[citation needed] Steppling's introduction to theater came from New York's Off-off-Broadway stage in the 1970s, where he saw his cousin, Jim Storm, perform in the 1971 premiere of Sam Shepard's The Mad Dog Blues.
During his time in New York, Steppling moved in the circles associated with the writers and performing artists of the group "Theater Genesis", including Murray Mednick[2] Returning to Los Angeles, Steppling became a founding member of the Padua Hills Playwrights Workshop and Festival in 1978 along with Murray Mednick and Sam Shepard.
Steppling remained involved in Padua for most of its 17-year existence, among other notable playwrights associated with the festival such as María Irene Fornés, Jon Robin Baitz, Martin Epstein, Kelly Stuart, and John O'Keefe.
At this time Steppling also worked as a writer for hire for Hollywood, notably adapting Elmore Leonard's novel 52 Pick-Up, directed by John Frankenheimer.
In 1986, on the day of the theatrical release of 52 Pick-Up, The Dream Coast, inspired by Steppling's father and his cronies working on the fringe of the film industry, opened at the Taper, Too.
Developed for the Los Angeles Theater Center, Sea of Cortez, marked a turning point in Steppling's critical reception.
The 1990s also saw Steppling undertaking film and television, including a staff position on Cracker and wrote the screenplay for Animal Factory, (2000) directed by Steve Buscemi, based on the Edward Bunker novel.
Steppling told Jan Breslauer, of the Los Angeles Times, "This is about more than theater; it's about ideas, the nature of performing and the creative process"[8] Circus Minimus folded and was followed by Empire Red Lip, whose core members included former Padua students.
Steppling wrote the screen adaptation for Eddie Bunker's Animal Factory, which was directed by Steve Buscemi and starred Willem DaFoe, Edward Furlong, and Mickey Rourke.
During his stay in Łódź, Steppling did an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear featuring Marian Opania, and co-starring Mick Collins.
Steppling wrote a screenplay based on crime author Cathy Scott's book Death in the Desert, which was produced and directed in 2015 by filmmaker Josh Evans.