Steppenwolf Premieres 'Adirondack Chair Circle' Through Dec. 13
The new play features three suburban women, a crow, and a pickleball tournament in a comedic take on book banning and female identity.
By Aiko Sato ·
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is presenting the world premiere of Adirondack Chair Circle, a new play by Stephanie Alison Walker. The production runs through December 13 at the theatre located at 1650 N. Halsted Street.
Tickets for the show range in price from $20 to $167.50. The performance schedule includes Tuesday through Friday evening shows at 7:30 p.m. Saturday performances begin at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., while Sunday matinees are at 3 p.m. Additional 2 p.m. matinees are scheduled for Wednesday, November 25, and Wednesday, December 2. The theatre will be closed for evening performances on Thursday, November 5, Tuesday, November 10, Wednesday, November 18, Thursday, November 26, and Tuesday, December 1.
Pam MacKinnon directs the production. The cast includes Katrina Lenk as Banna, Sadieh Rifai as Libby, and Wendy Mateo as Winona. Caroline Neff plays Evelyn Grace, a neighbor described in the play as a liberal. David Darrow appears as The Crow, a character that provides narration and commentary throughout the performance. The ensemble also includes members portraying a right-wing media consultant.
The plot centers on three suburban housewives who attempt to persuade the local school board to remove books from libraries. They view their neighbor Evelyn Grace as a communist for opposing their efforts. The story escalates when one of the women, Winona, invites Evelyn to be her pickleball partner. This interaction leads to a violent confrontation during a tournament and culminates in dueling speeches at a school board meeting.
The production features specific accessibility options for audiences. An audio description and touch tour are available on Sunday, November 22, at 3 p.m., with the touch tour starting at 1:30 p.m. Open captioning is offered on Saturday, November 7, Thursday, November 19, and Saturday, November 28. American Sign Language interpretation is available on Friday, December 4.
The play alludes to Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle. It blends comedy of manners with debates on book banning and female identity crises. The staging includes a chorus consisting of a crow and moments of bird scatology used for emphasis.
Audiences can purchase tickets at steppenwolf.org or by calling 312-335-1650.
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