- Sun-Times Print Collection
- Martha Lavey
Martha Lavey will be stepping down after nearly 20 years as artistic director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company and will be succeeded by ensemble member (and Tony-winning director) Anna D. Shapiro in the fall of 2015, the company announced in a press conference at the theater this morning. There were no audible gasps from the balcony, where all the members of the ensemble staff were sitting, which suggested that the change was not unexpected.
At least one reporter was curious—and maybe hopeful—that there was some behind-the-scenes drama behind the two personnel changes, perhaps even a coup, but both Hawkanson and Lavey assured everyone that this was not the case. Lavey said that she and Shapiro, who has been at Steppenwolf since 1995, her entire adult life, have been discussing the transition for several years now, and Hawkanson said that, since the expansion project will take five or six years after the theater reaches its $50 million fundraising goal (it’s currently up to $20 million), he’d prefer to concentrate on that and fund-raising without having to juggle the daily operations of the theater as well.
