Today, Goodman Theatre raises the curtain on its future as leadership and artists share a vision for its next century of impact. Together with hundreds of partners, donors, artists and patrons, Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins announce The Goodman, For Good—a $30 million campaign to secure Chicago's flagship not-for-profit theater for future generations. To date, $27 million has been raised—including 11 gifts in excess of $1 million—under the leadership of Goodman Trustee Elaine Leavenworth, Campaign Chair. Now, the theater invites the Chicago community to join the effort and ensure that The Goodman's core values and artistic priorities continue while providing flexibility to innovate towards new challenges. To commemorate the day, guests in attendance signed a piece of Goodman history, which will displayed in the main lobby.
"As we begin our 101st season and look beyond, we must dream big with a wide-open heart. In order to create the kind of programming that has open doors and open windows for all Chicago to find themselves on our stages, we need a platform from which we can fly: we need an endowment," said Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. "In a risk-averse climate, this campaign allows us to take the enormous risks on which this theater was built. It allows us to be, for you, The Goodman for good. Not just when it's convenient and when the economics allow. For good. We are deeply grateful for those who have demonstrated early leadership and generosity—and now, we welcome our community to join this effort for our future."
"We find ourselves at a defining moment for The Goodman. It was during our recently completed Centennial Season—our largest, most audacious, most successful season ever—that we reached a level of service and impact previously unimaginable. Our challenge and invitation today is to safeguard what we've built for future generations, ensuring that it remains rooted in the values which have guided and distinguished us for so many years," said Executive Director John Collins. "For the good of unparallelled artistry; for the good of our communal well-being; for the good of future generations who deserve the same world-class theater that has served this city since 1925, join us and invest in The Goodman, For Good."
The Goodman's three core values include Quality, ensuring artistic excellence in every area of operations; Community, committing, in equal measure, to excellence on stage and service to Chicagoland; and Equity and Access, remaining accessible to people of all ages, abilities, identities and location.
"There is a vision for a future that's even brighter than the present, and the resource of an endowment fund is a lifeline for that longevity—allowing our artists and leaders to commit to ambitious goals and have the confidence to see them through," said Elaine Leavenworth, Trustee and Chair of The Goodman. For Good. Campaign. "We want this space to be as great a gift to audiences tomorrow as it is today. Donors will be able to see their impact—in the young people served, in The Goodman's footprint in the community, in the experiences had by audiences—and know it will continue for generations."
The Goodman's 2025/2026 Centennial was its all-time most successful season with milestone programming and record attendance figures, drawing 300,000+ audiences—with 57% attending The Goodman for the first time—to 4,000 performances and events. Curated by Booth, the 15-production season earned widespread critical and audience acclaim: 11 extended productions, 290 sold-out performances, while the world-premiere musical Iceboy! Or, The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh became the theater's all-time best-attended, best-selling production. Attendees hailed from 61 countries beyond the U.S. with audiences from 5,837 unique zip codes. In addition, the Goodman broke new ground transforming a 15,000 square-foot, in-the-raw space for Theater of the Mind, Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne's immersive work, drawing 63% first-time Goodman attendees. Chicago resident magician Dennis Watkins continued into his third year at The Magic Parlour, in partnership with The Goodman and Petterino's, hosting 163 sold-out performances and expanding his roster by welcoming nine guest artists. Beyond the stage, The Goodman offered 100 Free Acts of Theater—a year-long collaboration with 48 community partners at creative organizations in all 50 Chicago wards—drawing more than 20,000 people, presented in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Expanded Theater for the Very Young programming drew nearly 5,000 children and caregivers, with nearly 13,000 people of all ages engaging in free and low-cost Education and Engagement programming.
THE GOODMAN, FOR GOOD SUPPORTERS (GIFTS AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2026)
GRAND BENEFACTOR ($1,000,000+)
Susan and James Annable
Joan and Robert Clifford
Patricia Cox
Julie M. Danis and Paul F. Donahue
Shawn M. Donnelley and Christopher M. Kelly
The Davee Foundation
Elissa Efroymson & Adnaan Hamid and The Efroymson Family Fund
Elaine R. Leavenworth
Goodman Theatre Women's Board
Alice and John Sabl
Kimbra and Mark Walter
PLATINUM GRAND BENEFACTOR ($500,000 – $999,999)
Sharon Angell
Paul Dykstra and Spark Cremin
David and Alexandra Fox
Sasha Gerritson and Eugene Jarvis
James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki
Catherine Mouly and LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr.
Diane M. Landgren Charitable Fund
Nancy A. Lauter & Alfred L. McDougal Charitable Foundation
Prince Charitable Trusts
Carol Prins and John Hart
Lorrayne and Steve Weiss
GOLD BENEFACTOR ($250,000 – $499,999)
Lester, Chanel and Javon Coney
Marsha Cruzan and Tom McGinnis
Patricia Gallagher Estate
Jeffrey W. Hesse
Melinda McMullen and Duncan Kime
Swati and Siddharth Mehta
Scott Phillips and Maggie Freehling Phillips
Shaw Family Supporting Organization
Maria E. Wynne
SILVER BENEFACTOR ($100,000 – $249,999)
Roger and Julie Baskes
David Q. and Mary H. Bell
Doug and Teri Brown
Joyce Chelberg
Kathleen and James Cowie
Fran and Bob DelBoca
Ruth Ann M. Gillis and Michael J. McGuinnis
Goodman Theatre Scenemakers Board
Mary Kay and Edward Haben
David Hiller and Darcy Evon
Linda Hutson
Robert and Cheryl Kopecky
Anthony and Julianne Maggiore
Elizabeth Raymond and Paul Hybel
Cynthia and Michael Scholl
Michael Steinberg and Salme Harju Steinberg
Maureen Tansey-Tokar Estate
Audrey L. Weaver
Susan and Bob Wislow
BENEFACTOR ($50,000 – $99,999)
Elizabeth Balthrop and Michael Kammarman
Linda Coberly & Kelly Emery
Denise Michelle Gamble
The Estate of Ellen and Paul Gignilliat
Hugo Lorenz Estate
Julie and Joseph Learner
Thomas* and Linda Maurer
Julie Moller
Dawn Palmer Estate
John C. Pintozzi
Elaine Soter Estate
Anne Van Wart and Michael Keable
SUPPORTER ($25,000 – $49,999)
Abbe and Adam Aron
James L. Alexander and Curtis D. Drayer
Kristin Anderson-Schewe and
Robert Schewe
Gustavo Bamberger and Martha Van Haitsma
Michael Belsley and Nina Owen
Susan V. Booth and Max Leventhal
Linda and Peter Bynoe
Melissa and John Collins
Sally B. Dancer
Bruce and Linda DeViller
Dhuanne Dodrill
Scott and Lenore Enloe
Denise Stefan Ginascol and John Ginascol
Russell Johnson and Mark Hudson
Michael and Christine Hunstad
Fruman and Marian Jacobson
Bradley Keck
Maggie Kelly and Chris Marzec
The Estate of Karen and Larry McCracken
Clare and Scott Metcalf
Lee Mickus
The Muriel Pollia Foundation
Lucy and Richard Park
Laura Sachs Family Foundation
Renee and Michael Sichlau
Jill and Steve Smart
Gill and Becky Soffer
Holly and Jeff Tyson
Andrea and Ron Wainer
Randy and Lisa White
Graham Williams and Ryan Rivera
Sheldon Zenner and Ellen Morgan
Neal Zucker and Marko Iglendza
Gifts Up to $24,999
Jonathan Abarbanel
Brigitte R. Anderson
Kristin Johnson Boswell and Michael Boswell
Christopher Boyd and Lauren Fondriest
Philip B. Clement and Mary Ann Everlove Clement
Philip Crean and Daniel Comeaux
Kendra Chapman Davis and Laron Davis
Deanna and Matt Deutschman
Joan and John Dysart
Don and Rebecca Ford Terry Family Fund
Kelli Garcia
Steve and Rebecca Gerstung
Henry Godinez and Nancy Voigts
Margaret and Clive Halliwell
Marcy and Harry Harczak
Tracy Healy and Gregory Beard
Vicki V. Hood
Margaret and Wayne Janus
Carl Jenkins and Carole Wood
Wendy Krimins
Carolyn Kurtz and Gary Steinberg
Brian Loevner
Jill Loftus
Terri Mascherin and Thomas Abendroth
Laura Matalon and Spencer Waller
Stuart and Carol Oken
Cara Burns Pan and Warren Pan
Vahe and Heather Poladian
Andra and Irwin Press
The Daniel and Genevieve Ratner Foundation
Robert Rivkin and Cindy Moelis
Jacquelyn Robinson
Tod and Trish Saltzman
Gabrielle and Ryan Sagers
Sam Scarcello and Katherine Allison
Steve Scott and Ted Hoerl
Dinesh Sinniah and Anne Norman
Irene and Mark Sudac
Paula Tomei and David Emmes
Laura and Jeff Torosian
Renee L. Tyree
U.S. Bank
Sarah and Michael Wagner
Tina Wardrop
Chris Way and Jason Ott
Mary Patricia Wilison and Joseph Krasovec III
Jennifer and Bruce Yalowitz
Cheryl Yuen and Thomas Chin
Brad and Alicia Zuiker
GOODMAN THEATRE'S 2026/2027 SEASON
ALBERT THEATRE (856-SEAT PROSCENIUM STAGE) PRODUCTIONS
The Goodman premieres The 7 Fingers'
The Attic
Things I've Seen While Lying on My Back
Written, Directed and Choreographed by Shana Carroll
September 5 – October 11 | A World Premiere
49th Annual A Christmas Carol
Adapted by Tom Creamer
Directed by Malkia Stampley
November 13 – December 31 | Starring Tim Hopper as Ebenezer Scrooge
John Proctor is the Villain
By Kimberly Belflower
Directed by Marti Lyons
January 23 – February 21, 2027 | A Chicago Premiere
'night, Mother
By Marsha Norman
Directed by Michael Pressman
March 27 – April 25, 2027
Green Day's
American Idiot
Music by Green Day
Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong
Book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer
Directed by Susan V. Booth
June 18 – July 25, 2027
OWEN THEATRE (400-SEAT FLEXIBLE STAGE) PRODUCTIONS
Dead Girl's Quinceañera
By Phanésia Pharel
Directed by Melia Bensussen
September 26 – November 1 | A World Premiere
FEAST!
By Calamity West
Directed by Susan V. Booth
February 27 – March 28, 2027 | A World Premiere
The XIXth (The Nineteenth)
By Kemp Powers
Directed by Carl Cofield
April 17 – May 16, 2027 | A Chicago Premiere
22nd Annual New Stages Festival
December 5 – 13, 2026
THEATER FOR THE VERY YOUNG PRODUCTIONS
In the Loop
Created and Directed by Jamal Howard and Ellie Levine
Co-Produced by The Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts, Northwestern University
January 30 – February 28, 2027 | Performed in the Alice Center and at locations citywide
A World Premiere TBA
By Marisa Carr
Summer 2027 dates TBA
Theater for the Very Young (TVY) programming offers immersive theatrical experiences—produced and performed by professional artists—designed for children ages 0–5 years old to experience alongside the grown-ups in their lives. Created in 2023 by Goodman Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth in response to research demonstrating the profound impact the arts can have on early childhood development and long-term learning outcomes, TVY introduces Chicagoland's youngest audiences to live theater through storytelling, music, movement and sensory-rich play produced and performed by professional artsts. Curated by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot, TVY productions support early literacy, creativity and social-emotional learning while aiming to initiate a lifelong love of the arts. Over the past three years, TVY has served thousands of children and families in Chicago parks, theaters, schools and community spaces with productions of the plays Splish Splash: A Day on the Lake (2026); Book Up! (2025); The Lizard y El Sol (2024); and Pearl Cleage's In My Granny's Garden (2023). Schools, daycares and community organizations interested in bringing "Theater for the Very Young" programming to their spaces are invited to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for pricing, scheduling and more information.
OFF-SITE PRODUCTIONS
Theater of the Mind
Created by David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar, Directed by Andrew Scoville
Appearing at 333 N. LaSalle in an open run (performances began March 11, 2026)
Dennis Watkins' The Magic Parlour
Produced in partnership with Goodman Theatre and Petterino's
Appearing at 50 W. Randolph in its fourth season, in an open run (tickets on sale through May 2, 2027)
ABOUT THE GOODMAN
Since 1925, The Goodman has been a theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for Chicagoland, where bold stories spark connection, conversation and change. Now, as it enters its second century, The Goodman builds on that legacy with an eye toward the future. Under the leadership of Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, the theater continues to champion new work—following hundreds of plays developed and a national reputation for commissioning and premiering original stories by living writers—while reimagining classics and produce large-scale musicals.
But The Goodman's reach today extends beyond its home in the heart of the Loop. From the intimate magic of The Magic Parlour, now in its third year, to the boundary-pushing world of Theater of the Mind—an immersive experience that blurs the lines between science, storytelling and sensation—and from citywide initiatives like 100 Free Acts of Theater to partnerships with artists and companies across Chicago and around the world, The Goodman is expanding what theater can be, and where it can live.
At its core, The Goodman is driven by a belief that a more empathetic, more connected city is built one story at a time. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime—from babies and young children to teens, adults and seniors—including Theater for the Very Young (ages 0–5) and the beloved annual A Christmas Carol, which has welcomed audiences for five decades. Education and Engagement programs, led by Clifford Director Jared Bellot and based in the Alice Rapoport Center, use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging—reaching thousands each year, the majority from underserved communities.
With nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman remains a defining force in American theater—and the first to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson's American Century Cycle. The theater also frequently serves as a production partner—from national and international companies to Chicago's Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify a wide range of theatrical voices.
Founded by William O. Goodman and his family in memory of playwright Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, the theater carries forward a legacy of artistic ambition and civic generosity. With the help of Mr. Goodman's descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—that spirit continues to shape its future as The Goodman expands its impact across Chicago and beyond. Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women's Board President; and Christopher Way is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals.
The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.
