It may have been inspired by what was possibly one of the most horrific and highly-publicized failures by a Milwaukee policemen. In May of 1991, a pair of officers returned a naked and panicked 14 year-old boy to serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who later murdered and mutilated the boy. Playwright Keith Huff wrote A Steady Rain--a very similar story set in Chicago that made its debut not too long ago.
The drama isn't about the event itself so much as it is about the lives of the two officers who could so blatantly overlook the concerns of someone clearly the victim of an assault that was to turn deadly. And it in no way is meant to represent the actual events that took place back in 1991. The play is relatively recent. Staged readings of the play were performed in New York and L.A. It was staged by Chicago Dramatists in '07. There was a broadway production of the drama starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman staged in '09.
Having recently completed another run of the show, the Chicago Dramatists are touring the production to various other venues in the midwest. Next month, they bring the drama to the stage of the Next Act Theatre. Randy Steinmeyer and Peter DeFaria star as the two police officers in a production directed by 25-year Chicago theatre veteran Russ Tutterow.
Chicago Dramatist's A Steady Rain runs October 25th through 28th Thursday and Friday performances are at 7:30 pm. Saturday performances are at 2pm and 8pm with an additional 2pm matinee on Sunday. Tickets are Available via Brown Paper Tickets.com
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