They are both dramas primarily about women, one telling of a nonagenarian making that last voyage home and the other about a group of much younger females forced by circumstance into a mild form of prostitution.
But, for once, the plays aren`t necessarily the thing. Romulus Linney`s
”Tennessee” and Ara Watson`s ”Bite the Hand” make up a double bill that happens to boast a double purpose.
When they open Jan. 19 at Steppenwolf Theatre, the shows also will be launching a brand new ”Second Stage” series of smaller, riskier projects by the acclaimed troupe-a program with a temporary name (Steppenwolf hopes to come up with one that doesn`t imply ”Second City” or, worse yet, ”second rate”) and housed right now in a temporary home (the company`s longtime residence at 2851 N. Halsted St.).
Steppenwolf will unveil its new digs in April with a splashy production, starring Albert Finney, in the new 500-seat arena. But that move south to 1650 N. Halsted St. will also inaugurate a new era from another vantage point. In a separate part of the complex, construction is underway on a smaller, 100-seat room that will play home to this second series of offerings, a chance, Steppenwolf heads say, for the troupe to keep in touch with its experimental roots, try out fresh ideas and test artistic mettle.
”A lot of the risks probably won`t turn out to be that risky, but, for us, the idea is to keep looking inward and moving ahead,” says Randall Arney, Steppenwolf`s artistic director. ”Our early directors-Gary (Sinise), Jeff
(Perry) and Terry (Kinney)-cut their teeth in a church basement (in the troupe`s first home in Highland Park). If something worked, it worked. If it didn`t, we all chipped in $10 and tried something else.
”That`s sort of the spirit of this new project,” he adds. ”It`s important as we continue to grow that we focus back in and create new work. It`s like a bank account. You can withdraw for a long time, but you`ve got to go back occasionally and make some deposits.”
Ultimately, one goal is to create new work completely written and initiated by the ensemble. ” `The Grapes of Wrath` was the first totally ensemble generated piece, with Frank (Galati) writing the script and the cast working from scratch together,” says Arney. ”We`ve commissioned plays by outsiders, but other than `Grapes` we`ve never produced new material completely from within.”
With all the small, risky storefront theater that has boomed in Chicago, partly thanks to Steppenwolf`s success, is there really need for this now institutionalized troupe to do so also?
”We don`t think of it that way,” Arney says. ”I know there`s a need from this point of view, from within. If people come and see it and like it, that`s gravy on the mashed potatoes. To talk of institutionalizing is one thing, but as soon as there`s an institutional feel to the ensemble itself, that`s a problem.”
As managing director, Stephen Eich has the less idealistic challenge of paying for the new program: With only 100 seats, and Equity contracts, the second series won`t be able to pay its own way.
”I think the way to look at it is as an investment in the future,” Eich says. ”Frankly, now that we`re looking at a $3 million budget, the $15,000 to $30,000 that this will cost isn`t so daunting.
”And there`s a real strong feeling around here that this is very important,” he adds. ”Maybe it`s a way of just keeping us honest.”
