Caroline Neff. Photo by Chris Popio.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced the addition of Sandra Marquez and Caroline Neff to its world-renowned ensemble. Both have performed in multiple shows with the company and can currently be seen on Steppenwolf’s stages in Mary Page Marlowe and The Flick respectively. Marquez and Neff are the first two members added under Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro.

“Over the years the ensemble has developed strong ties with Sandra Marquez and Caroline Neff, and we are thrilled to welcome them into our Steppenwolf family,” said Shapiro. “Their incredible talents and collaborative approach have enriched our work, and we look forward to continuing to build our creative relationships with them as we enter an exciting new chapter in our history.”

Sandra Marquez. Photo by Joe Mazza at Brave-Lux.

“I am absolutely honored, excited and gob-smacked by this invitation to join the artists of Steppenwolf whom I respect and admire so much. I celebrate this invitation with my Latino community here in Chicago and across the country. Together, we will continue to pave the way for opportunities like this,” shares Sandra Marquez.

“I am beyond honored to be a part of an ensemble that is creating some of the most vital theatre in the world,” says Caroline Neff. “One of my favorite things about riding the Brown Line is the stretch of track between Armitage and Sedgwick because it offers this wonderful view of the entire Steppenwolf campus. Simply passing by and seeing the marquee, the building (and the giant August: Osage County poster) inspires me and encourages me to do better work.”

Steppenwolf’s now 46-member ensemble represents a cross-section of actors, directors, and playwrights who have redefined the landscape of the American theater.

About Sandra Marquez
Sandra Marquez is an acclaimed Chicago-based actor, director and longtime ensemble member of Teatro Vista, for which she served as Associate Artistic Director from 1998 – 2006. She can currently be seen in Steppenwolf’s Mary Page Marlowe (extended through June 5). Previous Steppenwolf credits include The Motherf**ker with the Hat directed by Anna D. Shapiro, Sonia Flew directed by Jessica Thebus, A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Steppenwolf co-founder Terry Kinney, One Arm directed by Moises Kaufman and The Boiler Room for Steppenwolf for Young Adults. Other credits include Iphigenia at Aulis which will travel to The Getty Villa in the fall of 2017; Agamemnon, and the upcoming Electra (Court Theater); The Happiest Song Plays Last, Mariela in The Desert, Electricidad, The Upstairs Concierge (Goodman Theater); Mojada (Victory Gardens); Mala Hierba by Tanya Saracho (Second Stage Theater, Uptown) and Breakfast Lunch and Dinner(Oregon Shakespeare Festival). Her most recent Teatro Vista credits include My Manana Comes (director), Our Lady of the Underpass(director), A View from the Bridge (Jeff Award), 26 Miles (Jeff nomination) and Between You Me and the Lampshade. Film and television credits include Boss, Empire, Chicago Med and Timer. She is on the theater faculty at Northwestern University.

About Caroline Neff
Caroline Neff is an acclaimed Chicago-based actor currently performing in her sixth show with Steppenwolf, Annie Baker’s The Flick (throughMay 8). Neff will be featured next season in Steppenwolf’s world premiere of The Fundamentals by Erika Sheffer (Nov 10 – Dec 23, 2016). She last appeared at Steppenwolf in last season’s world premiere of Airline Highway by Lisa D’Amour, which transferred to Manhattan Theatre Club where she made her Broadway debut. Other Steppenwolf credits include The Way West (2014), Three Sisters (2012), Annie Bosh is Missing (2013) and Where We’re Born (2011). Select Chicago credits include A Brief History of Helen of Troy, Harper Regan, In Arabia We’d All Be Kings (Steep Theatre Company); The Downpour (Route 66 Theatre); Port (Griffin Theatre); 4000 Miles (Northlight Theatre); Cherrywood (Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.); and Moonshiner (Jackalope Theatre). Most recently she appeared in Peerless (Yale Repertory Theatre). Neff is the recipient of the 2011 Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Principal Role in a Play for A Brief History of Helen of Troy at Steep Theatre, where she is an ensemble member. Her television and film credits include Chicago P.D. (in a recurring role as Olive Morgan), Chicago Fire, Open Tables and Older Children.

The 46-member Steppenwolf ensemble includes: Joan Allen, Kevin Anderson, Alana Arenas, Randall Arney, Kate Arrington, Ian Barford, Robert Breuler, Gary Cole, Kathryn Erbe, 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, Lois Smith, Rick Snyder, Jim True-Frost and Alan Wilder.