1919

Written by Eve L. Ewing
Adapted by J. Nicole Brooks
Co-directed by Gabrielle Randle-Bent and Tasia A. Jones

Steppenwolf for Young Adults

ABOUT the SHOW

On July 27, 1919, Chicago erupted following the killing of 17-year-old Eugene Williams in treacherous waters off the segregated Lake Michigan shoreline. The days that followed made an indelible mark on the city—its sense of boundaries, of relationships between neighbors and of the underlying systems of inequity and racism that persist today. Adapted by J. Nicole Brooks from Eve L. Ewing’s collection of searing and luminous poems, this world premiere is a hopeful, lyrical exploration of Black Chicagoan’s resistance, fortitude and endurance: past, present and future.

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Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ (SYA) proudly presents the world premiere of 1919, adapted by J. Nicole Brooks from Eve L. Ewing’s collection of luminous and searing poems about the killing of Black teenager Eugene Williams in 1919 off the segregated Chicago lakeshore—and how this tragedy reverberates today. This Chicago story, created by and featuring a talented team of Chicago artists, will take centerstage in our new, in-the-round Ensemble Theater.

1919 Production Photos

(left to right) Alexis Ward, Jessica Dean Turner, Sola Thompson, Max Thomas, DeMorris Burrows and Sheldon D. Brown

Credit: Michael Brosilow

Production photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Alexis Ward, Jessica Dean Turner, Max Thomas, DeMorris Burrows and Sheldon D. Brown

Credit: Michael Brosilow

Production photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Sheldon D. Brown, Max Thomas, Jessica Dean Turner, Alexis Ward, Sola Thompson and Demorris Burrows

Credit: Michael Brosilow

Production photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Jessica Dean Turner and Sola Thompson

Credit: Michael Brosilow

Production photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Sheldon D. Brown, DeMorris Burrows, Alexis Ward, Sola Thompson, Max Thomas and Jessica Dean Turner

Credit: Michael Brosilow

Production photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(front) Sola Thompson with (back, l to r) DeMorris Burrows, Max Thomas, Alexis Ward, Sheldon D. Brown and Jessica Dean Turner

Credit: Michael Brosilow

Production photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

1919 Rehearsal Photos

(left to right) DeMorris Burrows, Sheldon D. Brown, Max Thomas and Sola Thompson

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Alexis Ward and DeMorris Burrows

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Alexis Ward and Jessica Dean Turner

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) DeMorris Burrows, Jessica Dean Turner, Sheldon D. Brown and Alexis Ward

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right Sola Thompson, DeMorris Burrows and playwright and Adapter J. Nicole Brooks

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(pictured) Jessica Dean Turner

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Sheldon D. Brown and Max Thomas

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022

(left to right) Alexis Ward, Sheldon D. Brown and Sola Thompson

Credit: Joel Moorman

Rehearsal photos for Steppenwolf Theatre’s production of 1919 by Eve L. Ewing
and adapted by J. Nicole Brooks.

Date: October 4, 2022