Pictured: Celeste M. Cooper and Cliff Chamberlain

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro has announced the addition of Celeste M. Cooper and Cliff Chamberlain to the Steppenwolf ensemble. Cooper, a Chicago-based actor, recently performed in Steppenwolf’s production of BLKS and Chamberlain, a regular on the Steppenwolf stage, was recently featured in THE MINUTES by ensemble member Tracy Letts.

“We are thrilled to add Cliff and Celeste to the Steppenwolf ensemble. Both of these actors bring a commitment to excellence in their work that already has brought so much to our stages,” saysShapiro. “We are honored that they will now be able to call Steppenwolf their artistic home and we are all so excited to see what the future holds for them both.”

Cooper shares, “WOW, this is amazing. I am so humbled, excited, and honored to join an ensemble of artists I deeply admire. I have prayed and dreamed about this moment ever since I saw Steppenwolf’s outstanding production of The Bluest Eye. This blessing seriously means the world to me. Thank you Papa God! Thank you Steppenwolf! I share this honor with anyone who needs confirmation that dreams really can come true.”

“When I moved to Chicago in 2003, simply walking into the Steppenwolf lobby for the first time took my breath away, comments Chamberlain. “Since then, I’ve been an audience member in its seats, a student in its classrooms, and an actor on its stages; heck, I’ve even been a volunteer usher in its lobby (August: Osage County, deep into the run, only way to get tickets, a wonderful memory). To add ‘ensemble member’ to that list, to join an artistic family that has meant so much to me, is unbelievably exciting and an incredible honor.”

Since Shapiro began as Artistic Director in 2015, Glenn Davis, Audrey Francis, Sandra Marquez, Caroline Neff and Namir Smallwood have also been welcomed into the ensemble.

Steppenwolf ensemble members include: Joan Allen, Kevin Anderson, Alana Arenas, Randall Arney, Kate Arrington, Ian Barford, Robert Breuler, Cliff Chamberlain, Gary Cole, Celeste M. Cooper, Glenn Davis, Kathryn Erbe, Audrey Francis, K. Todd Freeman, Frank Galati, Francis Guinan, Moira Harris, Jon Michael Hill, Tim Hopper, Tom Irwin, Ora Jones, Terry Kinney, Tina Landau, Martha Lavey*, Tracy Letts, John Mahoney*, John Malkovich, Sandra Marquez, Mariann Mayberry*, Tarell Alvin McCraney, James Vincent Meredith, Laurie Metcalf, Amy Morton, Sally Murphy, Caroline Neff, Bruce Norris, Austin Pendleton, Jeff Perry, William Petersen, Yasen Peyankov, Martha Plimpton, Rondi Reed, Molly Regan, Anna D. Shapiro, Eric Simonson, Gary Sinise, Namir Smallwood, Lois Smith, Rick Snyder, Jim True-Frost and Alan Wilder. *In Memoriam