Polly Carl in Conversation with Martha Lavey

HowlRound: A few years back, I had the distinct pleasure of working at Steppenwolf Theatre where Martha Lavey has been the artistic director since 1995. This past fall it was announced that Martha is stepping down at Steppenwolf to be succeeded by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro. My time at Steppenwolf, and my relationship with Martha, in particular, helped shape my thinking about the nonprofit theater as a citizen of the community. We spoke recently about her work at Steppenwolf, the role of the artistic director in a changing cultural and economic landscape, and what’s next for Martha.