Half Hour, Steppenwolf’s popular podcast, returns for a second season featuring candid conversations with some of the most vital personalities in American theatre. Inspired by the most magical time in the theater—the 30 minutes before a show begins—Half Hour makes connections between artists inside and outside of the Steppenwolf family. Released every other week, the all-new season kicks off Tuesday, March 30, 2021 with each new episode inviting listeners to sit down with an eclectic mix of practitioners, including ensemble members Amy Morton, Rajiv Joseph and Tina Landau, Tony Award winners Leslie Odom Jr. and Clint Ramos and more.
Season two is hosted by ensemble members Cliff Chamberlain, Audrey Francis, James Vincent Meredith, Caroline Neff and Karen Rodriguez who rotate each episode to lead the one-on-one conversations with interviewees.
"Half Hour is about connecting. And the wonderful thing about making it is knowing that all you really need to make a connection are curious human beings, open hearts, and 30 minutes…and it doesn’t hurt when those human beings are part of the Steppenwolf family of artists, who just happen to be some of the greatest storytellers in the world,” shares ensemble member and host Cliff Chamberlain.
“I’ve listened to Audrey, Glenn, Caroline, and Cliff from the first episode, and really marveled at how they crafted the interviews, making me stop what I was doing to give full attention,” shares ensemble member and new host for season two James Vincent Meredith. "This second season we’re talking to a very cool mix of creators and visionary artists who bring incredible insights into their respective personal journeys and processes, from their epic successes to epic fails. I’m psyched to be a part of that process.”
Check out the trailer for season two (and catch up on the first season) at steppenwolf.org/halfhour.
Highlights from Half Hour season two include the kick-off episode on March 30 with ensemble member Jon Michael Hill sharing his beginnings as a performer, his path to Steppenwolf, and role on the hit CBS series, Elementary. Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr. connects with friend and ensemble member Cliff Chamberlain to share his personal journey; ensemble member Amy Morton has a candid conversation about her relationship with the highs and lows of theater; listeners get a front row seat to the inspiring longtime friendship and collaborative partnership between playwright Isaac Gómez and Karen Rodriguez in their one-on-one talk; and ensemble members Tina Landau, Rajiv Joseph and Sandra Marquez each join the podcast to share the twists and turns of their careers.
The second season of Half Hour also showcases the behind-the-scenes pros including Tony Award-winning costume and scenic designer Clint Ramos and world renowned architect Gordon Gill of Steppenwolf’s new state-of-the-art theater and education center opening this year. Steppenwolf Education community partner Kuumba Lynx, a social justice youth development organization, shares their work of preserving and promoting Hip Hop Arts as a tool to resist systemic violence, where black and brown youth can reimagine and demonstrate a more just world. More info on Half Hour episodes and updates at steppenwolf.org/halfhour.
Half Hour is produced by Patrick Zakem and mixed and edited by Matthew Chapman. Half Hour is immediately available on Steppenwolf’s website and on all major podcast platforms.
Steppenwolf NOW Virtual Stage
Photo by Lowell Thomas
Recently released on Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s virtual stage with uncanny timing is Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! by playwright Vivian J.O. Barnes and directed by Weyni Mengesha. The riveting filmed play stars Chicago artist Sydney Charles who plays a Duchess meeting a young soon-to-be-duchess by ensemble member Celeste M. Cooper for the first time.
Loosely inspired by Meghan Markle and the royal family, Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! uses the monarchy to investigate how society’s institutions of power affect Black women. “The play explores the bigger question of what it means to be a Black woman entering institutions that seem eager to have you but aren't necessarily built to support you, how you start to adapt in order to survive once you're inside of them, and the impact of bringing other people like you along,” shares playwright Vivian J.O. Barnes. Barnes wrote the initial draft in 2018, and Steppenwolf’s virtual production was filmed in November 2020.
Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! is the fourth of six breakthrough stories—all of varying formats and lengths—to be released on the Steppenwolf NOW virtual stage. Access all six productions with a Steppenwolf NOW virtual membership ($75; discounted $50 for essential workers, artists, students, teachers). Productions are released throughout the year and members are able to stream all Steppenwolf NOW content through August 31, 2021. For information at steppenwolf.org/now.
Sponsor Information
United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. ComEd is the Official Season Lighting Sponsor. Steppenwolf Education Virtual Workshops are made possible by The Ralla Klepak Foundation for Education in the Performing Arts.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Chicago theater that is home to America’s ensemble. The company began performing in the mid-1970s in the basement of a Highland Park, IL church—today Steppenwolf is the nation’s premier ensemble theater with more than 50 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Deeply rooted in its ensemble ethos, the company is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and making the Steppenwolf experience accessible to all. Groundbreaking productions from Balm in Gilead and August: Osage County to Downstate and Pass Over—and accolades that include the National Medal of Arts and 12 Tony® Awards—have made the theatre legendary. Artistic programming includes a main stage season, a Steppenwolf for Young Adults season, LookOut, a multi-genre performances series and Steppenwolf NOW, a new virtual programming stream. The nationally recognized work of Steppenwolf Education engages more than 20,000 participants annually in Chicagoland communities promoting compassion, encouraging curiosity and inspiring action. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, more than 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Anna D. Shapiro is the Artistic Director and E. Brooke Flanagan is the Executive Director. Eric Lefkofsky is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees.
Steppenwolf's mission
Steppenwolf strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment. We succeed when we disrupt your routine with experiences that spark curiosity, empathy and joy. We invite you to join our ensemble as we navigate, together, our complex world.