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Penelope

December 01, 2011 - February 05, 2012

We are here to win and each second is a game.

Synopsis

On a sun-scorched island off the coast of Greece, beautiful Penelope awaits the return of her husband, Odysseus, from the Trojan war. Beneath her window, four Speedo-clad men camp in an empty swimming pool, a cock-eyed internment where both provisions and time are running low. Locked in a do-or-die competition to win Penelope’s love, they preen and posture and connive in a last ditch effort to cheat a grisly fate. Penelope, the newest play by powerhouse Irish playwright Enda Walsh, is an eloquent, wildly funny riff on life, love and the war at home.

Running Time

Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, including No Intermissions

Content Advisory

Steppenwolf does not offer advisories about subject matter, as sensitivities vary from person to person.If you have any questions about content, age-appropriateness or stage effects(such as strobe lights or theatrical fog) that might have a bearing on patron comfort, please contact the box office at 312-335-1650.

Additional Information

Pre-Show Discussions
January 18, 25 and February 1 before
Wednesday Matinees
1:15-1:45 in the balcony lobby (for 2:00 showtimes)

Special Performances

Sign Language-Interpreted
Friday, January 20 at 7:30pm

Open Captioning
Saturday, January 21 at 3pm

Audio Description and Touch Tour
Sunday, February 5
Touch Tour: 1:30pm
Curtain: 3pm

Watch & Listen

Penelope in Rehearsal

Penelope in Production

Amy Morton directs Penelope

Penelope Teaser

Penelope Audience Response

Playwright Enda Walsh on Penelope

Cast & Artists

The Artists

Lighting Design: James F. Ingalls
Costume Design: Ana Kuzmanic
Directed by: ensemble member Amy Morton
Scenic Design: Walt Spangler
Author: Enda Walsh

Featured Ensemble Members

The Cast

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Read the Program

You can read articles from the program above or if you'd like or you can download the entire program here and read cast bios and find out about upcoming Steppenwolf events and shows.

The Odyssey Abridged

Not familiar with Odysseus or The Odyssey? Check out our abridged, comic book version of the story.

Program Articles

Find a New Language, Construct New Worlds

A conversation with playwright Enda Walsh and Steppenwolf Literary Manager Aaron Carter

Survival of the Fittest: Competition and Cooperation

Four men are locked in combat for resources and a mate. From the perspective of evolution, this is the most fundamental of competitions: surviving long enough to pass your genes to the next generation.

The Many Riffs on The Odyssey

The delicious tension between the original and the riff is part of what makes retellings of The Odyssey so popular. Please enjoy this glimpse of the company Enda Walsh’s Penelope keeps.

Three Questions for the Cast of Penelope

Fun facts about the cast of Penelope

Welcome to Penelope

We’re thrilled to present Enda Walsh’s Penelope as the second play in our season, “Dispatches from the Homefront.”