WSJ Names Steppenwolf Theatre Co. a "Top Small Workplace"

Congratulations to Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, which was just named one of the top 15 places to work by the Wall Street Journal's "Top Small Workplaces 2009."

With over 400 full- and part-time employees, the theater is artistically led by an ensemble of 42 members (including co-founder Gary Sinese and John Malkovich). The company offers 401(k) matching plans to all employees and helps cover healthcare costs, encourages its artistic apprentices and interns, and generally works to improve the morale of its employees. The Wall Street Journal asserts that while "professional theaters aren't known as stellar workplaces... Steppenwolf Theatre Company, on the contrary, gives its employee practices a lead role."

From the Wall Street Journal:

[Executive Director David Hawkanson] works hard to give equal voice to all employees, unionized or not, and provide comparable benefits. One employee from each department of the theater sits on Steppenwolf's 12-member employee-relations committee, which meets quarterly with management to discuss workplace practices and benefits...

Steppenwolf also shines for its professional development of young and aspiring theater administrators and technical production workers. It takes on about 36 interns and apprentices annually and offers highly regarded fellowship programs for aspiring African-American arts administrators. The theater works to give its younger staff and interns exposure to all aspects of theater work.

Steppenwolf was the only theater company to make the list. But do you think other theaters deserve to be recognized as great places to work? Leave your comments below to let us know.

-- Daniel Lehman