Theater founder hands over reins at St. Charles' Steel Beam

In 2009, Donna Steele, founder and artistic director of Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles, took a chance by including David Mamet's caustic, profanity-filled “Glengarry Glen Ross” in the main stage season.

It was the edgiest play she had ever staged at Steel Beam. So Steele ran the two-act workplace dramedy without a break, fearing that if audiences left their seats at intermission, they might not return.

As it turned out, the production was well-attended and Steele's gamble paid off — just as it did in 1999 when the actress and director peered into a second-floor storage space in a building at 111 W. Main St. and decided it would make a good theater. Her inaugural production was two years later. Now, after more than 90 main stage shows and dozens of children's productions, Steele is leaving the company she's helmed for 15 years. Saturday, Oct. 31, is her last day.

“It was a professional decision,” said the actor/director, who earned her Actors Equity card last year and is moving on to pursue acting full time.

But Steele says she will never leave entirely the theater that coincidentally shares her name — minus the final “e.” (The theater was named for the beam contractors installed to support the structure after they opened up a stone wall to create the stage.)

“I'll be in the audience for every show I can. I may even direct,” Steele said. “It will always be a part of me.”

Taking over is Marge Uhlarik-Boller, a longtime theater educator and director whose first Steel Beam production was “Becky's New Car” in 2012. She was named resident director last year about the same time Steele started talking about relinquishing her position.

“For a long time I didn't believe she was serious,” said Uhlarik-Boller, of Elgin, who will direct “The Clean House” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” this season.

The opportunity to collaborate and lead the theater was something Uhlarik-Boller could not turn down.

“Certainly people will compare me to Donna and there are daunting facets, but it's not a challenge I demure at,” she said. “We're going to go forward and offer the best entertainment we possibly can.”

That will include incorporating more frequently current titles such as Yasmina Reza's 2006 dark comedy “God of Carnage” from last season, and David Lindsay-Abaire's 2011 play “Good People,” which kicked off the current season.

“I think our audience is open to that,” said Uhlarik-Boller.

Steele says her successor possesses the creative and administrative skills necessary to guide the company through its next phase.

“I never wanted this to be the Steele Theatre. I wanted it to be a place where people could come and share their talents ... I'm thrilled it's come this far,” said Steele, whose philosophy was to hire talented people and give them the freedom to express their vision.

She credits the company's longevity to frugality, savvy management, a dedicated board of directors and faithful audiences. But challenges remain, many of them posed by a decrease in public funding for the arts.

“It's a struggle. We've seen our funding dwindle over the years,” she said. “We received three times more money in our third year than we do now.”

Given the chance to do it all over again, Steele says she would, although she'd locate the theater on the first floor.

One of the most important lessons is to not try to be all things to all people, said Steele.

“Know what you're good at and do what you're good at,” she said, “and don't be afraid to take risks.

“It sounds trite, but it's the truth.”