Superior Donuts was developed as part of Steppenwolf’s New Plays Initiative. Steppenwolf is recognized as a national leader in the development and production of new work for the American canon. Through this initiative, the company maintains ongoing relationships with writers of international prominence and rigorously discovers and supports the work of early and mid-career playwrights.

Ensemble member Tracy Letts (playwright) received the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his critically acclaimed play August: Osage County, currently playing on Broadway following a sold-out run at Steppenwolf in 2007. Mr. Letts is also the author of Man from Nebraska, which was produced at Steppenwolf in 2003 and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize; Killer Joe, which has been produced in Chicago, London and New York; and Bug, which has played in New York, Chicago and London. 

Ensemble member Tina Landau (director) most recently directed Steppenwolf’s 2007 production of The Diary of Anne Frank. Other Steppenwolf directing credits include The Cherry Orchard, The Time of Your Life (also Seattle Rep, A.C.T.), Theatrical Essays, Maria Arndt, The Ballad of Little Jo, The Berlin Circle, Time to Burn and her own play, Space (also NYC’s Public Theater, Mark Taper Forum).

Featuring ensemble members Jon Hill, Yasen Peyankov and James Vincent Meredith, with Jane Alderman, Kate Buddeke, Cliff Chamberlain, Michael Garvey, Robert Maffia and Michael McKean.

Michael McKean has appeared in hundreds of movies and TV shows, creating a rogue's gallery of unusual and durable characters. Film credits include Steven Spielberg’s "1941," "Young Doctors in Love," Rob Reiner’s "This Is Spinal Tap" (on which McKean shared screenwriting and composing credits), "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," "Coneheads," "The Brady Bunch Movie," "True Crime" and about seventy others, including Christopher Guest’s "The Big Picture" (also co-wrote), "Best in Show," "A Mighty Wind" and "For Your Consideration." TV credits include “Laverne and Shirley” (as Lenny), “Friends,” “Murphy Brown,” “Law & Order,” “Smallville,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and more. McKean made his Broadway debut in 1990 with Rupert Holmes’ Accomplice, which netted him a Theater World Award. After this, McKean made his Broadway musical debut in Hairspray, followed by Woody Allen’s original stage production, A Secondhand Memory. Next up came his debut at the Williamstown Theatre Festival Mainstage in Tom Stoppard’s On the Razzle. McKean then appeared in the successful Broadway revival of The Pajama Game with Harry Connick Jr. before starring on London’s West End in a new play titled Love Song. McKean is currently appearing on Broadway in the 40th anniversary revival of Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming.