochran as the Pastor's wife, Elizabeth, Glenn Davis as Joshua and Jacqueline Williams as Congregant.

Set designer Walt Spangler transforms The Downstairs Theatre into a church where a live choir performs onstage. Under the musical direction of Jaret London, the choir features Faith Howard, Yando Lopez, Jazelle Morriss, Mary-Margaret Roberts, Charlie Strater and Michael Weatherspoon.

Previews begin December 1, 2016, (press performances are Saturday, December 10 at 3pm and Tuesday, December 13 at 7:30pm; opening night is Sunday, December 11) and the production runs through January 29, 2017 in the Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted. Tickets ($20 - $89) are available through Audience Services at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.

Pastor Paul has spent 20 years successfully growing his church from a small storefront to a gleaming church, but now he fears that there may be a crack in the theological foundation. As he shares his new belief in the nature of salvation, the message is met with surprise and then growing trepidation from his closest confidantes in the congregation, threatening to create a schism within the church. Hnath's fascinating new play looks with great complexity and compassion at the relationship between belief and behavior-and its evenhanded, unbiased take on faith in modern America can be appreciated no matter what you believe.

Director K. Todd Freeman shares, "Growing up a Deacon's son, I instantly felt a connection with The Christians, but even more so I was drawn to its timelessness. For me, the play speaks to how our beliefs define us; and when someone tries to challenge our beliefs, it is as if our selfhood is being challenged. How do we then reconcile that? I love that The Christians is compassionate and non-judgmental, so that regardless of your religious background or lack thereof, Lucas Hnath has created a universal playing field for conversation."

Lucas Hnath makes his Steppenwolf debut with The Christians. The Christians was commissioned and presented at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in 2014 and received its New York premiere at Playwrights Horizons in 2015. His other work includes Hillary and Clinton, Red Speedo, A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney, Isaac's Eye, and Death Tax. His work has been produced at Actors Theatre of Louisville/Humana Festival of New Plays, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Gate Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, New York Theatre Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, Royal Court Theatre, Soho Rep, Traverse Theatre and Victory Gardens. He has been a resident playwright at New Dramatists since 2011. He is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect. He has received the Kesselring Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Whiting Award, two Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award Citations, an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Play and an Obie. His work is published by Dramatists Play Service and Overlook Press.

K. Todd Freeman has been a Steppenwolf ensemble member since 1993. He last directed the critically acclaimed production of Good People at Steppenwolf in 2012. He has performed in numerous Steppenwolf productions, including Airline Highway (Tony Award nomination for Best Actor), The March, The Brother/Sister Plays, The Tempest, Art, Topdog/Underdog, A Clockwork Orange, We All Went Down to Amsterdam, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (also Broadway) and The Song of Jacob Zulu (Also Broadway; Tony Award nomination for Best Actor) and has directed "Master Harold"...and the Boys for Steppenwolf for Young Adults. Further directing credits include Need: Hedges 3 (Pine Box Theater Company) and A Raisin in the Sun (New York University, Graduate Program). Off-Broadway credits include Spunk, Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures (The Public Theatre) and Uncle Tom's Cabin (Drama Department). Regional credits include Miss Evers' Boys and Angels in America (Mark Taper Forum). Television and film credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, NYPD Blue, A Different World, A Gifted Man, The Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules and Gross Pointe Blank.

The production team of The Christians includes Walt Spangler (scenic design), Nan Cibula-Jenkins (costume design), Scott Zielinski (lighting design), Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (sound design), Joseph A. Burke (projections design), Gigi Buffington (dialect coach) and Jaret Landon (music director). Additional credits include Malcolm Ewen (stage manager), Cassie Calderone (assistant stage manager), JC Clementz (casting director) and Hallie Gordon (artistic producer).

Ensemble member Tom Irwin has been with Steppenwolf since 1979, working on more than 30 productions, most recently performing in Domesticated last season. Robert Brueler, an ensemble member since 1987, has appeared in more than 40 Steppenwolf productions, most recently Airline Highway and The Wheel. Shannon Cochran has taught at School at Steppenwolf in addition to recently completing a national tour of Cabaret. Glenn Davis returns to Steppenwolf after his roles in Head of Passes and The Brother/Sister Plays. Jacqueline Williams received a 2016 Black Theater Alliance Award for her performance in The House that Will Not Stand at Victory Garden Theater, and has performed at Steppenwolf in Airline Highway, Head of Passes, Hot L Baltimore and The Brother/Sister Plays.

Single tickets ($20-$89) to The Christians are available at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org. Previews: $20 - $54 and Regular Run: $20 - $89. Prices subject to change. Rush Tickets: half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each show. Student Discounts: a limited number of $15 student tickets are available online. Limit 2 tickets per student; must present a valid student ID for each ticket; steppenwolf.org/students. Group Tickets: all groups of 10 or more receive a discounted rate for any performance throughout the season; steppenwolf.org/groups. Flex Card Memberships: Card memberships are for audiences interested in extreme flexibility with six tickets for use any time for any production. 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. To purchase a 2016/17 Card Membership, visit Audience Services at 1650 N Halsted St, call 312-335-1650 or visit steppenwolf.org.

This holiday season, Steppenwolf offers a gift that is never boring-the Steppenwolf Black Card. An all-access pass with six tickets to any shows, anytime. If purchased during the holiday season, a $25 restaurant gift card is included. To purchase, visit steppenwolf.org/gift or 312-335-1650.

Accessible performances include an American Sign Language interpretation on Sunday, January 8 at 7:30pm, Open Captioning on Saturday, January 21 at 3pm, and a Touch Tour on Sunday, January 22 at 1:30pm touch tour, Audio-Described performance at 3pm. For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/access.

Steppenwolf's 2016/17 Season opened with the world premiere of Visiting Edna by David Rabe, directed by Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro (playing now - November 6). Next up is The Fundamentals (November 10 - December 23, 2016), followed by the Chicago premiere of The Christians by Lucas Hnath, directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (December 1, 2016 - January 29, 2017); 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 46 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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