Laurie Metcalf Honored at Steppenwolf Event

Steppenwolf Theatre Company proudly announces award-winning star of stage and television Laurie Metcalf as the guest of honor at the 2014/15 annual Steppenwolf Salutes Women in the Arts fundraising luncheon on March 9. Widely celebrated for her role as Jackie Harris on the long running hit sitcom, "Roseanne," as well as recent featured roles in "Desperate Housewives" and "The Big Bang Theory," Metcalf's remarkable career has spanned theater, film and television.

Winner of three Emmy Awards and two Obie Awards, Metcalf was one of Steppenwolf's original ensemble members alongside fellow college classmates Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney, Joan Allen, John Malkovich and others. Her career-making turn as Darlene in Steppenwolf's 1984 revival of Lanford Wilson's "Balm in Gilead" catapulted Metcalf into the national spotlight.

She has received Tony nominations for her work in David Mamet's "November" and Sharr White's "The Other Place." Recently she starred in "Domesticated" with Jeff Goldblum at Lincoln Center Theater. Metcalf's dynamic career continues at full speed with major roles in three current TV series: the HBO series "Getting On," CBS's "The McCarthys" and "The Big Bang Theory."

"There's a moment when Laurie Metcalf -- who plays this poor young thing that comes to the big city and hangs out at this greasy spoon diner where the play is set -- is talking about her once boyfriend who is an albino; I think it's a monologue of about five, six, seven minutes. Just to sit there and watch and hear Laurie unspool that story, it just brought tears coming down your eyes-oh, boy, it was something," said Richard Christiansen of her turn in "Balm in Gilead." The New York Times hailed this performance as a "tour de force."

This year's event features an in-depth conversation with Metcalf and Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey. Previous honorees for Steppenwolf Salutes Women in the Arts include ensemble members Joan Allen and Martha Plimpton, along with Juliette Lewis, Julianna Margulies, Margo Martindale, Julianne Nicholson and Mary-Louise Parker.

The sixth annual luncheon brings together nearly 300 leaders from Chicago's business and civic communities to honor Metcalf for her incredible contribution to the field. The event raises funds for Steppenwolf's professional development programs, including Steppenwolf for Young Adults, the nationally recognized education program, the School at Steppenwolf, as well as the Professional Leadership Programs, providing apprenticeships, fellowships and internships for the next generation of arts managers and producers.

Table sponsorships for Women in the Arts are currently available. Individual tickets, if available, start at $200 and will go on sale January 9.