Ensemble

Yasen Peyankov is originally from Bulgaria where he graduated from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia. He appeared in his first Steppenwolf production (Time to Burn) in 1997 and has been an ensemble member since 2002. He has appeared in 22 productions at Steppenwolf, some of which are: The Time of Your Life, Morning Star, Hysteria, Lost Land, Cherry Orchard, Frankie and Johnny at the Claire De Lune (also in Dublin), Superior Donuts, The Tempest, Pillowman, Penelope, Three Sisters, A Doll's House Part 2, The Children, Lindiwe and others.

Steppenwolf main stage directing credits include: The Fundamentals, Between Riverside and Crazy, Grand Concourse and Russian Transport. He also translated and directed the Bulgarian premiere of August: Osage County at the National Theatre in Sofia. He has translated and adapted nine Russian plays by Anton Chekhov, Mikhail Bulgakov, Nikolai Kolyada, Alexander Galin and Vassily Sigarev, all of which developed into productions.

Some of his many film and television appearances include Captive State, A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, Chasing Gold, Transformers 3, Crime Fiction, The Company, US Marshalls, The Mob Doctor, The Beast, Gifted Hands, Karen Sisco, Alias, The Practice, The Unit, Numb3rs, Madam Secretary, Stranger Things and Chicago PD.

Mr. Peyankov is a Professor and Head of Theatre at the School of Theatre and Music at UIC where he teaches acting and directs plays. He lives in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood with his family.

Film: Captive State; A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas; Chasing Gold; Transformers 3; Contagion; Gifted Hands; Crime Fiction; The Company; Novocain; Lana’s Rain; U.S. Marshalls; Payback; Dali; At Dusk; Test 88

Theatre (Actor): Broadway: Superior Donuts. The Time of Your Life (Seattle Repertory/ACT ); Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Ivanov, Scenes from an Execution, Agamemnon, Caligula (European Repertory Company); The Odyssey (Goodman Theatre); Hamlet, Piano, Twelfth Night (Court Theatre); Medea (America Theatre Company); Yellow Heat (Next Theatre); Hunting Cockroaches (Footsteps Theatre). (Director): The Glass Menagerie (Steppenwolf for Young Adults); Hushaby Rushfort (Steppenwolf First Look; Ladybird (Los Angeles); Macbeth; Out at Sea; Roberto Zucco; Uncle Vanya, Stars in The Morning Sky, SLAVS!, Go Away Go Away (European Repertory Company); Overweight, Unimportant, Mishape: A European Supper (Trap Door Theatre)

Adaptor/Translator: August: Osage County (in Bulgarian); Seagull; Uncle Vanya; Ivanov (published by Ivan R. Dee); Zoyka's Apartment; Stars in the Morning Sky; Go Away Go Away; Black Milk; Ladybird; Plasticine.

Television: Chicago PD (NBC); Madam Secretary (CBS); Stranger Things (Netflix); The Mob Doctor (CBS); The Beast (A&E); E-Ring (NBC); The Evidence (ABC); The Unit (CBS); The Practice (ABC); Karen Sisco (ABC); Alias (ABC); Walker: Texas Ranger (CBS); Early Edition (CBS); Turks (CBS).

Awards: 2002 William and Eva Fox Fellowship; Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Supporting Actor (Morning Star); Joseph Jefferson Nomination for Best Actor (Hunting Cockroaches); Joseph Jefferson Nomination for Best Adaption (Ivanov); Joseph Jefferson Nomination for Best Production (Between Riverside and Crazy).