Padrón "will play a key role in supporting productions in Steppenwolf's Garage Series including First Look Repertory of New Work, Garage Rep and NEXT UP, as well as other ancillary programming." Carter "will be instrumental in reviewing and cultivating news plays for the Steppenwolf stage, as well as various aspects of audience engagement including post-show discussions, podcasts and the Steppenwolf blog."

Both will work closely with artistic producer Rebecca Rugg "to deepen Steppenwolf’s commitment to the development of new plays, new artists and new audiences."

Padrón is a producer and director who has served as an associate producer at Oregon Shakespeare Festival since 2007. He was formerly the managing director of Yale Cabaret in New Haven, CT, and produced over 20 new works as a part of the theatre's 40th anniversary season. In the fall of 2006, he co-produced Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays for Center Theatre Group, a collaboration that included over 50 Los Angeles theatre companies. His directing credits include Luis Valdez's Los Vendidos (The Sellouts), Little Shop of Horrors, See What I Wanna See and Grace, Or the Art of Climbing (reading).

Carter is a new play developer, literary manager and playwright who has served as the literary manager at Victory Gardens Theater for nearly four years. There, he played a key role in the IGNITION Festival, and was involved in the production of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Year Zero, Love Person and Living Green, among others. As a new play developer and dramaturg, he has worked with many theatres and labs including WordBRIDGE, the Kennedy Center, Timeline Theater, Route 66 and Chicago Dramatists. Carter also teaches courses in playwriting, dramaturgy and dramatic literature at Northwestern University, De Paul University, Roosevelt University and Grinnell College. His latest play, Start Fair in the Common Race, was presented in a workshop production in the "What's Next Lab" at Next Theater in Evanston.

* Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago was formed in 1976 by a collective of actors and is dedicated to an ethic of mutual respect and the development of artists through ongoing group work. Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned ensemble of 43 artists who represent a remarkable generation of actors, directors and playwrights. For additional information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.