Steppenwolf Presents Free TRIBUTE TO STUDS TERKEL - Monday, November 17

Steppenwolf Theatre Company will pay tribute to late literary legend Studs Terkel with a free staged reading with music of Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, adapted by Derek Goldman from Terkel's book Will the Circle Be Unbroken? Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith on Monday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Admission is free, however reservations are required.

Tickets will be available to the general public on Wednesday, November 12 at 11 a.m. by calling Audience Services at (312) 335-1650 or at 1650 N. Halsted St. (Limit 4 tickets per household).

Will the Circle Be Unbroken? is directed by associate artist Jessica Thebus with musical direction by Robert Reddrick and will feature: Steppenwolf ensemble members Robert Breuler, K. Todd Freeman, Tom Irwin, Martha Lavey and Alan Wilder with Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Anthony Fleming III, Rick Kogan, Keith Kupferer, Ernest Perry, Joyce Piven, David Schwimmer, Michael Smith and Dennis Zacek.

Steppenwolf Theatre honors the life of Pulitzer Prize-winning author, broadcaster and activist Studs Terkel, who died on October 31, 2008 at age 96. Will the Circle Be Unbroken? is an unforgettable evening of song, story and celebration. With a cast that includes both Steppenwolf ensemble members and renowned personalities and performers, the concert-style reading will incorporate music to illuminate Studs' poignant book of interviews on death and dying. Recognizable interviewees portrayed on stage include author Kurt Vonnegut, actress Uta Hagen and Chicago Reader theater critic and AIDS activist Justin Hayford. There are also everyday Chicagoans-parents, medics and teachers-who share wise words and meaningful memories. The result is a vibrant tapestry of life's full process, sure to stir compassion and inspiration.

"Studs was a dear friend to Steppenwolf, comments Artistic Director Martha Lavey. "He appeared twice on our stage in our Traffic series, including, memorably as Dalton Trumbo in the radio drama Trumbo. We produced an adaptation of Studs' Division Street for our young audiences and twice previously produced Will the Circle be Unbroken?-once on the Steppenwolf stage and once in Millennium Park. Studs was a true Chicagoan and an honorable citizen of the world. It's a joy to celebrate his life by giving voice to work," add Lavey.

Title: Studs Terkel's Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
Adapted by: Derek Goldman
Directed by: associate artist Jessica Thebus
Musical direction by: Robert Reddrick

Featuring: Robert Breuler, K. Todd Freeman, Tom Irwin, Martha Lavey and Alan Wilder with Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Anthony Fleming III, Rick Kogan, Keith Kupferer, Ernest Perry, Joyce Piven, David Schwimmer, Michael Smith and Dennis Zacek.

Date: Monday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Steppenwolf Downstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.
Ticket prices: Free-reservations required (4 ticket limit per household)
Audience Services: 1650 N. Halsted, 312-335-1650

Steppenwolf is located near all forms of public transportation and is wheelchair accessible. Street and lot parking are available. Assistive listening devices are available for every performance.

Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Steppenwolf Theatre Company's mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships and contributing new works to the national canon. The company, formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, is dedicated to perpetuating an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through on-going group work. Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of forty-one artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking and textual adaptation. For additional information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.