by ensemble member Eric Simonson
In 1914, renowned mystery writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle invites four guests to his English country home. Each visitor has a connection to the infamous "Piltdown Man," purported to be the missing link between ape and man—later exposed as a hoax. Swinging back and forth through time, Fake investigates how “Piltdown” rattled assumptions about evolution, faith and science—and how we are transformed by our quest for the truth. Ensemble member Eric Simonson recently completed a documentary on the late Studs Terkel for HBO. Simonson received a Tony® nomination for his direction of Steppenwolf's The Song of Jacob Zulu with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and directed an Oscar®-nominated documentary about the acclaimed South African singing group. Simonson received an Oscar® for Best Documentary Short for his film A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin in 2006. Other directing credits at Steppenwolf include Carter’s Way (also playwright), Slaughterhouse-Five (also adaptor) and Nomathemba (Hope).
The Significance of Piltdown Man
Fake: A play in two different time periods
EXPLORE: The World of Fake
#031: Playwright/Director Eric Simonson on Fake
A Select Scene from Fake: Scene 1
A Select Scene from Fake: Scene 2
#030: Costume Designer Kärin Kopischke on Fake
Fake in Production
#029: Ensemble Member Kate Arrington on Fake
Eric Simonson on Scenic Design for fake
Fake in Rehearsal
Piltdown Man on the Town
#017: Artistic Director Martha Lavey on the 2009-2010 Season
Artistic Director Martha Lavey explores the question of authenticity in Fake
Associate Artistic Director David New sits down with Playwright and Director Eric Simonson about his new play Fake.
Is it possible that Charles Dawson, an amateur archeologist, discovered one of the most important finds of the 20th century?
I've always liked to think too much, or so I’ve been told.
Ensemble Member Eric Simonson’s play Fake draws upon historical figures, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Fake is about the discovery of the "Piltdown Man" skull in 1914 England and the subsequent proof that it was a hoax four decades later in 1953.
Tickets for this production are not currently on sale. Call 312-335-1650 for more information.