Steppenwolf Theatre Company

The juggernaut that’s home to maybe the world’s most famous acting ensemble (paging Gary Sinise, John Mahoney, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Plimpton, William Petersen…) is probably what most people outside Chicago think of when they hear “Chicago theater.” From famous basement origins has risen a major institution where three venues house a lineup of new and classic plays and, in the new 1700 Theatre, more eclectic performance. After spending much of its life as a rather homogeneous unit—until 2007, there was only one person of color among the dozens of ensemble members—Steppenwolf has taken positive steps over the last decade toward diversifying both its people and its plays.