STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY ADDS ONE WEEK OF PERFORMANCES TO CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BROADWAY-BOUND HIT AIRLINE HIGHWAY

STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY ADDS ONE WEEK OF PERFORMANCES TO CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BROADWAY-BOUND HIT AIRLINE HIGHWAY 1 By popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company extends its critically acclaimed world premiere production of Airline Highway by Pulitzer Prize finalist Lisa D’Amour and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello. Steppenwolf’s Broadway-bound production continues for five additional performances, through February 14, 2015 with the original cast. Tickets ($20 - $86) to the additional performances of Airline Highway go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14 at 11am through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted), at 312-335-1650 or at steppenwolf.org.

b99410913z.1_20141218175120_000_get96hta.1-0By popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre Company extends its critically acclaimed world premiere production of Airline Highway by Pulitzer Prize finalist Lisa D’Amour and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello. Steppenwolf’s Broadway-bound production continues for five additional performances, through February 14, 2015 with the original cast. Tickets ($20 – $86) to the additional performances of Airline Highway go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14 at 11am through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted), at 312-335-1650 or at steppenwolf.org.

Added performances of Airline Highway include

Wednesday, February 11 at 7:30pm

Thursday, February 12 at 7:30pm

Friday, February 13 at 7:30pm

Saturday, February 14 at 3pm

Saturday, February 14 at 7:30pm

Variety raves, “Filled with wit and humanity and plenty of energy stemming nonstop from an ensemble that doesn’t have a weak link.” The Chicago Tribune calls the play, “Fascinating…very few playwrights have the acute sense of American place you find in D’Amour’s beautiful writing.”

Steppenwolf’s production will be presented by Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) at their Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on Broadway in Spring 2015. Airline Highway was commissioned and developed by Steppenwolf Theatre Company with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

In the parking lot of The Hummingbird, a once-glamorous motel on New Orleans’ infamous Airline Highway, a group of friends gather. A rag-tag collection of strippers, hustlers and philosophers have come together to celebrate the life of Miss Ruby, an iconic burlesque performer who has requested a funeral before she dies. The party rages through the night as old friends resurface to pay their respects. A world premiere from the author of Detroit, Airline Highway is a boisterous and moving ode to the outcasts who make life a little more interesting.

The Chicago cast includes Steppenwolf ensemble members Robert Breuler and K. Todd Freeman with Carolyn Braver, Kate Buddeke, Chris Daley, Stephen Louis Grush, Terry Hamilton, Scott Jaeck, Toni Martin, Caroline Neff, Tim Edward Rhoze, Judith Roberts, Brenann Stacker, Gordon Joseph Weiss and Jacqueline Williams. Casting for the MTC engagement will be announced at a later date.

The production team for Steppenwolf’s production of Airline Highway includes Scott Pask (scenic design), David Zinn (costume design), Japhy Weideman (lighting design) and Fitz Patton (sound design and original composition). Additional credits include: Erica Daniels (casting), Malcolm Ewen (stage manager) and Christine D. Freeburg (assistant stage manager).

Steppenwolf hosts EXPLORE: The World of Airline Highway, a free between-shows event on Saturday, January 17 at 5:30pm in the Garage Theatre featuring performance poetry from New Orleans-based Danny Kerwick, the real-life inspiration for the character of Francis. Kerwick is joined by some of Chicago’s coolest performance poets, including Gregorio Gomez, Marty McConnell and Billy Tuggle, music from Four Star Brass Band (Chicago-based New Orleans-style brass), cuisine by authentic New Orleans chefs from Chicago’s Blue Door Farm Stand and more. The event is free, but space is limited. Call Audience Services at 312-335-1650 to RSVP. For more details, visit steppenwolf.org/explore

Tickets to Airline Highway ($20 – $86) are available through Audience Services (1650 N Halsted St), 312-335-1650 and steppenwolf.org. Prices subject to change. 20 for $20: twenty $20 tickets are available through Audience Services beginning at 11am on the day of each performance (1pm for Sunday performances by phone only). Rush Tickets: half-price rush tickets are available one hour before each show. Student Discounts: a limited number of $15 student tickets are available online. Limit 2 tickets per student; must present a valid student ID for each ticket. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org/students. Group Tickets: all groups of 10 or more receive a discounted rate for any performance throughout the season. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org/groups.

Free post-show discussions are offered after every performance in the Subscription Season. Steppenwolf is located near all forms of public transportation and is wheelchair accessible. Street, lot and valet parking are available. Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for every performance.

Accessible performances include an American Sign Language Interpretation on Sunday, January 11 at 7:30pm; Open Captioning: Saturday, January 17 at 3pm; Audio Description and Touch Tour: Sunday, January 18 (Touch tour at 1:30pm; Curtain at 3pm). For more information, visit steppenwolf.org/access

Northern Trust is the Corporate Production Sponsor of the Chicago production of Airline Highway.

Steppenwolf’s 2014/15 season explores the question, How did I get here?, through five stories about losing—and finding—your way. Do you ever catch yourself in the rearview mirror and think: How did I get here? A jolt of fear. A flash of inspiration. The past may be a mystery, but the future is up for grabs. Are you completely lost? Or are you exactly where you are supposed to be?

Upcoming productions include: Marie Antoinette by David Adjmi, directed by Robert O’Hara (February 5 – May 10, 2015) in the Upstairs Theatre; Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ production of This is Modern Art (based on true events) (February 25 – March 14, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre; Garage Rep 2015 (February 20 – April 26, 2015) in the Garage Theatre; The Herd  by Rory Kinnear and directed by ensemble member Frank Galati (April 2 – June 7, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre; and Grand Concourse by Heidi Schreck, directed by ensemble member Yasen Peyankov (July 2 – August 30, 2015) in the Downstairs Theatre.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is America’s longest standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, producing nearly 700 performances and events annually in its three Chicago theater spaces—the 515-seatDownstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat Garage Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 44 actors, writers and directors. Artistic programming at Steppenwolf includes a five-play Subscription Season, a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season and two repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work, and Garage Rep. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf has the distinction of being the only theater to receive the National Medal of Arts, in addition to numerous other prestigious honors including an Illinois Arts Legend Award and 12 Tony Awards. Martha Lavey is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Managing Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf’s Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre andtwitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.