Student Matinees
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is proud to welcome over 10,000 students each year to their Student Matinee Series that is focused on creating an intentionally intergenerational experience across all audiences. All schools attending student matinees receive a show-specific Study Guide, as well as have the opportunity to participate in a post-show discussion. We invite you to keep an eye out on this webpage for more resources that can help deepen your students’ experience around the shows!
Pricing and Logistics
All student matinee performances begin at 10:00am. Tickets are $5/student, and chaperones are free. If this ever presents a cost barrier, please just let us know. To register, please fill out this Student Matinee Interest Form. A member of our education team will follow up to book your field trip. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to fieldtrips@steppenwolf.org.
The 2025/26 Season
MR. WOLF
CHICAGO PREMIERE
Written by ensemble member Rajiv Joseph
Directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman
Student Matinee Dates:
- Thursday, September 25, 2025
- Tuesday, September 30, 2025
- Wednesday, October 1, 2025
- Tuesday, October 7, 2025
- Thursday, October 9, 2025 - ASL Interpreted Performance
- Tuesday, October 14, 2025 - Spanish Language Captioned Performance
- Wednesday, October 15, 2025
About the Show
When all feels lost and unfamiliar, how do we begin to build a home?
14 years ago, Theresa was stolen from her parents as an infant. Now, the precocious 15-year-old has been rescued, and quickly returned to a family that had nearly forsaken hope—a family she neither recognizes nor understands. In ensemble member Rajiv Joseph’s unflinching play, a miraculous reunion sets the stage for provocative conversations: What makes a house a home? What nightmares are we willing to face for the sake of our children? And ultimately, what part do we play in the grand saga of human existence?
Recommended for grades 9+, Mr. Wolf explores themes of family, reunion, new beginnings, and what it means to call a place a home. In addition to Theater classes, we highly recommend this play for English Literature and Social Science classes.
AMADEUS
Written by Peter Shaffer
Directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro
Student Matinee Dates:
- Tuesday, November 18, 2025
- Wednesday, November 19, 2025
About the Show
When jealousy and fear stand in the way, how do we create space for something new?
Vienna: a cacophony of music and intrigue. The emperor's composer, Antonio Salieri, holds court until the flamboyant entrance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: prodigy and wild child. The two artists begin a vicious and thrilling duet, a rivalry that will define their lives and legacies for years to come. Winner of 5 Tonys and 8 Academy Awards, Amadeus is the ultimate ode to ambition and musical genius, a brilliant requiem for a villain in history—but a hero in his own story. Vi saluto!
Recommended for grades 9+, Amadeus (in collaboration with Anna D. Shapiro - director of last season’s Noises Off) explores themes of legacy, artistry, rivalry, betrayal, history, and identity. In addition to Theater classes, we highly recommend this play for History, English literature, and Music classes.
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG
Written by Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Kenny Leon
Student Matinee Dates:
- Thursday, February 12, 2026
- Wednesday, February 18, 2026
- Tuesday, February 24, 2026
- Thursday, February 26, 2026 - Spanish Language Captioned Performance
- Tuesday, March 2, 2026 - ASL Interpreted Performance
- Wednesday, March 4, 2026
About the Show
How do we build the life we desire despite the cards we have been dealt?
Brothers Lincoln and Booth, named in jest, are two Black men living in America just trying to get by. Lincoln dresses like his namesake, reenacting his assassination for money and laughs. Booth stays stuck in their apartment, working tirelessly on his Three-Card hustle. Sibling rivalry and a lifetime of resentment come to a head in this fast-paced and ferocious thrill ride from Suzan-Lori Parks. The deck is stacked with a Pulitzer Prize-winning script, a Tony Award-winning director and an unforgettable showdown for ensemble members Glenn Davis and Namir Smallwood. “Take thuh cards and show me whatcha got!“
Recommended for grades 9+, Topdog/Underdog explores themes of family, identity, legacy, destiny, and the downfalls of the American Dream. In addition to Theater classes, we highly recommend this play for English Literature, American History, and Social Science classes.
WINDFALL
WORLD PREMIERE
Written by ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney
Directed by Awoye Timpo
Student Matinee Dates:
- Thursday, April 23, 2026
- Tuesday, April 28, 2026
- Wednesday, April 29, 2026
- Tuesday, May 5, 2026 - Spanish Language Captioning
- Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - ASL Interpreted Performance
About the Show
When on the brink of losing everything, what is the cost of survival?
This is a story about money. Don’t let them fool you otherwise. When Mac loses his child in a clash with the local police, he is visited by three strangers who advise him to take the city's cash settlement, relocate and forget his grief–or else stay and remain impoverished surrounded by memories of the world his child fought so hard to protect. This world premiere from Academy Award-winning ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney explores how grief, justice, sexuality, gender, history and even pride become secondary concerns in the wake of currency.
Recommended for Grades 9+, Windfall (in collaboration with Awoye Timpo - director of last season’s Leroy and Lucy) explores themes of gender, justice, grief, sexuality, race, and class. In addition to Theater classes, we highly recommend this play for History, English Literature, and Social Science classes.
Study Guides
We invite you to take a look at past Study Guides—Study Guides are interactive resources created by Steppenwolf Education to deepen your experience with each produciton.