Steppenwolf Theatre Opens 49th Season with Noises Off by Michael Frayn

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, is has opened its 49th season with a revival of Michael Frayn’s classic comedy, Noises Off, directed by Tony Award-winning ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro (August: Osage County, The Minutes), presented in a co-production with Geffen Playhouse.

Onstage antics collide with offstage foibles in Steppenwolf’s production of Noises Off. By the end of this dizzying play-within-a-play, you won’t know stage right from left. The cast and crew of Nothing On are scrambling to prepare for opening night, but despite their earnest efforts, the production is an absolute mess. Line flubs and lost props and missed cues, oh my! Can this beleaguered ensemble overcome egos and jealousies to pull the show together in time? 

Steppenwolf Theatre’s artistic director, Glenn Davis notes, “Is there any better way to begin our season than by welcoming the visionary Anna D. Shapiro – one of the finest directors working today – back to her home theater? It’s a gift to have Anna back in the building, directing this unruly and demanding farce; I can’t wait to see what she creates with her remarkable cast. And we’re incredibly excited to be producing this in partnership with my dear friend and Steppenwolf ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney, Artistic Director at the Geffen Playhouse. Seeing Steppenwolf’s work onstage across the country, stewarded by fellow ensemble members, is a humbling reminder of the vital contributions Steppenwolf has made to the American theatre for 49 years and counting.”

Steppenwolf’s take on the funniest farce ever written will play September 12 – October 27, 2024, in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theater, 1650 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. Classic Memberships are now on sale for Steppenwolf’s 2024/25 season at steppenwolf.org/myseason. Single tickets for Noises Off starting at $20 are now on sale at steppenwolf.org or the Box Office at (312) 335-1650.