Theater

Steppenwolf announces season 51

Posted March 04, 2026 3:50 pm

Four assorted premieres and a modern American classic make up Steppenwolf Theatre’s 2026-2027 season announced Wednesday.

It commences Sept. 17 with the long-awaited revival of Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize-winning “Topdog/Underdog,” originally set for the 50th anniversary season but postponed due to scheduling conflicts. Co-artistic director Glenn Davis and fellow ensemble member Namir Smallwood star as sibling rivals Lincoln and Booth, united in poverty and laboring under a lifetime of resentment. Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon directs.

Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Namir Smallwood stars alongside fellow ensemble member Glenn Davis in “Topdog/Underdog,” the opening production of the company’s 51st season. Courtesy of Sandro Miller

That’s followed by the premiere of “Adirondack Chair Circle” (Oct. 22-Dec. 6), Stephanie Alison Walker’s play about a suburban mom who seems to have it all, featuring co-artistic director Audrey Francis and helmed by Pam MacKinnon.

Ensemble member Tina Landau directs the Chicago premiere of “The Comeuppance” (Feb. 4-March 21, 2027) by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, whose Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning “Purpose” premiered at Steppenwolf in 2024. A dark comedy produced in association with the American Conservatory Theater, “The Comeuppance” centers on a group of millennials who gather for their 20th high school reunion.

Next up is Steppenwolf’s English-language premiere of the psychological thriller “Ellen B.” (April 1-May 9, 2027) by Marius von Mayenburg, with a translation by Daniel Brunet. The play centers on teacher Astrid and her former student-turned-partner Klara, whose relationship raises questions for which headmaster Wolfram seeks answers.

The season concludes with the premiere of Adam Rapp’s “The Night Fawn” (May 27-July 3, 2027), directed by Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney and featuring ensemble member Cliff Chamberlain. A man whose professional and personal lives are in shambles returns home to settle his late mother’s affairs and discovers a terrible secret from his childhood.

Classic memberships start at $165 for all five productions. The Black Card, Steppenwolf’s flex membership, starts at $128 and includes six ticket credits. The Red Card, for theatergoers younger than 30, starts at $107 for six ticket credits. Order tickets at (312) 335-1650 or steppenwolf.org.