Steve Pickering

STEVE PICKERING is an award-winning actor, director, designer and playwright who has lived and worked in Chicago for over two decades. Currently a Goodman Theatre Creative Partner and Project Manager for Shanghai Low Theatricals, he is an Ensemble Member of Pine Box Theater, formerly the Artistic Director of the Next Theatre Company, and an Artistic Associate for the Organic. As an actor – due directly to his appearance in over 35 productions for the Goodman Theatre since 1987 - he has performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in London's West End, at the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theatre in Central Park, and with many of the country's major regionals. He received national recognition for three Shakespeare performances at Goodman: as Mercutio in Michael Maggio’s 1988 production of ROMEO AND JULIET, as Puck in 1991’s MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM, also directed by Maggio with Steve Scott, and as Kent, opposite Stacy Keach, in Robert Falls' 2006 production of KING LEAR, remounted in 2008 at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC. Other credits include three productions for Oscar/Tony-winning director Eric Simonson: as the title role in CORIOLANUS, opposite Deanna Dunagan, for the Next in 1991, as Iago in OTHELLO, opposite Harry Lennix, for the Court Theatre in 1992, and in 2002, as Ahab in MOBY DICK for Milwaukee Repertory – named one of Time Magazine’s top 10 theatre productions for that year. Recent highlights: Pickering’s 2003 production of Tom Szentgyorgyi’s AMONG THE THUGS for the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in Los Angeles received two Backstage West Awards, three L.A. Drama Critic Circle Awards and three L.A. Weekly Awards, including Best Direction. In 2005, he celebrated over 700 performances of Falls’ Tony Award-winning landmark production of Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN with Brian Dennehy at Goodman, on Broadway, for the National Tour, for the Showtime network, and in London. In 2010, he appeared in SEVEN KEYS TO SLAUGHTER PEAK, his 9th production with Milwaukee Rep, and as John Clancy’s FATBOY for Red Orchid in Chicago. 2011 credits include Conor McPherson’s ST. NICHOLAS and Josh Rollins' A GIRL WITH SUN IN HER EYES for Pine Box, both staged by Matthew Miller, and at Goodman: Seth Bockley’s ASK AUNT SUSAN and Falls' production of Chekhov's THE SEAGULL. In 1988 Pickering received a Jeff Citation for designing the costumes, masks, and puppets for Bailiwick Repertory’s production of George Orwell’s ANIMAL FARM. In 1997, he was named Chicago Magazine Actor of the Year. An extensive stage adaptation resume since 1990 includes Jeff/After Dark Award-winning scripts after Clive Barker’s IN THE FLESH and William Gibson’s BURNING CHROME, both penned with British director Charley Sherman.