Latest news with #Steppenwolf
Chicago Tribune
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Little Bear Ridge Road' will move from Steppenwolf to Broadway
Producers Scott Rudin and Barry Diller said Monday that Samuel D. Hunter's 'Little Bear Ridge Road,' an emotional drama about an aunt and her estranged nephew set during the pandemic in rural Idaho, will open on Broadway for a limited 18-week run this fall. 'Little Bear Ridge Road' premiered last summer at Steppenwolf Theatre. As in Chicago, the show in New York will star Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock, reprising their performances from the production's world premiere at Steppenwolf. Direction is by Joe Mantello ('Wicked'). Preview performances will begin on Oct. 7 ahead of an Oct. 30 opening night at the Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St., New York. This production will mark Rudin's return to Broadway, after being largely absent following 2021 media accounts alleging abusive treatment of some of his staffers. Rudin has since apologized and said any such behavior won't be repeated. Inevitably, he remains a controversial figure, but many who work on Broadway and follow its shows miss his formidable producing abilities and his voracious appetite for making new plays work in a commercial arena. He has paid much attention to new work coming from Steppenwolf over the years. 'It's a beautiful, singular play that deals with subject matter I had never seen a play take on, and it was being done by old and good friends and frequent collaborators of many years,' Rudin told the Tribune Monday. 'I love Sam's plays. It's a remarkably easy production to believe in.' Sources close to Steppenwolf say there was much internal debate about the theater's involvement in this Broadway transfer. The Chicago institution has long and important relationships with both Metcalf, one of its best-known stars, and Mantello, an acclaimed director. Both have similarly close relationships with Rudin, who has produced several shows starring Metcalf. Some in the ensemble believed that the play deserved its shot on Broadway with the theater's backing and Rudin producing; others wanted to try and make alternate arrangements for a commercial transfer. In the end, the company decided to release the play and the cast but to remove its name from the production. That said, everyone still will know from whence it came.
Geek Tyrant
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Michael Madsen, Star of RESERVOIR DOGS and KILL BILL, Dies at 67 — GeekTyrant
Michael Madsen, the gravel-voiced actor whose raw charisma made him a staple in Quentin Tarantino's cinematic universe, has died at the age of 67. He was found unresponsive in his Malibu home on Thursday morning. His representative confirmed the cause of death appears to be cardiac arrest. Best known as the sadistic-yet-smooth Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs, Madsen etched himself into pop culture history with a single razor blade and a haunting dance to Stealers Wheel's 'Stuck in the Middle With You.' It's the kind of scene that never quite lets go of you, much like Madsen himself, who carried an unpredictable edge across every character he played. His career with Tarantino didn't stop there. He became a recurring figure in the director's bloody, stylish universe playing Budd in Kill Bill Vols. 1 & 2 , then appearing in The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood . But Madsen's reach extended well beyond Tarantino's filmography. With over 300 credits to his name, he left his mark on everything from Donnie Brasco and Thelma & Louise , to Sin City , The Natural , and The Doors . Born in Chicago on September 25, 1957, Madsen got his start at the legendary Steppenwolf Theater before landing his first screen role in 1983's War Games . Throughout the '80s and '90s, he built a reputation as a go-to tough guy. In more recent years, Madsen immersed himself in independent film, preparing for what many around him believed would be a creative resurgence. Hhis managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith and publicist Liz Rodriguez said in a joint statement: ''In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films Resurrection Road , Concessions and Cookbook for Southern Housewives , and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life. 'Michael was also preparing to release a new book called Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems currently being edited. Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.' He lived a life that was complex and, at times, painful. In 2022, he lost his son Hudson to suicide. In 2024, he was arrested on domestic battery charges involving his estranged wife, DeAnna. He is survived by five other children, as well as siblings Cheryl Madsen and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen. Michael Madsen was a great actor who embodied the charatcers he played, and contradictions that made them compelling.
Axios
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Chicago theater legend Robert Falls joins Steppenwolf for 50th anniversary season
Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a star-studded season this fall. The latest: Legendary Chicago director Bob Falls will make his Steppenwolf directorial debut with "Amadeus" this fall, after the theater announced former artistic director Anna Shapiro is stepping away due to health reasons. Falls steered the Goodman Theatre for decades before stepping down in 2021. What they're saying:"On behalf of Anna and the entire ensemble, we are moved and honored to finally welcome Robert Falls for his Steppenwolf directing debut," Steppenwolf artistic directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis said in a release. "We know that our production is in the inventive and reliable hands of one of the all-time greats." The intrigue: The theater also announced it is postponing the play "Topdog/Underdog" due to scheduling conflicts and replacing it with Conor McPherson's "The Dance of Death," starring Steppenwolf co-founder Jeff Perry. Zoom in: The 50th anniversary season will feature actors like K. Todd Freeman, Gary Cole, Yasen Peyankov, Tim Hopper and Kathryn Erbe.
Chicago Tribune
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Anna D. Shapiro is stepping away from Steppenwolf for health reasons
Steppenwolf Theatre Company said Monday that its former artistic director, Anna D. Shapiro, will no longer be directing 'Amadeus' in its upcoming season. She will be replaced by former Goodman Theatre artistic director Robert Falls, making his Steppenwolf directorial debut. A Steppenwolf spokesman said the Tony Award-winning Shapiro was stepping down from leading the planned November staging for health reasons and hopes to return to directing projects soon. Steppenwolf also said that it was postponing its previously announced production of 'Topdog/Underdog' due to artistic scheduling conflicts, and will instead stage Conor McPherson's 2012 adaptation of August Strindberg's 'The Dance of Death.' To be directed by Yasen Peyankov, the replacement production will bring longtime ensemble member Kathryn Erbe back to Steppenwolf after an absence of nearly 30 years, along with Steppenwolf co-founder Jeff Perry. 'The Dance of Death' is slated for late January 2026. Steppenwolf Theatre hits 50: Its anniversary season will include 'Amadeus' and a new play by Tarell Alvin McCraneyChris Jones is a Tribune critic. cjones5@
Time Out
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Rolling Thunder
Photograph: Courtesy of the artist | Drew Becker Half a century after the fall of Saigon, Kenneth Ferrone directs the NYC premiere of this hit 2014 Austalian jukebox musical about the Vietnam War and the protest movement that emerged in response to it. The show's story, by journalist Bryce Hallett, incorporates more than 20 classic-rock staples made famous by such artists as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Simon and Garfunkel, the Animals, the Impressions, Santana and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The cast of six comprises Drew Becker, Cassadee Pope, Justin Matthew Sargent, Daniel Yearwood, Courtnee Carter and Deon'te Goodman. Thu, Jul 10, 2025 Fri, Jul 11, 2025 Sat, Jul 12, 2025 Sun, Jul 13, 2025 Mon, Jul 14, 2025 Wed, Jul 16, 2025 Thu, Jul 17, 2025 Fri, Jul 18, 2025 Sat, Jul 19, 2025 Sat, Jul 19, 2025 Show more By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. 🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed! Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Discover Time Out original video
