Ever wonder what it takes to make an ensemble member fly? Or make a surprise entrance through a trap door? Find out when Steppenwolf Theatre Company opens the doors of its Scene Shop for the first time ever at BEHIND THE CURTAIN on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, at 7pm. Guests at this inaugural fundraising event will experience a unique, behind-the-scenes look at Steppenwolf’s backstage production “secrets.”

BEHIND THE CURTAIN will include appetizers, cocktails, a silent auction and raffle plus the opportunity to meet behind-the-scenes professionals and designers including Todd Rosenthal, the Tony Award®-winning Scenic Designer of Steppenwolf’s August: Osage County.

The BEHIND THE CURTAIN silent auction will feature many items including:

• Two house seats to Steppenwolf’s production of Superior Donuts on Broadway including roundtrip airfare to New York.
• Two tickets to opening night of the national tour of Steppenwolf’s August: Osage County at Chicago’s Cadillac Place Theatre. The evening includes dinner with scenic designer Todd Rosenthal and technical director Russell Poole at Sepia.

Enjoy a day of antiquing and lunch with Steppenwolf’s Properties Master Jenny DiLuciano.

• A vintage poster from the 1987 Steppenwolf’s production of Burn This featuring ensemble members Joan Allen and John Malkovich.
• Set pieces and props from various Steppenwolf plays including the canvas from last season’s production of Art.

Guests can also enter a raffle to win the opportunity to experience the upcoming Steppenwolf production of Endgame through the eyes and ears of our production team. Winners will enjoy a pre-show dinner at La Trattoria del Merlo, a backstage tour, watch the performance from the Stage Manager’s booth and listen via headset as the crew calls the show, followed by a meet-and-greet with the cast and crew.

Additionally, Takeshi Kata’s stunning flowers which were featured in the scenic design of last season’s production of The Tempest will also be available for purchase. Each flower comes with a certificate of authenticity and a reproduction of the Scenic Designer’s rendering.

Tickets for BEHIND THE CURTAIN cost $250 per person and are currently available by calling Steppenwolf’s Special Events Department at 312-654-5632 or specialevents@steppenwolf.org.

“When we set out to create a new event for Steppenwolf Theatre last year, our goal was to break the traditional fundraising model,” comments BEHIND THE CURTAIN Chair Greg Desmond. “We began by selecting an interactive party venue: the Steppenwolf Scene Shop which houses 34 years of production treasures. In addition to raising funds for one of the nation’s leading theaters, BEHIND THE CURTAIN will also offer attendees an opportunity to mix and mingle with the industry’s top artists on the sets of some of our most memorable productions,“ adds Desmond.

The BEHIND THE CURTAIN Event Committee includes Greg Desmond (Chair), J. Robert Barr, Chris Broyles, Beth Boosalis Davis, M. Julie and Michael Gustafson, Michael J. Kennedy, Michael T. Noonan and Carrie Schloss.

Rubloff Residential Properties is the Corporate Sponsor of BEHIND THE CURTAIN. Additional contributions from: AlphaGraphics, Chicagoland Transportation Solutions, Inc., Frost, Grey Goose, Goose Island Brew Pub, Limelight Catering, V.I.P Valet Service and United Airlines.

• Name of event: Behind the Curtain
• Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009
• Time: 7:00 p.m.
• Location: Steppenwolf Scene Shop, 1010 N. Kolmar Ave.
• Description: A unique, behind-the-scenes experience at Steppenwolf’s scene shop including tours, cocktails, food, a silent auction and raffle.
• Ticket price: $250 per person. To purchase tickets, contact Steppenwolf’s Special

Events Department at 312-654-5632 or specialevents@steppenwolf.org.

About Steppenwolf Theatre Company

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 42 artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting and textual adaptation.

For additional information, please visit steppenwolf.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

David Rosenberg, 312-654-5656
Communications Director, Steppenwolf Theatre Co.
drosenberg@steppenwolf.org