Head of Passes, to appear April 4-June 9, 2013, in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre, will feature ensemble members Alana Arenas, K. Todd Freeman, Jon Michael Hill, Tim Hopper and James Vincent Meredith.

It's billed this way: "Setting: The distant present, at the mouth of the shifting Mississippi River. Shelah's family and friends plan a surprise birthday party for her. But the festivities are quickly overshadowed by a series of revelations that point to a dark secret in the family's past — revelations that leave Shelah trying to find faith, a footing and a truer sense of God. Ensemble members Tarell Alvin McCraney and Tina Landau, the writer and director behind Steppenwolf's lauded production of The Brother/Sister Plays, team up again for this ensemble drama, told in McCraney's signature style — a vast and bustling landscape, where the spiritual world mingles freely with the day-to-day."

Artistic director Martha Lavey announced the coming titles on March 7.

Steppenwolf ensemble members currently confirmed for the 2012-13 season include Alana Arenas, Ian Barford, K. Todd Freeman, Moira Harris, Jon Michael Hill, Tim Hopper, Francis Guinan, Tina Landau, John Mahoney, Mariann Mayberry, Tarell Alvin McCraney, James Vincent Meredith, Austin Pendleton, Molly Regan and Anna D. Shapiro. Additional casting will be announced.

For subscription information, call (312) 335-1650 or visit www.steppenwolf.org/subscribe. Here's Steppenwolf's 2012-13 subscription season at a glance:

Good People
By David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by ensemble member K. Todd Freeman
Featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Mariann Mayberry and Molly Regan
Sept. 13-Nov. 11, 2012
Downstairs Theatre
"When Margie Walsh loses her job at a South Boston dollar store, she reaches out to her old friend and flame Mike, a Southie boy who made good when he became a successful doctor. What begins as an attempt to hit Mike up for a job takes on a threatening cast when Margie realizes the power that secrets from Mike's past life hold over his current one. Penned by Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire, Good People is an incisive and funny character study of old friends, old flames and the question of whether you can ever leave the old neighborhood behind."

The Motherf**ker with the Hat
By Stephen Adly Guirgis
Directed by ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro
Dec. 27, 2012-March 3, 2013
Downstairs Theatre
"Things are on the up and-up for recovering alcoholic Jackie and girlfriend Veronica — until Jackie spots another man’s hat in their apartment, and embarks on a sublimely incompetent criminal quest for vengeance. Fast-paced and uproarious, Mother also asks probing questions about the havoc addiction wreaks. Ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro, director of the acclaimed Broadway premiere, returns to the helm with a new cast."

The Birthday Party
By Harold Pinter
Directed by ensemble member Austin Pendleton
Featuring ensemble members Ian Barford, Moira Harris, Francis Guinan and John Mahoney with Sophia Sinise
Jan. 24-May 19, 2013
Upstairs Theatre
"Petey, Meg and their long-time tenant Stanley live comfortably, if without particular flair, in a seaside boarding house in England. But their humdrum daily routine of cornflakes, newspapers and naps comes to a sudden end when two mysterious men appear, bringing with them menace, mystery and one overwhelming question: What exactly are they searching for? When the group gathers together to celebrate Stanley's birthday, alliances are re-drawn, scandals are revealed and all are left teetering on a precipice. Dismissed by critics for its opacity when it first opened (and promptly closed) in London in 1958, Nobel laureate Harold Pinter's mordant and macabre play has since gained a reputation as one of the dark comic classics of the 20th century."

Belleville
By Amy Herzog
Directed by Anne Kauffmann
Featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas and Kate Arrington
June 27-Aug. 25, 2013
Downstairs Theatre
"Twenty-something American expats Zack and Abby live an enviably hip, do-gooder existence in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Belleville, Paris. But a single encounter one morning in the apartment they rent from their Senegalese landlords Alioune and Amina tips the scales of their relationship, revealing that the bubble they've built abroad is much closer to bursting than it appears. Anne Kauffmann, director of Belleville's acclaimed Yale Repertory Theatre premiere, directs this new production."

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is one of the nation's leading ensemble theatres, producing up to 16 productions each year in its three Chicago theatre spaces — including programming dedicated to the development of new plays and theatre for young adults. Steppenwolf’s productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Sydney and Dublin. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 43 actors, writers and directors. For additional information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.