Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, opens its new in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell with the Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) world premiere adaptation of Eve L. Ewing's 1919, adapted by J. Nicole Brooks and directed by Gabrielle Randle-Bent and Tasia A. Jones, February 2 – March 6, 2022. 1919 is a bold, lyrical examination of the events surrounding the killing of 17-year-old Eugene Williams in treacherous waters off the segregated 1919 Lake Michigan shoreline, and the way those events reverberate in Chicago today. The cast for 1919 includes Sheldon Brown, Jessica Dean Turner, Lachrisa Grandberry, Victor Musoni, Max Thomas and Sola Thompson.
To ensure a wider audience can experience this groundbreaking production, Steppenwolf is expanding public performances for 1919 on weeknights and weekends to 24 total, along with weekday student matinees. This will provide an opportunity for intergenerational audiences to learn from and discuss this significant and painful moment in Chicago’s past, at a time when all of America is reckoning with its history of racial injustice.
1919 is one of two productions inaugurating the Ensemble Theater this season; it is followed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Seagull featuring an intergenerational all-ensemble cast, April-June 2022.
“We are honored to bring this important work to the stage as part of our Steppenwolf for Young Adults series, and as the first production in our new Ensemble Theater,” say Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis. “The curation of Steppenwolf for Young Adults is a priority in our programming. We approach SYA with great intentionality because it gives us the opportunity to collaborate with world-class creative teams while delivering stories to the next generation of leaders. Shows like 1919 are an opportunity to elevate the conversations we have with young people and intergenerational audiences, both within the theater and in the community.”
Eve L. Ewing shares, “It feels surreal to know that this little book and the stories I tried to capture will find a new home on the stage, thanks to the incredible work of such an impressive and interdisciplinary group of artists. I can't wait for Chicagoans to have the opportunity to reflect on the events of the Red Summer in this new way, and as an educator I'm especially inspired and humbled to know that so many young people will have the chance to experience the production.”
“To open our new theater with 1919, a Chicago story created by Chicago artists, and continue the celebration of our in-the-round space with Seagull brought to life by our multigenerational ensemble, is a beautiful representation of two shows in conversation about our present moment and where we hope to go,” adds Francis.
Ticket Information
The Steppenwolf for Young Adults world premiere adaptation of Eve L. Ewing's 1919, adapted by J. Nicole Brooks, runs February 2 – March 6, 2022, in the Ensemble Theater. Opening/press performance is Saturday, Feb 5 at 7:30 p.m.
There will be 24 public performances of 1919 inviting all audiences to experience this show; view the performance calendar here. For all performances of 1919, tickets are $20 for the general public and $5 for teens and college students.
Steppenwolf members get first access to tickets in the new theater starting today; Single tickets to 1919 go on sale Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at steppenwolf.org and 312-335-1650.
Steppenwolf is one of 70+ Chicagoland performing arts venues that have agreed upon COVID-19 vaccination and mask requirements for all audiences, artists and staff. For the most up-to-date policies at Steppenwolf, visit steppenwolf.org/welcomeback.
Student Matinees
Student matinees will take place at 10 a.m. on the following dates: February 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, March 2 and 3. Recommended for grades nine and up. To register your school, click here.
Please note that for any schools bringing students to a field trip at Steppenwolf Theatre, the following policy is in place: Students and chaperones attending the show will be required to show attestation of vaccination or a negative COVID19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance they are attending. As district policies regarding providing proof of vaccination vary, teachers should contact their administrator before booking. Please contact Lauren Katz at lkatz@steppenwolf.org for further information.
Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center
The entirety of Steppenwolf’s new Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center will be activated around 1919, with Steppenwolf Education offering workshops and programming in The Loft for educators and students, as well as presenting programs by teens for teens, and bringing educational workshops to classrooms across Chicago. The Loft is Steppenwolf’s first-ever dedicated education space, encompassing the entire fourth floor of the Arts and Education Center. Steppenwolf was founded more than 45 years ago by a circle of students who craved a space to call their own, and the Arts and Education Center continues and amplifies that vision, growing the reach of Steppenwolf’s education programming from 20,000 to 30,000 students annually. For more information on The Loft and Steppenwolf Education programming, visit steppenwolf.org/education.
The Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell is located at the heart of the Arts and Education Center. This intimate and state-of-the-art 400-seat theater in the round is one of its kind in Chicago, with theater design and acoustics by Charcoalblue. Only six rows deep—with audience members never more than 20 feet from the stage—Charcoalblue designed the incredibly intimate Ensemble Theater from the inside out to integrate the theater into the fabric of the surrounding building, providing a truly unique theatergoing experience.
New Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell. Photo James Steinkamp.
PRODUCTION DETAILS
1919
World Premiere
By Eve L. Ewing
Adapted by J. Nicole Brooks
Directed by Gabrielle Randle-Bent and Tasia A. Jones
Featuring Sheldon Brown, Jessica Dean Turner, Lachrisa Grandberry, Victor Musoni, Max Thomas and Sola Thompson
February 2 – March 6, 2022
Press Performance: Saturday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m.
In the Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell
Tickets: $5 for teens and college students; $20 for general public. Steppenwolf members get first access to tickets in the new theater starting today; Single tickets to 1919 go on sale December 21, 2021 at steppenwolf.org and 312-335-1650.
Steppenwolf for Young Adults proudly presents the world premiere adaptation of Eve L. Ewing's 1919, which tells the story of the killing of 17-year-old Eugene Williams in treacherous waters off the segregated 1919 Lake Michigan shoreline. The next eight days and their aftermath constitute an under-told episode in Chicago history. Adapted from Ewing's poems, J. Nicole Brooks's play is a bold, lyrical exploration of Black Chicagoans' resistance, fortitude and endurance: past, present and future.
The 1919 production team includes Yu Shibagaki (Scenic Design), Gregory Graham (Costume Design), Jason Lynch( Lighting Design), Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Design), Meida McNeal & Abra Johnson (Movement Direction), Abhishek Shrestha (Dramaturg), Michelle Medvin (Production Stage Manager), and JuJu Laurie (Assistant Stage Manager).
ARTIST BIOS
Dr. Eve L. Ewing (Author) is a sociologist of education and a writer from Chicago. She is the award-winning author of four books: the poetry collections Electric Arches and 1919, the nonfiction work Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago's South Side, and most recently a novel for young readers, Maya and the Robot. She is the co-author (with Nate Marshall) of the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks. She has written several projects for Marvel Comics, most notably the Ironheart series as well as Marvel Team-Up and Champions. Ewing is an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many other venues. Currently she is working on her next book, Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, which will be published by One World.
J. Nicole Brooks (Playwright) is an actor, writer, director, and educator based in Chicago. Brooks’s writing practice includes playwriting, screenwriting, essays, and poetry. As a theatre artist, Brooks is an ensemble member and Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence at the Tony Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company. Other artistic affiliations include artistic membership at Collaboration and Sideshow Theatre Company. As a playwright, Brooks has created original works including Black Diamond: The Years the Locusts Have Eaten; Fedra: Queen of Haiti; HeLa; Black Moon Lilith and the award-winning Her Honor Jane Byrne. Brooks has also served as director and associate director mounting successful theatre productions of Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting; Thaddeus & Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure; Her Honor Jane Byrne; Sex with Strangers; and Black Diamond: The Years the Locusts Have Eaten. Honors include TCG Fox Foundation, 3Arts, Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Kilroys List, the 2021 Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award for Her Honor Jane Byrne and the Chicago Public Library Foundation 21st Century Award. Brooks is also an award-winning actor appearing in theatrical productions at Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass, Court Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, and Theatre at Boston Court. Recent television credits include guest recurring roles on the cult fav South Side (HBO Max), The Chi (Showtime), Chicago Fire (NBC, Hulu) and the critically acclaimed chapter four of Fargo (FX Network) starring opposite Chris Rock. Brooks also appeared in the box office hit CANDYMAN (Say My Name) directed by Nia DaCosta produced by Jordan Peele.
Tasia A. Jones (Director) is a director, performer, and educator focused on social justice and civically engaged theatre practices. She is an Assistant Professor of Instruction at Northwestern University. Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Pass Over (Assistant Director); The Roommate (Assistant Director). Chicago: Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer (Goodman Theatre, Associate Director); Intimate Apparel (Northlight Theatre); The MLK Project (Writers Theatre); The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Lookingglass Theatre, Assistant Director). Regional: Intimate Apparel (Utah Shakespeare Festival); Small Mouth Sounds (UCCS Theatreworks); Seussical (Jean’s Playhouse). Upcoming: Intimate Apparel (Northlight Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun (American Players Theatre). Education: MFA Directing, Northwestern University; BFA Theatre Arts, Boston University.
Gabrielle Randle-Bent (Director) is a scholar, dramaturg, and director based in Chicago. Steppenwolf Theatre Company: We are Proud to Present a Presentation… Off Broadway: Terminus (Dramaturg). Chicago: Othello (Court Theatre); Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Dramaturg, Court Theatre); For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf (Dramaturg, Court Theatre); The Oedipus Trilogy (Dramaturg, Court Theatre); Les Blancs (Court Theatre); The Pride Before (Sideshow Theatre Company); I, Banquo (Dramaturg, Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Intimate Apparel (Dramaturg, North Light). Upcoming: Year of Magical Thinking (Remy Bumppo); Once on this Island (Dramaturg, Oregon Shakespeare Festival). BA Stanford University, MA University of Texas at Austin, PhD Candidate Northwestern University.
For full cast and creative team bios, visit steppenwolf.org/1919.
The Expanded Steppenwolf Campus
Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s trailblazing new 50,000 square foot theater building and education center, the Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center, was designed by world-renowned architect Gordon Gill FAIA of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, with construction by Norcon. The centerpiece of the new Arts and Education Center is the new 400-seat in-the-round Ensemble Theater in Honor of Helen Zell—one of its kind in Chicago—with theater design and acoustics by Charcoalblue. The expanded Steppenwolf campus is a cultural nexus for Chicago, offering bold and ambitious opportunities for creative expression, social exchange, unparalleled accessibility, and arts-driven learning for Chicago youth in The Loft, Steppenwolf’s first-ever dedicated education space. The campus expansion also features bright new lobbies and two new full-service bars for socializing designed by fc STUDIO, inc. The $54 million new building is part of Steppenwolf’s multi-phase $73 million Building on Excellence expansion campaign. Learn more about Steppenwolf’s campus expansion at steppenwolf.org/buildingonexcellence.
A Safe Return
Steppenwolf is part of the growing coalition of more than 70 Chicagoland performing arts venues and producers that have agreed upon COVID-19 vaccination and mask requirements for all audiences, artists and staff. Audience members must provide proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test certification upon entry in addition to wearing masks. Learn more about Steppenwolf's guidelines at steppenwolf.org/welcomeback.
Steppenwolf has worked over the past year with our operations team, public health advisors and HVAC consultants to prepare its facility to safely welcome patrons back for performances. The addition of the new Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center has expanded the square footage of the lobbies to nearly twice the previous amount of space offered to guests. Two additional elevators and multiple stairways have also been added to Steppenwolf’s campus for ease of transition between seating levels. The HVAC systems have undergone upgrades to allow for increased filtration and a higher percentage of circulated fresh air across all three theaters.
Steppenwolf offers accessible services to ensure all audience members have access to our work, including American Sign Language interpretation (available for student matinees as scheduled with education staff or per public performances below), Spanish Language captions, wheelchair accessible seating and more. With questions, email access@steppenwolf.org.
· Open captioned and ASL interpreted for 1919 is Saturday, February 12 at 2:30pm
· Audio-described and touch tour performance is Saturday, February 19 at 2:30pm (1pm touch tour, 2:30pm curtain).
Sponsor Information
United Airlines is the Official and Exclusive Airline of Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf is also grateful for the significant season support from Allstate Insurance Company, ComEd, JPMorgan Chase, PNC, and Vinci Restaurant.
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 49 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 performance series; and the Steppenwolf NOW virtual stage. 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. 2021 marks the opening of Steppenwolf’s landmark Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts & Education Center—deepening the company’s commitment to Chicagoland teens and serving as a cultural nexus for Chicago. Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis are the Artistic Directors and E. Brooke Flanagan is 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. steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre, twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr and instagram.com/steppenwolfthtr.