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EVANSTON, Ill. --- Chicago’s legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company will present three productions between May 31 and June 19 as part of a new collaboration with Northwestern University. The new and continuing festival of plays will showcase works by graduates of Northwestern’s MFA in directing and MFA in stage design programs.

“Steppenwolf has a long and storied history of supporting young theatre makers,” says Tony Award-winning director Anna Shapiro, who heads Northwestern’s MFA directing program in the School of Communication and is a Steppenwolf ensemble member. “This multi-year mentor/mentee experience is really a reimagining of the university/regional theatre partnership. I am so proud to be a part of it.”

Called “NEXT UP: Three Productions from Chicago’s Next Generation of Artists,” the festival takes place in The Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted St., Chicago. The Northwestern student directors and designers make their Steppenwolf debut under the mentorship of Steppenwolf staff and artists, including Shapiro and Tony Award-winning scenic designer and School of Communication faculty member Todd Rosenthal.

The plays in the 2011 NEXT UP festival are “Animals Out of Paper,” directed by Northwestern student Jaclynn Jutting; “Where We’re Born,” directed by Northwestern student Brad Akin; and “Venus,” directed by Northwestern student Jess McLeod.

The Northwestern designers are Scott Davis and Emily Tarleton (scenic design), Mekey Guberinic and Emily Tarleton (costume design) and Nastassia Jimenez (lighting design).

For more about the three plays, tickets and Steppenwolf Garage, visit http://www.steppenwolf.org/boxoffice/productions/index.aspx?id=535.

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