I know it is sounds ridiculous but last Sunday, I went to a Steppenwolf Theater for a first time. We watched the "Heat Wave". That was pretty GOOD I can tell! We are planning to see the "Marie Antoinette" of course. Maybe next month. We gonna be back for sure! See you soon :) read more

I finally made it here! I love the New York theater scene but Chicago's Victory, Goodman, CST and Steppenwolf have all been on my radar and I was able to mark one off of my list during a visit to the city for a graduation. I saw "The Children" and the show was phenomenal. The seating was very spacious and the sight lines were excellent throughout the space. The set and design were both so convincing-- small cottage by the sea set on the crags. The theater is rather small and the lobby and communal space are restrictive as well, making moving about somewhat of a chore. But the space is used judiciously. There are plenty of seats and a bar to sit at and have a drink before the show. I am definitely considering a season subscription after this event. Note: Be sure to check out the app, Today's tix for discounts. I purchased my ticket hastily for $80.00 and they were being offered on this site for $40.00! Shame on me! read more

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It's not often that I leave a theatre with just one word on my lips: Wow. But Steppenwolf's current production of The Crucible, Arthur Miller's rendering of the Salem Witch Trials, is, in a word, "Wow." And this from a girl who graduated with an AB in Theatre. The production was nearly flawless--excellent pacing, acting, set and lighting design--the only minor bump was one actor stumbling twice over a couple of words, which I'll forgive since the mistake was far from obvious. The auditorium itself is also brilliantly constructed--there isn't a bad seat in the house. This is good to note since it means you can buy the lowest-priced tickets to a production and still have great sight lines. read more

Last night was my first experience at Steppenwolf and it was amazing. The show was for Matthew Santos and the atmosphere of the whole place was intimate and eclectic. I would love to see more musical experiences there. Loved the all gender restrooms and the coffee/alcoholic beverage bars too. read more

I'm sure all the productions are wonderful. Two stars because the service is awful. A friend and I showed up at 7:28 for a 7:30 showing and the attendant refused to seat us. A friend in the audience later told us that the production didn't start until 7:45. Hmmph. So it doesn't matter how fantastic your shows are (and Steppenwolf is pretty sweet, I'll readily admit) if you don't let people see 'em, they'll never know. No bluebloods here. Don't be a snob. read more

Everyone knows that the plays at Steppenwolf are up and down. Some have been great, more recently, some have been terrible. But that is not why Steppenwolf gets a one star review. Steppenwolf Theatre is in no way prepared for people who can't go down stairs or sit with their legs tightly bent in. If you can't sit in their regular seats they will shunt you up the back of the theater with overhanging concrete obstructing your view. Worse still, the chairs they provide there are another cruel joke. Your back will be aching within 5 minutes. If you need to get to the downstairs parking you can expect obstruction and incredulity from the parking attendants "what's wrong with you?" How about "I am sick of explaining why I can't climb stairs and F%$# you very much?" Steppenwolf insists that there is nothing wrong with their treatment of the disabled. I disagree. Their indifference is a kind of passive hostility that is beneath contempt. read more

Saw Russian Transport here. Fantastic play, great actors. Staff was very friendly, building was nice and clean. Seats were reasonably comfortable. Seating is on two sides of the stage. Beware that one side is only accessible from the front of the seats (pretty much on the stage), so if you have to leave for an emergency it will be a disturbance for sure. The other side has a discrete exit out the back so you can sneak out if need be. Price was reasonable, although beware of them calling you a few months after the play to ask if you're interested in signing up for a membership. Took one star off for this - I understand it's not for profit but the caller was a bit pushy to sell. read more

I've heard the hype, I know name drops , but I never truly expected what a great experience this place would be. So great in fact I had to go twice in one weekend! The 20 for $20 deal is definitely the way to go for some last minute deals; give 'em a call when the box office opens at 1pm. We called Saturday afternoon while at brunch and got some last minute tickets for Sex With Strangers which was great. So great in fact we decided to try for Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff on Sunday given all it's rave reviews. And they were all worth it. We even scored 2nd row aisle seats for $20 which was of course even more brilliant! The thing that surprised me the most about this place wasn't even the performances - I expected and got greatness. What surprised me was the down to earth, relaxed, and completely enjoyable atmosphere. I'm not the most avid theater goer, but I'm no stranger. With every place I've been in various cities there is always a certain level of proper-ness about the whole thing that has always struck me as a little ridiculous. None of that here, Steppenwolf focuses on the performances plain and simple with a warm, sound atmosphere that gets you comfortable then draws you in. read more

Excellent interpretation of George Orwell's "Animal Farm." Performing in the round can be tricky, but in this case it worked perfectly. I couldn't imagine a better stage format. Actor physicality and vocals were slightly lacking. I normally wouldn't address this but because "4 legs good, 2 legs bad" is such an integral part of the story, I feel compelled to mention it. Overall, very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and look forward to what's in store next at Steppenwolf! read more

I've yet to find a theatre in NYC with such across-the-board quality productions, season after season of stimulating shows, great sense of theatre intimacy, and not-$50+ tickets... I've seen just under 10 shows here. Every single one was excellent. You cannot fail with Steppenwolf. Every aspect, from ticketing to technical design (ESPECIALLY tech!!!) to the quality of the plays, is well thought-out and often hits perfection. The online seating chart makes it look worse than it is, but there truly isn't a bad seat in the house. From every section, you can get a good view of the set, actors' faces, full sense of lighting, etc. Student rush is $15 (regular rush is 50% off) if you show up to the box office an hour or less before curtain. Beats the original $77! My constant thought process day-of: "Oh god what if they have no seats left, what if they can't seat my friends and I together, what did I take the el all this way for!" But always there are unsold seats, or subscribers who don't show even if the show is technically sold out. This also means you're pretty much guaranteed a rush seat if you come alone. One issue is that diversity (in terms of both age and race) is generally lacking in the audience. That's theatre, I guess? Still, I try to come here as often as I can-- haha, to add to the age/race diversity. read more

Having been to Chicago several times already, we decided to watch Good People at this theater. This is a very intimate, small theater so every seat is good! The Good People has a small cast (not a bad thing) and every cast member did an amazing job in carrying out their character. The sets were detailed as well! Overall, good theatre, cast, acting, and show! read more

I should be working, but I decided to update my Yelp reviews. Steppenwolf is a great theater. A hidden gem in Chicago. I have never been disappointed with a show here. I recently bought a subscription to Steppenwolf. I can't see any better way to spend my Thursday nights. It is small enough to feel intimate with the actors, but big enough so that you don't feel you are in someone's basement. Any seat in the theater is a good seat. It's also nice to see a lot of well known actors doing plays here. If you value good theater, then you MUST come here at least once. Stop reading this and get ye to the Steppenwolf box office! read more

I went to see Penelope last night. The play was the worst play I have ever seen in my life, and I think most people in the audience would agree. It made no sense, is not funny, and just consists of four guys in speedos sharing idiotic, crass banter for 90 minutes (including a large number of swear words). I should say the theater is nice, though, and all seats seem like they would have a good view. Several cafes/ Italian restaurants nearby too. We went to Pizza Capri, where we got 10% off - the place was very informal and nice. read more

Steppenwolf, I give up. I recently saw "The Birthday Party," or to be more accurate, I saw the first act, because during intermission my boyfriend and I simply left. We weren't invested in the characters, the character of Meg was incredibly shrill, and all the nonsensical yelling was hurting our ears. While the sound problem was likely largely due to the seat configuration, (the stage was in the center of the room with seating on either side of the stage, so we were very close to the stage), no seating change would have made the play less dumbfounding. The previous play we saw, "The Motherf*cker with the Hat," was alright, well acted, and worth a short discussion. It also included a lot of yelling, fighting, and cursing, but this didn't bother my boyfriend or myself, which is why I think it there was something wrong with the way "The Birthday Party" was staged. The only reason this review has two starts as opposed to zero is that the staff at Steppenwolf are courteous, the theaters are very nice, and I have seen a few plays that I've liked. However, over the past 4+ seasons, I've seen far more plays that I've disliked than liked, so I'm giving up and not going to Steppenwolf again until they can offer a better selection of plays. read more

I saw East of Eden in November at Steppenwolf. The lobby seems small when there are many people standing outside, but they have a water cooler and seating so that people can relax before the show and during intermission. There is also a small gift shop with Steppenwolf merchandise and different books. The bathroom is to the left when you walk in. It is a little small, so try to go right before the show starts or at the beginning of intermission. There are two tiers in the theatre. I don't think there is really a "bad" spot in the theatre. There are seats that are only three feet from the stage and there are some up in the back giving a more panoramic view. I sat house right and had a good viewing of all of the action. I also like that you can bring a drink in from their bar. I came with a very large group through my university. Steppenwolf had everything organized and all we had to do was receive our tickets. A slight complaint would be that we did not all sit together, but I am sure we got the tickets at a discounted price so I cannot complain too much. It did not even matter because you can talk to people during intermission. Steppenwolf is not as commercialized as the other downtown theatres which I really enjoyed. It gives quality performances at competitive prices. I look forward to seeing more performances here. read more

Went to my first show at Steppenwolf last night. Parking was easy. The area has several great restaurants so preshow was great. The staff at the theater was extremely helful and friendly. The show was sold out, however, it was not crowded in the lobby or bar area and we moved to our seats with ease. We were seated in the balcony second row side but since the theater is on the smaller side our view was great. Not sure there are any bad seats in the house. Will defintiely go back for future shows. We saw "The Motherfucker with the Hat" with Jimmy Smitts. I thought the acting in the play was very good. It was entertaining, had some funny parts and was interesting, although at times it dragged on a bit. read more

I saw a play in the "downstairs theater" ...that I had to walk up the stairs to, but whatever, so it was the smaller theater. I don't think you can get a bad seat there! Perfect sized space, intimate but not awkward (like Royal George nearby). All of the staff were incredibly helpful and friendly which was greatly appreciated. read more

Been attending performances at Steppenwolf for twenty years. One of the best theatre companies in the country. read more

I'm a huge Steppenwolf Theatre fan. The quality of plays that they produce is superb - the caliber of acting, the intimate stage setting (I've seen plays Downstairs in the main theater, upstairs and in the Garage) and the quality of work that they choose to produce is just phenomenal. Some of my favorite productions have also been some of the most controversial pieces of theater of I've seen, which makes them that much better. I'm a fervent believer that the arts should have a strong and lasting effect on you and I know that the productions I've seen at Steppenwolf do just that. I have seen one or two plays that haven't been so great, but isn't that to be expected? Not every company can be perfect all the time. If you have not seen Steppenwolf perform then you are missing out on one of Chicago's greatest treasures (hello - didn't you hear that "August: Osage County" was a huge success on Broadway and in London?!) The good news is you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to see a production here. Goldstar sells some discounted tickets, and if you look on Steppenwolf's website you can find some more "secrets" for when to buy discounted seats. read more

I guess I'm coming at this at a different angle than most other people who review the Steppenwolf, but the only thing I have seen here is a concert- and it was absolutely amazing. I was able to catch Jon Brion last time he was here twice, and the first time was in the downstairs theater of the Steppenwolf as apart of their traffic series(I think that's what it's called, correct me if I'm wrong). Even though it wasn't necessarily made for having musical acts there, obviously it was made so that EVERYONE there would have a great view and easily be able to hear what was going on. This of course works very well for a concert. Other than the show, it was a really nice building in a really nice area. There were group pictures of the regulars all over the place, which was really cool to see. Everyone working there was really nice too, which is always a plus. The place makes me want to go see a play. read more

Chicago Theatre at it's very best.... For years I was a Broadway in Chicago member, and never felt like I got my bang for my....time. At Steppenwolf, the plays are so rich and meaningful that I could spend all day there, watching play after play. It's definitely a Chicago crowd. And a Northside crowd. And a rather wealthy crowd. It would be nice if the audience wasn't so homogeneous, but alas, I guess it's less about the audience and more about the art. Steppenwolf has inventive plays and many are "world premieres" or debuting at Steppenwolf. Many actors that will be household names in 10 years regularly perform at Steppenwolf....Stephen Louis Grush being one such actor. The seats at Steppenwolf are extra-wide....it makes for a very comfortable viewing experience as it feels like you're in a semi-bed :-). Try Steppenwolf for one of their plays and I assure you you won't be disappointed! read more

On Valentine's Day, I was surprised with a dinner & show date at the Steppenwolf. I've been wanting to visit this iconic theater for a long time and was excited to see Tribes on its closing weekend. They have a small concessions area with snacks, coffee, and libations. The seating is very intimate, and the acoustics are great. The show we saw was super interesting, and my attention was captured the whole time by the actors and the ASL translators. Super cool! The only bummer was that the lead seemed to have gotten sick in the final act of the show, so we had to wait about an forty-five minutes for the understudy to take over. It made for an interesting end to the show. read more

I was able to get a ticket for Maria Antoinette for $20! I checked online and if you call by 11AM on weekdays and ask for discount tickets. Naturally, I thought it would be impossible to get but surprisingly it was easy. They took my credit card info by phone and I went to will call and got my ticket for that night. The production was beautiful and striking. The costumes were spectacular. The acting was superb. I'm moving to Chicago by mid-May and can't wait to start attending more of their shows. read more

Chicago is the greatest and you won't convince me different. From food and drinks, to the people, to entertainment. Chicago is a city of diversity and down to earth values. The Steppenwolf performance that I witnessed, Mary Paige Marlowe, embraced this all in a 90 minute performance. Steppenwolf is located off of Halsted. We had dinner across the street before the performance. Boka, Alinea, Balena, to name a few, are fine dining experiences that will complement your night out to the performance. It was raining that evening so they had small umbrella plastic bags available for you. There is a little concession area to get small bites and drinks, including alcohol. I had a cookie, some Haribo gummies, swedish fish, and a rum and coke. Perfect. We sat in the pit. These seats are not the regular pickings but are certainly not bad seats. They are right in the front just below the stage. Like I said, the performance embodied everything real life. The play hit some real down to earth subjects and made you think about life. Life can be real and this play displayed this amazingly. read more

I saw The Book Thief here late last year in the upstairs theater a had a great time. Not only was the play wonderful, but my experience at Steppenwolf was also top notch. The space is intimate, sound is great, you can see the stage from just about anywhere in the theater. The only slight downfall is that it's a little too intimate, and the man seated next to me was practically in my lap. But that's about any theater, so I can't blame them for that. read more

I can't proclaim myself any more than a casual theatergoer, but Steppenwolf has never disappointed. They have a wide variety of edgy and entertaining plays and the performances have always been authentic and impressive. After watching Endgame, the theater offered a post-production discussion that decoded the more oblique aspects of the play, which I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed. Steppenwolf cultivates young theatergoers by offering students incredibly cheap tickets. They recently also had a Facebook night, during which tickets to the incredible Brother/Sister plays were sold for a steal (15$) and included a free beverage during its last week on stage. The quality and originality of Steppenwolf's productions makes it one of my favorite cultural venues in Chicago. read more

I live in the theatre district so you'd think I'd spend my time seeing the Broadway in Chicago shows, but PISHPOSH! I'd rather spend my money on Steppenwolf shows. It's worth the travel time. I was a theatre major, so my review might be a bit technical for the average theatregoer, but I think it's worth saying - the Steppenwolf is an ensemble theatre the way that ALL theatre should be. Nothing makes me angrier than seeing a show where it seems like the costume, set, actors, and director were on different planets when they staged the show. This stems from a bunch of hot shots coming together, each thinking that they are god's gift to the stage. It ends up looking like a disaster (read: The Goodman's King Lear). The Steppenwolf's ensemble work means that the actors also take turns directing and that the cast isn't a group of strangers, but a group of professionals with the same goal: straight up good theatre. I wouldn't go so far as to say I have no qualms with any show at all, sometimes I dislike certain artistic choices, but what I love about the Steppenwolf is that they aren't afraid to make choices, pushing theatrical bystanders into the middle of a well-constructed world. Most importantly, the dramaturgy (i.e. context/research of the play) at the Steppenwolf is top-notch. Make sure to arrive at the theatre with a few minutes to read about the play/playwright/context before the show. The information will help you understand the play, themes, and ensemble's vision for the show, allowing you to experience the show to its fullest. read more

I love plays, and this where I want to see them. Easy to get to and local actors and actresses give this place a personal touch. read more

I saw Up, which fittingly for these times is about a family trying to make it financially while balancing the sometimes unrealistic ambitions of the father. The lead, Ian Barford (whom I've also seen in the Crucible several years ago) was excellent as was the actor that played Philippe Petite. Every scene was well performed and you could tell that a lot of hard work went into set design and preparation. The best compliment that I can give is, I've never been "into" theater before Steppenwolf. And by no means am I now a theater buff, but I can honestly say that this theater has made me start to check the Redeye and other sources to see what's playing here and around town. read more

Still my favorite theatre company in the city. They seem to manage to keep their artistic balance even as they have grown into the marketing and production/development machine that they have clearly become. Every now and then their productions depress me a little but I guess that's what it is all about, theatre is supposed to make you think and feel, not necessarily think and feel happy. Just think and feel. read more

I love this theater, I really do. The Front Bar addition is cute, hip and the bartenders are impressive, they make a strong cocktail. I've been going to Steppenwolf for years, they offer unique shows that you can't see anywhere else. Also, for the under 30 crowd, they offer a "RED" card; for a really amazing price ($100), you get five tickets to use at your leisure. The best deal for tickets at the theater when a standard ticket could run around $75. My only suggestion would be to read the fine print of the show descriptions before going; I made the mistake of not doing that before and some of the shows can be graphic aka nudity, which is less than comfortable when are seeing a show with your parents. Learn from my mistake; you're welcome. :) read more

I have attended several dress rehearsals at Steppenwolf over the past few years. These occur on the evening before the preview performances begin, that is two weeks before opening night. The event involves a light dinner prior to the play. The dress rehearsal is used as an outreach to several groups, including people with emotional disabilities. This is a generous gesture, and an important and praisewothy objective. The results, however, are flawed. The main theater at Steppenwolf is an extraordinary space:comfortable seats,outstanding acoustics,excellent site lines etc. A first row balcony seat is as good as it gets for Chicago theater. The sets are marvelous both as engineering and design, and the technical values are at the highest level. The acting, at these performances, can be spotty. I realize theat many actors use the preview period to fine tune their performances, but if a performance is open to an audience, it is also open to review. I always check the reviews after the play opens and I often feel that I saw something very different. Maybe I should attend a second time after opening. I would give the performances 3 stars. The food served is simple, tasty, and ample. It is similar to what is provided at professional training lunches. At those events, a buffet is set up and the attendees help themselves. There is always more than enough for everyone. At Steppenwolf, the food distribution is tightly controlled. Even condiments, napkins, and utensils are carefully doled out. Fifteen minutes after dinner begins, the staff makes rounds to ask if the diners are done and request their plates. They are especially anxious to collect utensils. They return with these requests every five minutes until dinner is over. I have only seen this kind of service when the diners were very young children, and then with more charm and pleasantness. Mental health consumers are enured to such treatment. They hesitate to complain becuase they don't want to be seen as ungrateful or considered recalcitrant, or even be labelled symptomatic. Such brusqueness, if encountered by the general population (possibly on an airplene,if ever), would result in loud and justified complaints. My overall rating is 2 stars. This review is a result of some five visits and long consideration. It is meant to be constructive. read more

Some years ago, back in my cab driving days, I picked up Laurie Metcalf coming out of a bookstore on Wells St. and brought her back home to Steppenwolf on Halsted. You know Laurie who played Rosanne's sister on TV? She was just as nice and unpretentious as could be. Of course she is an alum of Steppenwolf, along with Joan Allen, John Malcovich, John Mahoney, Gary Sinese just to name a few. They started Steppenwolf in a Highland Park church basement and it has been one of the great American theatre success stories. "Balm in Gilead" was probably the piece that really put them on the map for a gritty, in-your-face style of theatre which has ever since been associated with Chicago. They say this is the city that produces real actors and this place and Second City are mostly responsible for that rep. It is still a treat to experience an evening of theatre here; GO! http://www.steppenwolf.org/ read more

We came in last week to watch a multimedia production of Marie Antoinette upstairs. I liked the service at the bar and the fact that you can pre-order for intermission and your drinks are kept ready on a shelf. The production itself was intriguing, with strong acting, loosely tied story, very creative use of sound and visuals. read more

love this place. always great shows, staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. a very clean and well kept space. tickets are affordable. it's a great date night or night out with friends. sometimes if i'm bored i'll see what's playing there that night and will just go out solo. ticket system is easy to use and seats are easy to find. read more

Steppin' to Steppenwolf, part II So I went back to Steppenwolf with the hubby last night to watch the second play this season for the Downstairs Theatre, 'Penelope'. Another evening show. Per my last review, I was mindful in paying attention to the customer service at Steppenwolf. Overall, I can now agree with other reviews on the customer service here. It was much better! We had will-call tickets, which we were able to pick up easily and timely at the door. We then headed to the snacks and drinks, which was nice as well. Lastly, there were two improvements by ushers once in the theater. A lady usher requested that we turned off our phones when were seated. The phasing and tone of the request was great and we did so promptly. A another lady usher did a great job working out a wrong seating issue (someone else, but same section). The usher smiled the whole time, used a polite voice, and was effective in getting everyone to the correct seating in a timely fashion. We were happy to see this done so professionally. Anyways, back to the show. Our seats were great on the lower level, center so of course we had a great view of the stage. I don't know if this was good for the hubby, as the male cast spent most of their time in speedos! LOL I also love the comic strip in the program that gave a little summary of the origin for the play. While I will read the Exec Director's summary, I am a visual learner who appreciated this. By the way, Penelope's costume was amazing and the stage scenery again was impressive. Overall, the play was good and we laughed a few times. I like Steppenwolf, so I know we will be back! read more

The ensemble company enables the Steppenwolf to pull of some really great large cast shows. We got $20 tickets by calling day of. Check the website, these tickets change show over show. Not a bad seat in the house. Alcohol served. Great performances for innovative shows. read more

I came here for a show a few nights ago with some friends, and we had a lovely time. The tickets were relatively inexpensive for the famous Steppenwolf Theater, and the show was pretty good. The theater was big and wasn't super packed on a Friday night, which was nice in a way. The other patrons were really chatty and friendly and I had some nice conversations before the show and during intermission. No lines for the bathrooms, a few different bars to grab a drink at, and all in all, it was a good experience. The acoustics were good and you can pretty much have a good view from any seat, with the exception of maybe the first row balcony. You can see there but you kind of have to lean forward a little. I can't wait to come back. For an after show drink, head over to Willow Room. They have desserts and chill atmosphere. read more

One of the best theatres in Chicago. Went there once on a date and the show was extremely amazing - saw The Man Who Came To Dinner and the acoustics were amazing - we were in row CC and could hear the actors perfectly fine. And for those parking ppl, they have their parking here. read more

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Part of the reason I came to Chicago to do my undergrad in theatre was because Steppenwolf was here. Even in the dark recesses of Western Pennsylvania I had heard about it, how great their work was, how the ensemble was excellent. I saw my first show of theirs, 'A Well-Appointed Room,' in the 2005-2006 season, and while it wasn't the best script, I was totally entranced by Tracy Letts. Here, I'll say it: I have a crush on Tracy Letts. He is a brilliant actor. When I interned at Steppenwolf last summer, my heart would be all aflutter when I would pass him smoking on the front stoop. Le sigh. Anyway, the tickets are fairly reasonably priced (certainly better than Goodman's, I'll tell you that much), and the subscriptions are totally worth it. The mainstage shows always feature the excellent actors of the ensemble plus great up-and-comers from the Chicago scene. The Upstairs shows are usually a little quirkier, but are also very good; 'after the quake' in '05-'06 was great. The garage shows are on the high end of the weird scale and are a great way to see work that would normally be stuck in a season of crap at a fringe theatre. Of course, Steppenwolf's most recent triumph was Letts' 'August: Osage County,' currently Broadway-bound. It was by far the greatest theatrical production I've ever seen, from the tantalizing script to the fiery acting to the beautiful set. Tracy Letts is now not only my crush, but also my HERO. In other words, the 'Wolf is awesome. It is the definition of Chicago theatre. read more