Steppenwolf Theatre cuts ribbon on new theatre building, education center

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The world-renowned Steppenwolf Theatre is getting a brand new creative space as the Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center officially opened Tuesday.

It's the largest new permanent cultural facility to open in Chicago at 50,000 square feet and contains an intimate, round state-of-the-art 400-seat theater.

Guests took a tour of the new space and Governor JB Pritzker along with Mayor Lori Lightfoot helped with the celebration.

It really is a unique space for Chicgao artists.

"We have three spaces. One is our 1700 space which is basically to uplift the stories of itinerant Chicago artists who don't have a home," said Audrey Francis, Steppenwolf co-artistic director. "The downstairs theatre is our big 551 theater. That is really for the big, raw muscular productions that we do. This new theatre in the round gives us one more opportunity to not only mount our shows and do the thing that we do but with a whole new aperture which Chicago hasn't experienced before."

The new Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center, home to the Steppenwolf Ensemble, will open to audiences in February 2022.