Adirondack Chair Circle
by Stephanie Alison Walker
presented by Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago, IL)

'Banna is a perfection-seeking, suburban mom who finds meaning in leading a group of like-minded moms fighting the school district’s indoctrination of children. But behind the impressive facade, her marriage is in trouble, her relationship with her teenager is strained, and she is being tormented by an ever-present crow defiling her backyard. As their group gains traction and some sinister allies, she is faced with a choice: to open up and evolve or to double down and risk isolation. Adirondack Chair Circle examines the absurdity and hypocrisy in group dynamics, the inherent human need to belong, and asks, could Pickleball possibly save the country?'

Stephanie Alison Walker is a Chicago-based, award-winning playwright specializing in nuanced stories that center women. Full-length plays include The Madres, The Abuelas, Friends With Guns, The Art of Disappearing, American Home, The Ordeal of Water, The Sister House, Sophia Hayden Deserves Better, and Adirondack Chair Circle which will receive its world premiere at Steppenwolf this Fall. She is a proud alumni of the Playwrights Union, a member of the Dramatists Guild, National New Play Network Affiliated Artist, and Honor Roll! - an advocacy and action group of women+ playwrights over forty. Her plays are published by Broadway Play Publishing, Inc. Her greatest joy is being a mom to her two wonderful boys, Malcolm and Graham.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is the nation’s premier ensemble theater with 50 members who are among the top actors, playwrights and directors in the field. Thrilling, powerful, groundbreaking productions—from Balm in Gilead and The Grapes of Wrath to August: Osage County, Downstate, The Brother/Sister Plays and Purpose—have made this theatre legendary. Founded in 1975 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise, Steppenwolf’s artistic force remains rooted in the original vision of its founders: an artist-driven theatre, whose vitality is defined by its sharp appetite for bold and innovative work. While grounded in the Chicago community, more than forty original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success nationally and internationally, including Broadway, off-Broadway, London, Sydney, Galway and Dublin. Steppenwolf’s accolades include the National Medal of Arts, 14 Tony Awards, two Pulitzer Prize-winning commissions and more. Led by Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan and Board of Trustees Chair Keating Crown—Steppenwolf has, and continues to redefine the landscape of acting and performance. Learn more at steppenwolf.org.

CNPF 2026: Adirondack Chair Circle

by Stephanie Alison Walker