Half Hour

In this, the final episode of Half Hour’s second season, the five hosts look back on two years of insightful, candid, and inspiring conversations with Steppenwolf ensemble members, activists, and vital voices in the American theater. Then, Cliff Chamberlain interviews Steppenwolf’s incoming Co-Artistic Directors, Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, at the very beginning of their tenure.Interview begins at 17:12 Originally from Chicago, Glenn Davis is an accomplished actor and producer. He garnered widespread acclaim for his performance in the world premiere of ensemble member Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at L.A.’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, and transferred with the production to Broadway, where he starred alongside Robin Williams. Davis joined the ensemble in 2017, where he has performed most recently Downstate by ensemble member Bruce Norris in Chicago and at the National Theatre in London. Additional Steppenwolf performing credits include You Got Older, The Christians, fellow ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays and Head of Passes, and the Steppenwolf for Young Adults production of A Lesson Before Dying. Audrey Francis is an acclaimed actor, director, teaching artist, and co-founder of Black Box Acting. Audrey Francis attended The School at Steppenwolf in 2004, and since then has been acting professionally in Chicago, working with an array of companies in the storefront and regional theater scene. Audrey became a Steppenwolf ensemble member in 2017 and has performed in ten productions with the company to date, including The Doppelgänger (an international farce), Dance Nation, The Fundamentals, Between Riverside and Crazy, and The Herd. Francis has also been in many acclaimed independent films, namely Knives and Skin, Later Days, Signature Move, and the award-winning web series Distant Learners. Her most recent directing credits include Plano with First Floor Theatre, The Invisible Hand at Steep Theatre, and the audio play of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

In this inspiring and revealing conversation, Jacinda Bullie and Darius Parker of Kuumba Lynx sit down with Audrey Francis to talk about the vital and empowering work they do with youth across Chicago. Through performances, film screenings, art making workshops, and more, Kuumba Lynx brings a Hip Hop lens to their work of urban artistry and activism. Listen to learn about the philosophy, history and future of one of the most treasured youth centered organizations in the city.Interview begins at 5:22.Kuumba Lynx is an urban arts youth development organization founded in 1996 by three women, Jaquanda Villegas, Leyda "Lady Sol" Garcia, and Jacinda Bullie. For two decades, alongside many of Chicago’s artists, activists, educators, and youth communities, Kuumba Lynx has honed an arts making practice that presents, preserves and promotes Hip Hop as a tool to resist systemic violence where black and brown youth can reimagine and demonstrate a more just world. KL’s Program Facilitators are a collective of artists, activists, educators, and healers.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

In this engaging conversation, Karen Rodriguez sits down with fellow actor, ensemble member and Half Hour host, James Vincent Meredith. Join these two friends as they share stories of stage fright, family, laughter, legacy, and proving their skeptics wrong by securing a sense of belonging within the Steppenwolf ensemble.Interview begins at 4:12.James Vincent Meredith received critical acclaim as John Proctor in The Crucible, his first role as an ensemble member. At Steppenwolf he has also appeared in Clybourne Park, The Hot L Baltimore, The Bluest Eye (also Off-Broadway at the New Victory Theater), The Pain and the Itch, Carter's Way, Doppleganger, The Tempest, The March, Between Riverside and Crazy, The Minutes, Hot L Baltimore, and Superior Donuts. Broadway credits include Superior Donuts (Music Box Theater) and Book of Mormon (Eugene O’Neill Theater— also 3 years, National Tour). Other selected Chicagoland appearances include Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting at Lookingglass Theatre, Lottery Day at Goodman, Radio Golf and Blues for an Alabama Sky at Court and Othello at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, as well as work at About Face Theatre, Writer's Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook and Piven Theatre Workshop, where he is a member of the company ensemble. Movie credits include Widows, Princess Cyd, and Knives and Skin. Television credits include Fargo, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, FBI, Empire, BOSS, and Exorcist, among others.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

This week, the Half Hour team sits down with Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, the architects behind the newest additions to Steppenwolf's campus: the Arts and Education Center and a 400-seat Round Theater. Ensemble member James Vincent Meredith leads a fascinating conversation with Gill, exploring the similarities between the seemingly disparate disciplines of architecture and theatre. Listen, too, for a sneak peek into what to expect when the new building opens its doors this fall.Interview begins at 3:46Gordon Gill FAIA, is a founding partner of the award-winning Chicago design firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. His work includes the design of the world’s first net zero-energy skyscraper, Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China; the world’s first large-scale positive energy building, Masdar Headquarters design for Abu Dhabi, UAE; the world’s tallest tower, Jeddah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Al Wasl Plaza, an open space that will be the centerpiece of Expo 2020 Dubai, featuring an intricate domed trellis that will be the world’s largest immersive projection experience. Gordon also designs smaller, more intimate spaces like the recently completed The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Chicago Architecture Center, and the soon to be completed Steppenwolf Theatre Expansion. Gordon’s work is driven by his philosophy that there is a purposeful relationship between formal design and performance; and that there is a Language of Performance, which is the basis of his practice: Form Follows Performance.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

This week on Half Hour, acclaimed star of stage and screen Leslie Odom Jr. catches up with his longtime friend, ensemble member Cliff Chamberlain. Odom shares stories from his early career, reflects on his legendary performance as Founding Father Aaron Burr in Hamilton: An American Musical and discusses his recent take on singer Sam Cooke in the film One Night in Miami. This candid and funny conversation offers a glimpse into the perspective of one of contemporary musical theatre's most vital artists.This episode of Half Hour is exclusively sponsored by Sidley Austin LLPInterview begins at 3:45. Leslie Odom, Jr. is a multifaceted, award-winning vocalist, songwriter, author, and actor. With a career that spans all performance genres, he has received recognition with Tony and Grammy Awards as well as Emmy and, most recently, two Academy Award nominations for his excellence and achievements in Broadway, television, film, and music. Odom currently stars and performs the songs of legendary singer Sam Cooke in the critically acclaimed Amazon film adaptation of the Olivier Award-nominated play, One Night in Miami, directed by Regina King. His portrayal of the soul icon has been met with widespread praise and critical acclaim, earning him nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, among others. Odom has released four highly lauded studio albums, including two holiday records and his chart-topping, self-titled debut. He has performed at the White House, Super Bowl, and on hallowed stages such as Lincoln Center, Rockefeller Center, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2018, he published his first book, Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher and Never Stop Learning. Odom can also be heard voicing the character of Owen Tillerman in the Apple TV+ animated musical-comedy series Central Park, for which he received a 2020 Emmy nomination, as well as captivating audiences as Aaron Burr in the filmed musical performance of the original Broadway production of Hamilton released in 2020 on Disney+. His other upcoming projects include The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to David Chase’s Award-winning HBO series The Sopranos set to be released this Fall and Needle in A Timestack written and directed by John Ridley.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

In this riveting conversation, Audrey Francis sits down with legendary director and ensemble member Tina Landau who shares insightful glimpses into her unique process of directing, including how she has learned to trust actors to bring all of themselves into rehearsal. The two also discuss the Viewpoints method, Tina’s current projects in development, and the seemingly unlikely pairing of Landau’s directing practice and Steppenwolf’s aesthetic. Interview begins at 3:32Tina Landau is a writer, director and teacher whose work includes directing/conceiving SpongeBob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical, Tarell Alvin McCraney's Head of Passes (Steppenwolf, The Public and the Mark Taper Forum), WIG OUT! (Vineyard Theatre), and In the Red and Brown Water (The Public), Bill Irwin/David Shiner's Old Hats, Chuck Mee's Big Love and Iphigenia 2.0 (Signature Theatre), and her musical Floyd Collins (Playwrights Horizons). On Broadway, Landau has also directed Tracy Letts's Superior Donuts and the revival of Bells are Ringing. At Steppenwolf, directing credits include MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT, The Wheel, Hot L Baltimore, The Brother/Sister Plays, The Tempest, The Time of Your Life (also Seattle Rep, ACT), The Diary of Anne Frank, The Cherry Orchard, The Ballad of Little Jo, Berlin Circle and her own play Space (also Mark Taper Forum, the Public). Landau has co-authored The Viewpoints Book with Anne Bogart and has taught regularly at such schools as Yale, Columbia, Harvard and Northwestern.  Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

On this episode of Half Hour, Erin Cook, Steppenwolf’s universally beloved company manager of more than ten years, joins Caroline Neff for a lovely and lively conversation. Cook shares stories from her path to Steppenwolf, and she talks about what it is like being communicating with, and caring for, the more than fifty actors, writers and directors that constitute the Steppenwolf Ensemble. Plus, Erin reflects on her singular relationships with two of Steppenwolf’s visionary artistic directors: Martha Lavey and Anna D. Shapiro.Interview begins at 3:14.  Erin Cook is the Company Manager & Assistant to the Artistic Director at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where she has worked since 2008. Previously, Erin has worked at TimeLine, The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and Utah Shakespeare along with a slew of restaurant and coffee shop jobs! Erin’s top five shows at Steppenwolf are a combination of the things she has seen and worked on: The Brother/Sister Plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Middletown by Will Eno, The Seafarer by Conor McPherson, Mary Page Marlowe by Tracy Letts and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

Half Hour welcomes its first designer on the show: Tony Award-Winner Clint Ramos. Audrey Francis interviews Ramos, and their conversation largely centers on how Clint aims to transform the American theatre to be more equitable and just. The pair also discuss the designer’s process, and how Clint balances his twin niches of costume and scenic design. Plus, Ramos shares insights from his childhood watching street theatre in the Philippines.  Interview begins at 2:39Clint Ramos is a designer, educator, activist, and creative producer. He is the recipient of a TONY Award for Best Costume Design of a Play for Eclipsed making him the first person of color to win that category. He is a current 2020 TONY double nominee for his scenic design for Slave Play and costume design for The Rose Tattoo. Prior TONY nominations were for his designs for Once On This Island and Torch Song. He also is the recipient of two OBIE Awards, including one for Sustained Excellence in Design, three Lucille Lortel Awards, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two American Theater Wing Henry Hewes Awards, TDF Irene Sharraf Young Master Award, Helen Hayes Award, Craig Noel Award, among other honors. He is the recipient of the Ani ng Dangal Presidential Medal for dramatic arts from the President of the Philippines—he received this honor twice. He is the producing creative director for Encores! at New York City Center. Steppenwolf Credits include: Downstate, and The Doppelgänger (an international farce) (costumes) and The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington and Marie Antoinette (scenic).Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

Ensemble member Sandra Marquez sits down with Cliff Chamberlain for this insightful and inspiring conversation. Marquez shares stories from her singular childhood in the Central Valley of California, and reflects on her journey in Chicago theatre—and how she hopes to make it easier for the next generation of actors. Plus, Marquez talks about her legendary performances as Clytemnestra, and what it was like to play that single role over the course of four years and three productions. Interview begins at 3:43.Sandra Marquez joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2016, where her acting credits include: Nora in A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Roommate, The Doppelgänger (an international farce), Mary Page Marlowe, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, A Streetcar Named Desire, Sonia Flew and One Arm. Directing credits at Steppenwolf include La Ruta and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. At Teatro Vista, where she is a longtime company member and former Associate Artistic Director, she directed Fade, My Mañana Comes, Breakfast Lunch & Dinner and Our Lady of the Underpass. She is the recipient of a Jeff Award for her work in Teatro Vista’s A View from the Bridge. Marquez completed a three-year arc playing Clytemnestra in Court Theatre’s Iphigenia Cycle (Iphigenia at Aulis, Electra and Agamemnon).Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

Renowned playwright and Steppenwolf ensemble member Rajiv Joseph joins this episode of Half Hour for a conversation with Caroline Neff. Joseph shares stories from his time serving in the Peace Corps, and he chats about where he draws inspiration for his plays—and why he’s never dismayed when he was to scrap a draft and completely start over. Tune in to hear Rajiv talk about working with legendary comedian Robin Williams, and to see why he thinks that two-character plays are quite similar to motorcycles.Interview begins at 3:42. This episode of Half Hour is generously sponsored by Laurie Anne Kladis. Rajiv Joseph’s play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama and also awarded a grant for Outstanding New American Play by the National Endowment for the Arts. He has twice won the Obie Award for Best New American Play, first in 2016 with Guards at the Taj (also a 2016 Lortel Winner for Best Play) and then for Describe the Night.  Other plays include Archduke, Gruesome Playground Injuries, Animals Out of Paper, The Lake Effect, The North Pool and Mr. Wolf.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

Karen Rodriguez hosts this candid interview with esteemed actor, director and ensemble member Amy Morton. Morton shares her favorite (and least favorite) moments on stage, and dishes out advice for young actors eager to jumpstart their careers. Listen to hear Amy talk about her path, from growing up as a shy kid with a fantastical imagination, to seeing her first Steppenwolf production, and finally to performing in the theatre’s legendary production of August: Osage County thirty years later.Interview begins at 3:37. This episode of Half Hour is generously sponsored by Michele Kenner.Amy Morton is a director and actor at Steppenwolf. She has directed or performed in over 30 plays at Steppenwolf including Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Tony nomination), August: Osage County (Tony nomination), One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (also on Broadway), Hir, Cherry Orchard, The Berlin Circle, Three Days of Rain, The Unmentionables, Space, The Royal Family and many others. She has directed Guards at the Taj (both Atlantic Theatre and Steppenwolf), Glengary Glen Ross, Clybourne Park, America Buffalo, The Dresser, The Pillowman, Topdog/Underdog, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Alliance Theatre), Awake and Sing (Northlight Theatre), and many others. Film: Rookie of the Year, 8MM, Falling Down, Backdraft, Up in the Air, Bluebird. Television: Bluebloods, Girls, Homeland, currently on Chicago PD as Trudy Platt. Before joining Steppenwolf, Amy was a member of the Remains Theatre for 15 years.Learn more at Steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgA transcript of this episode can be found HERE

Half Hour's second season launches with a charming and insightful conversation between longtime friends Jon Michael Hill and James Vincent Meredith. Hill discusses his relationship with music from childhood days performing music routines outside of Six Flags to composing the music for The Brother/Sister Plays and creating his own Hip Hop album in 2021. The conversation also touches on the success he found as a young actor in Chicago, his first humbling experience working within an ensemble dynamic, and his dreams for the future.Interview begins at 3:54.Jon Michael Hill joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2007. Steppenwolf: True West, Pass Over, Constellations, Head of Passes, The Hot L Baltimore, The Tempest, Kafka on the Shore, The Unmentionables. Broadway: Superior Donuts. Regional: Pass Over (Lincoln Center)Film: Pass Over, Windows, In The Radiant City, No Pay, Nudity. Television: Elementary, Detroit 1-8-7, Eastbound and Down, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Person of Interest. Learn more at steppenwolf.org Want to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgTranscript of this episode can be found HERE 

Half Hour returns for an all-new second season, starting on March 30. Enjoy this sneak peek of just some of the candid, inspiring, and thoughtful conversations to come.

In the final episode of Half Hour's first season, Cliff Chamberlain sits down with his long time pal and Steppenwolf ensemble member Carrie Coon to talk about her preparation in the moments before a performance, whether on stage or on screen. Coon shares backstage stories from her enviable career, and chats about how she thinks an ensemble of actors isn't all that different from a soccer team.Interview begins at 5:10. This episode of Half Hour is exclusively sponsored by Helen Zell.Carrie Coon joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2019. Steppenwolf: Mary Page Marlowe, Tracy Letts’s adaptation of Three Sisters, The March, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Broadway: Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony nomination – Best Featured Actress in a Play; Theatre World Award). Off Broadway: Mary Jane (2018 Lucille Lortel Award, Obie Award, Drama Desk nomination); Placebo (Playwrights Horizons). Film: Gone Girl, The Post, Widows, Avengers: Infinity War. Upcoming: The Nest, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Summer 2020). Television: The Sinner (Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination), HBO’s The Leftovers, FX’s Fargo. She won a Critics’ Choice Television Award for her performance in HBO’s The Leftovers and a TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama for her performances in The Leftovers and Fargo.Learn more at steppenwolf.org.  Want to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.orgTranscript of this episode can be found here: https://www.steppenwolf.org/globalassets/half-hour-podcast/half-hour-ep12-transcript.pdf

Acclaimed actor, casting director, and founder of the Chicago Inclusion Project, Emjoy Gavino, joins Caroline Neff on the podcast to discuss the history of her vital work advocating for inclusion in the city’s theatre scene, as well as how she approaches her craft. Learn how Gavino begins to cast a production, what is on her pre-show playlist, and why she can relate to an image of a dachshund in a lobster costume.Interview begins at 4:04Emjoy Gavino is an actor, casting director, teaching artist, producer and food enthusiast based in Chicago. Her acting credits include A Red Orchid Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Court Theater, About Face Theatre, The Hypocrites, The Second City, House Theatre, Northlight, Remy Bumppo, Victory Gardens Theatre, Paramount, The Broadway Playhouse, Lookingglass, The Neo-Futurists, The Goodman Theatre, Studio Theatre, The Village Theatre, Repertory Actors Theatre, 5th Avenue Theatre, Book-It Repertory and The Gift Theatre, where she is the casting director and an associate artistic director. She is a 2017 3Arts Make a Wave grantee and the founder and training series producer of The Chicago Inclusion Project, through which she has cast for American Theater Company, The Hypocrites, Circle Up (Jackalope Theatre), and In the Works (Theater on the Lake). She is represented by Stewart Talent.The Chicago Inclusion Project is a non-profit organization currently made up by business manager Elana Elyce, founder/training series director Emjoy Gavino, Grant Writer Stephanie Diaz, Community Organizer/Literary Manager Abhi Shrestha and facilitators Arti Ishak and Jessica Vann. CIP is a collective of artists, committed to creating inclusive theater experiences by bringing together Chicago artists and audiences normally separated by ethnic background, economic status, gender identity, physical ability and countless other barriers. By emphasizing inclusive hiring practices and season curation, cultivating a diverse audience by bringing new combinations of artists to as many communities in Chicago (and its surrounding suburbs) as possible, choosing facilities for the multiple projects that are handicap-accessible and keeping price of tickets and classes affordable, The Chicago Inclusion Project programming aims to unite diverse collections of Chicagoans. More at thechicagoinclusionproject.org.  A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://www.steppenwolf.org/globalassets/half-hour-podcast/half-hour-ep11-transcript.pdfLearn more at steppenwolf.orgWant to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.org

Playwright, actor, and activist Matthew-Lee Erlbach joins Half Hour to share insights from the ongoing advocacy movement, Be An #ArtsHero. In this conversation with ensemble member Audrey Francis, Erlbach relates data and stories about the vitality of the arts in American life, speaks to the struggle facing the Arts and Culture field during the COVID Crisis, and suggests how we can reshape our American society to place a higher value on art—and the workers who make art possible. Interview begins at 4:38Matthew-Lee Erlbach is a Co-Organizer of Be An #ArtsHero, a national labor movement of Arts Workers urging Congress for an extension of FPUC, a 100% COBRA subsidy, and the passage of the DAWN Act, the nation’s only comprehensive arts worker relief bill. Playwright credits include THE DOPPELGÄNGER (an international farce), starring Rainn Wilson and directed by Tina Landau (Steppenwolf); his solo-play HANDBOOK FOR AN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY (Gym at Judson/Tony Speciale.); EAGER TO LOSE: A BURLESQUE FARCE IN RHYMING VERSE (Ars Nova/ Wes Grantom/Portia Krieger); SEX OF THE BABY (Access/Michelle Bossy); and his work has been developed/produced with The New Group, Steppenwolf, Vineyard, Ars Nova, MCC, Williamstown, NYTW, Gym at Judson the Orchard Project, and SPACE on Ryder Farm, among others. He has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Laurents/Hatcher Foundation, Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, Puffin Foundation, was a member of Ars Nova's Play Group, MVMNT Theatre’s Play Group, and is a HUMANITAS New Voices recipient. TV, credits include MASTERS OF SEX/Showtime, GYPSY/Netflix, WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS/ Netflix, and WWE, MTV, and Nickelodeon. He is currently writing an UNTITLED FEATURE with Rainn Wilson and has TV projects set up with SONY, Killer Films, Cavalry, and Mermade/Merman; he is also the writer/director of HUMAN INTEREST which won “Best Digital Short Series” at SeriesFest. A proud graduate of the public school system from K-College, his civic work includes a writing program for single mothers transitioning out of homelessness and prison, building shelters with Habitat for Humanity, and working with labor on economic justice issues. BE AN #ARTS HERO is a national, non-partisan grassroots movement that emphasizes Arts & Culture’s contribution to the economy, urging Congress for immediate relief. We are a united, intersectional, sector-wide coalition calling for an extension of FPUC, a 100% COBRA subsidy, and the passage of the DAWN ACT, the only comprehensive arts worker relief bill which would authorize $43.85B to the NEA, NEH, IMLS, CPB, and SBA to make grants to the operators, employees, and artists of live venues, recording venues, cultural spaces, and related businesses to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on all Arts Workers across the national Arts Economy. Be An #ArtsHero has appeared on Morning Joe, TODAY, GMA, Late Night w/Seth Meyers and the viral Open Letter to the US Senate has been signed over 13K times by the leaders of every major Arts Org; Pulitzer, Oscar, Tony, and Emmy winners; and countless high-profile names across the Arts. More info at www.BeAnArtsHero.com.  Learn more at steppenwolf.org.Want to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.org. You can find a transcript of this podcast here:https://www.steppenwolf.org/globalassets/half-hour-podcast/half-hour-ep10-transcript.pdf

In this friendly and fascinating conversation, Ensemble Member Yasen Peyankov reunites with his old student and cast mate Cliff Chamberlain. Peyankov shares stories about growing up in Eastern Europe, starting his career anew in Chicago, and the differences between theater in Bulgaria and America.Interview begins at 4:15Yasen Peyankov has been a Steppenwolf ensemble member since 2002. He last directed Virtual Seagull at Steppenwolf and before that appeared as The Keeper in Lindiwe. His Steppenwolf main stage directing credits include the world premiere of Erika Sheffer’s The Fundamentals, Between Riverside and Crazy (Jeff Nomination for Best Production 2016), Grand Concourse, Russian Transport, as well as Hushabye for First Look and The Glass Menagerie for Steppenwolf for Young Adults. Other directing credits include Macbeth, Uncle Vanya, Go Away Go Away, Stars in the Morning Sky (European Repertory), Ladybird (The Evidence Room, Los Angeles), Overweight, Unimportant, Misshape: A European Supper (Trapdoor Theatre). His translations/adaptations of Chekhov plays include Ivanov, Uncle Vanya and Seagull as well as Zoyka’s Apartment by M. Bulgakov, Ladybird, Plasticine and Black Milk by V. Sigarev, Stars in the Morning Sky by A.Galin, and  Go Away Go Away by N. Kolyada. He also translated and directed the Bulgarian premiere of August: Osage County at the National Theatre in Sofia. He has appeared in 20 productions at Steppenwolf, some of which are: Time of Your Life (also in Seattle and San Francisco), Morning Star (Jeff Award), Hysteria, Lost Land, Cherry Orchard, Frankie and Johnny at the Claire De Lune (also in Dublin), Superior Donuts ( also on Broadway), Pillowman, The Tempest, Three Sisters, Penelope, A Doll's House Part 2, The Children and others.  Some of his many film and television appearances include Chicago PD, Madam Secretary, Stranger Things, Captive State, A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, Gifted Hands, Alias, The Practice, The Unit, Numb3rs, and many others. Mr. Peyankov is Professor and the Head of Theatre at the School of Theatre and Music at UIC where he teaches acting and directs plays.Learn more at steppenwolf.org.  Want to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.org.You can find a transcript of this podcast here:https://www.steppenwolf.org/globalassets/half-hour-podcast/ep9-transcript.pdf

Ensemble member Karen Rodriguez joins Caroline Neff to speak about her path to becoming an actor, moving to Chicago and joining the Steppenwolf ensemble. The conversation ranges from Karen’s childhood growing up in Mexico, Indiana and Texas to her first Steppenwolf audition. Hear Karen reflect on if she sees herself as a role model and what it means to reach "bruja status." Interview begins at 4:40Karen Rodriguez is an acclaimed Chicago-based actor hailing from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. A member of the esteemed Steppenwolf ensemble, productions there include: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Dance Nation, La Ruta, The Doppelgänger, The Rembrandt. In Chicago, she starred in the critically-acclaimed solo show The Way She Spoke by Isaac Gomez. Other selected Chicago credits include Breach (Victory Gardens Theatre); The Displaced (Haven Theater); Hookman (Steep Theatre); Blue Skies Process (Goodman Theatre); good friday (Oracle Productions); Romeo and Juliet (Teatro Vista). Television credits include Chicago Fire and Chicago Justice. Ms. Rodriguez is a 2020 50 Players recipient, with NewCity Stage calling her “a force to be reckoned with” and a performer “on the cutting edge.” Up next: the remount of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter and Seagull  at Steppenwolf Theatre Company.You can find a transcript for this podcast here: https://www.steppenwolf.org/globalassets/half-hour-podcast/half-hour-ep8-transcript.pdfLearn more at steppenwolf.org.  Want to get in touch? Emailhalfhour@steppenwolf.org.

Ensemble member Audrey Francis hosts actor, director, activist (and all-around bad ass) Sydney Charles for this frank, funny and warm conversation. Listen to learn about many of the vital movements in Chicago’s theater scene that are pushing institutions and individuals towards a more equitable field. Interview begins at 2:35. Sydney Charles is a Chicago-based actor, activist, and art maker and creator. Selected theatre credits include: The Color Purple (Drury Lane); Nina Simone: Four Women (Northlight Theatre); Flyin' West (American Blues Theatre); Lottery Day, Father Comes Home From the Wars (Goodman Theatre). Sydney can also be seen in episodes of The Haven, The T, Shameless and The Chi. She has lent her directing eye to Steppenwolf Theatre and Red Tape Theatre. She is particularly proud to be an artistic associate with Firebrand Theater. Sydney thanks God for every opportunity she is able to experience and her circle for supporting her every step of the way. Represented by Stewart Talent. AEA/SAG-AFTRA member Follow Sydney Charles on twitter @mssydchas; on Instagram @mssydchas; or on her website at www.sydneycharlesexp.comLearn more about We See You White American Theater at www.weseeyouwat.com or on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Second Act Chi on Instagram @thesecondactchi.Learn more at steppenwolf.org.  Want to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.org.You can find a transcript of this podcast here:  https://www.steppenwolf.org/globalassets/half-hour-podcast/half-hour-ep7-transcript.pdf

Cliff Chamberlain catches up with ensemble member Frank Galati in this conversation that covers Galati's first theatrical experiences, his attachment to Illinois, and what drew him to a career as a director and adapter. A master storyteller, Galati takes a deep dive into some of his most beloved Steppenwolf productions, including The Grapes of Wrath and Kafka on the Shore. Interview begins at 3:03 Frank Galati has been a member of the Steppenwolf ensemble since 1985. Frank won two Tony Awards for his adaptation and direction of Steppenwolf's production of The Grapes of Wrath on Broadway and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1998 for directing the musical Ragtime. Although he is known primarily as a director of epic plays and musicals (Steppenwolf's Homebody/Kabul, Broadway's Ragtime) he is an equally adept actor (Steppenwolf's The Drawer Boy, The Tempest) and adaptor (Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay for The Accidental Tourist.) he directed his adaptation of Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore at Steppenwolf in 2008. His productions at the Goodman Theatre, where he was an associate director from 1986-2008, include She Always Said Pablo, The Winter’s Tale, The Good Person of Setzuan and Cry the Beloved Country and Mr. Galati is a professor emeritus in the department of performance studies at Northwestern University. He now is an artistic associate at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. Frank is also currently working on a new musical called Knoxville with Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.  This episode was co-sponsored by Lynn Lockwood Murphy, honoring Aidan Murphy and Kenyon College Class of 2020. The excerpted poetry in this episode is from “The Waking” by Theodore Roethke (1953). Learn more at steppenwolf.org.  Want to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.org.  For a transcript of this episode, got to: https://www.steppenwolf.org/globalassets/half-hour-podcast/half-hour-ep6-transcript.pdf