Inside Chicago's innovative Steppenwolf Theatre Company as it marks 50 years

Key Concepts

• Ensemble Theater: A collaborative model where a core group of actors, directors, and playwrights work together consistently over many years, rather than being hired on a per-project basis.
• Incubator Model: A theater company that fosters the development of new plays and nurtures the careers of its members.
• Nonprofit Arts Management: The operational and financial challenges of sustaining a large-scale cultural institution in the current economic and social climate.
• Broadway Transfer: The process of moving a successful regional theater production to a Broadway stage, often serving as a metric for artistic and commercial success.

1. History and Origins of Steppenwolf

Founded in the early 1970s, Steppenwolf began as a "do-it-yourself" experiment by teenage friends Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney, and Gary Sinise. Starting in a Chicago church basement, the founders operated under the dual belief that they would revolutionize American theater while simultaneously expecting the group to dissolve within months. Instead, it evolved into one of the most influential ensemble companies in the United States.

2. The Ensemble Approach: Benefits and Philosophy

The core of Steppenwolf is its ensemble—a permanent group of artists who return to the company throughout their careers, regardless of their success in film or television.

• Artistic Freedom: Playwright Tracy Letts notes that the ensemble provides a "sense of security" that allows artists to take risks and fail without fear of being discarded.
• Collaborative Evolution: Playwright Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins describes the ensemble as a "game board" where actors constantly find new ways to interpret a story, ensuring that performances remain fresh and emotionally resonant.
• Family of Choice: Jeff Perry describes the company as a "nomadic profession" turned into a stable "family of choice," providing a rare sense of continuity in an industry defined by transience.

3. Notable Alumni and Artistic Impact

Steppenwolf has served as a launchpad for numerous high-profile actors and writers:

• Actors: John Malkovich, Gary Sinise (notably in True West), Laurie Metcalf, Joan Allen, Amy Morton, Martha Plimpton, and Carrie Coon.
• Playwrights: Tracy Letts (Pulitzer Prize winner for August: Osage County), Rajiv Joseph, Terrell Alvin McCraney, and Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins (2025 Pulitzer winner for Purpose).
• Achievements: The company has transferred 18 productions to Broadway and secured 14 Tony Awards.

4. Current Leadership and Operational Challenges

Co-artistic directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis currently lead the organization, having taken the helm as the theater emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. They face significant structural and economic hurdles:

• Production Volume: The company produces half as many shows as it once did, which complicates the ability to employ the same number of artists consistently.
• Infrastructure: Recent expansions have provided more physical space, but this creates the challenge of filling that space effectively.
• Societal Context: The theater operates within a volatile political climate. While they acknowledge the pressure to comment on current events, Davis and Francis emphasize an "obligation to the city" to provide a space that is "thoughtful, intentional, and challenging" rather than merely reactive.

5. Notable Quotes

• Jeff Perry on the company’s founding: "A place built of artists by artists and for artists. This is an exceedingly rare experiment."
• Tracy Letts on the ensemble safety net: "I can afford to take chances. I can afford to make a fool of myself because they'll keep me around anyway."
• Glenn Davis on the mission: "I don't feel necessarily a pressure to program something that is commenting on something that's happening right now... What I do feel is an obligation to our city to make sure that we're providing a place that is thoughtful, intentional, can be fun, can be challenging."

Synthesis and Conclusion

As Steppenwolf marks its 50th season, it stands as a testament to the viability of the ensemble model in American theater. Despite the "uncertainty" facing the industry—characterized by reduced production capacity and shifting economic realities—the company remains a vital incubator for talent. The transition from the founding generation to current leaders like Davis and Francis highlights the company's focus on balancing its historical legacy with the need to remain a relevant, intentional, and stable home for artists in an increasingly nomadic industry.