From a ground-breaking, form-defying, laugh-out-loud new drama by a Pulitzer-Prize finalist to the major revival of a Nobel Prize-winner’s utterly domestic, utterly dangerous classic work—starring one of America’s best-known actresses—Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and incoming Executive Director John Collins announce Goodman Theatre’s 2024/2025 Season. The 99th year of the not-for-profit resident theater begins in September 2024 and includes four world- or Chicago-premiere productions, two classic revivals and a new production of a beloved musical—plus the 47th annual production of A Christmas Carol and the 20th annual New Stages Festival. New and expanded complementary programming includes Theater for the Very Young professional performances for children aged 0-5 and their grown-ups. Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour continues into the new season—with Watkins pausing his performances while acclaimed Latine magicians take the Parlour’s stage for an exclusive engagement as part of this fall’s Destinos Festival, in partnership with Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA). Summer 2025 welcomes the 4th annual Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity showcase featuring Native and Indigenous artists, produced in partnership with the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian.
“Our stage is our audience’s space of possibility, where ephemeral moments make indelible memories through big, breathtaking, ‘why-not’ productions of some of the best new plays and classic works,” said Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “The upcoming season is one deeply attuned to our current moment, a time when how and with whom we connect has never been more important. These plays lean into the beautiful danger of trying to make community in a new place. They ask you to look hard at your closest relationships—and consider what you might be missing. Ultimately, I’m interested in that which brings us together as people. Our 2024/2025 Season is an invitation to leave our differences at the door and surrender to story. Gather with friends. Laugh with a loved one. Relax, exhale away the noise and the daily grind. Let the art on stage transcend and transport us to a place of possibility.”
“Susan’s vision for the Goodman is clear through this thrilling collection of stories that invites bold new thinking and boundary-pushing creativity,” said John Collins, who assumes the role of Goodman Theatre Executive Director at the start of the 2024/2025 Season. “At the same time, it’s exciting to expand programming and partnerships that complement the work on our stages—continuing the conversation into our Chicago community and welcoming new audiences through our doors.”
On stage in Goodman Theatre’s 2024/2025 Season in the 856-seat Albert Theatre is the season opener Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, directed by Resident Artistic Associate Henry Godinez (September 14 – October 13, 2024); next, Booth’s revival of Betrayal by Harold Pinter, starring Helen Hunt—Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner—takes the stage (February 8 – March 16, 2025); then, Zora Howard’s BUST, An Afrocurrentist Play, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz (April 19 – May 18, 2025) makes its world premiere; and Lili-Anne Brown’s revival of the musical The Color Purple concludes the Albert series on a high note (June 21 – July 27, 2025). Plays in the Goodman’s 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre include the Chicago premiere of Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, directed by the Goodman’s BOLD Producer Malkia Stampley (October 5 – November 3, 2024); then, the Chicago premiere of James Ijames’ Fat Ham, directed by Tyrone Phillips, takes the stage in collaboration with Definition Theatre (January 11 – February 23, 2025); rounding out the Owen series is a world-premiere production by Jordan Harrison, directed by David Cromer, title to be announced soon (May/June 2025).
In addition, the Goodman’s 47th annual production of A Christmas Carol directed by Jessica Thebus once again stars Larry Yando in his 17th year as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Albert Theatre (November 16 – December 30, 2024) and the 20th annual New Stages Festival of new plays takes the Owen stage in December (dates tba). Additional information will be announced soon for the new Theater for the Very Young programming; Latine magician limited engagement at The Magic Parlour with CLATA’s fall 2024 Destinos Festival; and the summer Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity showcase.
The 2024/2025 Season begins September 2024 and continues through August 2025. Memberships, including flexible packages, are now available for purchase starting at just $48. Call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Connect. Single tickets go on sale for select productions beginning in July 2024.
About the Productions in Goodman Theatre’s 2024/2025 Season
Plays are listed in chronological order by venue
The Goodman is grateful to Abbott Laboratories, Allstate Insurance Company, the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Edgerton Foundation, Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, Northern Trust, and Winston & Strawn LLP for their support of the 2024/2025 Season.
IN THE ALBERT THEATRE (856-SEAT PROSCENIUM STAGE)
Inherit the Wind
By Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Directed by Henry Godinez
September 14 – October 13, 2024
A three-time Tony Award-winning masterwork and “cultural landmark that only seems to grow with relevance” (Los Angeles Times).
Science and religion go head-to-head in this iconic courtroom showdown. A small-town educator’s trial for teaching the theory of evolution becomes a battle royal of wits, wisdom and will for two of the country’s most powerful lawyers. In a bold retelling for today, Goodman Resident Artistic Associate Henry Godinez directs an all-new production of one of the greatest dramas of the 20th century, based on the real-life Scopes “Monkey” Trial of 1925—an “explosive episode in American culture” (The New York Times).
“What does the flagship theater of a major American city put on its stage in Fall 2024, a decidedly complicated American moment? Do we run radically in the opposite direction of public discourse, and seem out of touch? Or do we lean directly into the noise, and risk topic fatigue? We found the answer in our common ground—the deeply and communally held American ideals of freedom of thought and freedom of speech—and in a big, bold, fantastic play that celebrates them. Luckily for us, Inherit the Wind also happens to be among Henry Godinez’s all-time favorite plays.” --SVB
Betrayal
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Susan V. Booth
February 8 – March 16, 2025
Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Helen Hunt stars in Susan V. Booth’s major revival of Pinter’s utterly domestic and utterly dangerous famed masterwork.
Emma, Robert and Jerry have history. The “eternal triangle” takes center stage in an inventive retelling by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright. As Emma’s marriage to Robert comes to an end, she reconnects with Jerry, her former lover—and her husband’s best friend. The action unspools backward in time, uncovering hidden truths and revealing how little we know about those we think we know so much about. Acclaimed stage and screen actor Helen Hunt (Mad About You, As Good As It Gets) makes her Goodman debut in this “elegy about time and memory (where) the greatest dramatic weight lies in what’s unspoken, in the darkness of unsorted feelings” (The New York Times).
“More than anything, I love a play of big ideas. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen Betrayal—but every time, I’m reminded of how Pinter’s decision to tell the story of the dissolution of relationships from back to front makes for one of the singularly brilliant works of theatrical literature. I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome Helen Hunt, an actor I’ve long admired, to the Goodman for this delicious role. I can’t wait to see where she takes it.” –SVB
BUST
An Afrocurrentist Play
By Zora Howard
Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz
April 19 – May 18, 2025 | A World-Premiere Co-Production with Alliance Theatre
It’s not only hell that breaks loose in this ground-breaking, form-defying, laugh-out-loud new drama from Pulitzer-Prize finalist playwright Zora Howard.
Retta and Reggie are enjoying their usual evening on the porch when a longtime neighbor is pulled over by the police just before turning into his driveway. Everything goes as expected—until the unexpected happens. Tensions escalate, and eventually erupt, transporting us to a startling conclusion in Ms. Howard’s powerful new work. Lileana Blain-Cruz, a “master of curating chaos” (The New York Times), directs.
“It's been called Afrocentrist. It's been called Afro Fututurist. It’s a wicked smart, inventive new play from an astonishing artist. Funny, inspiring and unlike anything I've ever seen on the page, it’s a piece that begins in ways that feel familiar and moves to whole new worlds. We’re thrilled to partner with the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta on this world-premiere production, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz—one of the most sought-after directors working today.” –SVB
The Color Purple
Directed by Lili-Anne Brown
Based on the Novel by Alice Walker and the Warner Bros./Amblin Entertainment Motion Picture
Book by Marsha Norman
Music and Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray
June 21 – July 27, 2025
Twenty years since its Broadway musical debut, The Color Purple is reborn in Lili-Anne Brown’s revelatory production—“perfection on every level!” (Chicago Sun-Times).
It’s a celebration of life, hope and the healing power of love! The musical stage adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning novel is a heart-rending, yet ultimately joyous, story of a young woman’s perilous journey of personal awakening in the American South. Come ready to shout in church, stomp at the juke joint, laugh and cry with unforgettable “come-to-glory gospel hymns, down-and-dirty bump-and-grinds, jazz that stutters, dips and dives, and gorgeous alto arias” (Chicago Sun-Times).
“Alice Walker’s brilliant and beloved novel is consistently counted among the most re-read works of English language literature. It’s an essential work of art that has, for decades, endured beyond the page, in films and on stage. Lili-Anne Brown’s glorious rendering of the musical remains one of the most memorable, highly acclaimed productions of recent years. It’s our joy and privilege to invite her to revisit her creation on the Goodman stage as our summer musical.” –SVB
IN THE OWEN THEATRE (350-SEAT FLEXIBLE STAGE)
Primary Trust
By Eboni Booth
Directed by Malkia Stampley
October 5 – November 3, 2024 | A Chicago Premiere
An open-hearted, “utterly absorbing, very funny, darn near perfect play” (The Daily Beast) about leaving your comfort zone to find fulfillment.
Meet Kenneth, a 38-year-old longtime bookstore worker, who is perfectly content with his after-work routine: a mai tai (or two) at the local tiki bar. But when his employer decides to close the store, Kenneth must also turn the page and choose a new direction—including some daring steps into a world he has evaded. BOLD Producer Malkia Stampley makes her Goodman directing debut with this “tender, delicately detailed portrait” (The New York Times) about new beginnings.
“To experience this intimate, absolutely beautiful piece is to enter a meditation on the power of connection and friendship. Eboni Booth is one of today’s most gifted emerging writers. For this Chicago premiere, she’s partnered with Malkia Stampley—an empathic director of remarkable warmth and curiosity. It’s an invitation to see the world from a fresh new perspective.” –SVB
Fat Ham
By James Ijames
Directed by Tyrone Phillips
January 11 – February 23, 2025 | A Chicago Premiere Co-Production with Definition Theatre
A boisterous Southern cookout sets the scene for a Black, queer discovery of self and resilience in this Pulitzer Prize-winning, five-time Tony nominated “uproarious reimagining of Hamlet” (The New Yorker).
“This is what I was raised in: pig guts and bad choices.” As Juicy grapples with his identity and his family at a backyard barbecue, his father’s ghost shows up asking for revenge—on Juicy’s uncle, who has married his widowed mom—bringing his quest for joy and liberation to a screeching halt. James Ijames has reinvented Shakespeare’s masterpiece, creating what The New York Times hails as “a hilarious yet profound tragedy, smothered in comedy,” where the only death is the patriarchy. For more than a decade, Definition Theatre has celebrated stories created with, inspired by and intended for people and communities of color. Supported by a dedicated ensemble of artists, Definition is a cultural hub that amplifies + archives underrepresented voices as catalysts for social justice and racial healing.
“Producing this absolutely fantastic play together with the author’s home theater company elates me. What James has imagined is lightning in a bottle: a singular work drawn from his own experience as an actor cast in Hamlet that shines a light on Black masculinity, revenge and intergenerational complexities. Shakespeare’s classic play has often been revisited and retold. And in the talented hands of Tyrone Phillips, Definition Theatre’s founding artistic director, this reinvention is not to be missed.” –SVB
A New Play—Title TBA
By Jordan Harrison
Directed by David Cromer
May/June 2025 Dates TBA | A World-Premiere Production
Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Jordan Harrison (Marjorie Prime) joins forces with Tony Award-winner David Cromer (2012’s Sweet Bird of Youth with Diane Lane and Finn Wittrock)—who returns to direct on his hometown stage for the first time in more than a decade—for a ground-breaking world-premiere production. More details on this collaboration will be announced soon.
“This season is filled with unprecedented, big-idea-filled works that can’t compare with anything else. Which is maybe the quintessential reason to produce something? This premiere by Jordan Harrison, directed by Chicago’s own David Cromer, that concludes our Owen Theatre series may just be the very best example. More details coming soon!” –SVB
SPECIAL PRODUCTIONS, EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS
2024 Destinos Festival at The Magic Parlour
Produced by Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) At The Magic Parlour
In partnership with Dennis Watkins and Goodman Theatre 50 W. Randolph
Fall 2024 Dates TBA
This fall, Goodman Theatre builds on its long-running partnership with Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA), the leading advocate organization for Latino theater in Chicago, in an exciting new offering. During the fall 2024 Destinos Festival, the Goodman and magician Dennis Watkins invite acclaimed Latine magicians to take the stage of The Magic Parlour, while Watkins pauses his performances, for an exclusive limited engagement. Destinos, the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, an annual, citywide festival showcasing Chicago’s Latine theater artists and companies alongside top Latine artists from the U.S. and Latin America. The Magic Parlour at 50 W. Randolph is the permanent home for Chicago’s longest-running magic show—featuring acclaimed third-generation magician Dennis Watkins in an intimate evening of classic close-up magic and mind-reading. Dates and performance details TBA.
47th Annual A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens In the Albert Theatre
Adapted by Tom Creamer
Directed by Jessica Thebus
Starring Larry Yando as Scrooge
November 16 – December 30, 2024
Nearly two million theatergoers have attended “the crown jewel of the holiday season” (Daily Herald) since the Goodman established it as an annual offering in 1978—a time when only a handful of U.S. theaters mounted the production. Dickens’ holiday classic is the iconic tale of greedy businessman Ebenezer Scrooge, whose sizable bank account is only matched by his disdain for the holidays. One Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by four ghosts who take him on a spectacular adventure through his past, present and future, helping him rediscover the joys of life, love and friendship.
20th Annual New Stages Festival
In the Owen Theatre
December 2024 (Dates TBA)
The 20th annual New Stages Festival of new plays includes developmental productions and staged readings. Founded in 2004, the New Stages Festival is a celebration of innovative new plays designed to give playwrights an opportunity to take risks and experiment. New Stages offers Chicago theatergoers a first look at dozens of plays, many of which have gone on to become successful full productions—including Noah Haidle’s Smokefall, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Ruined and more.
Sweetest Season 2025: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity
In Partnership with the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian In the Owen Theatre
July 2025 (Dates TBA)
For a fourth summer in 2025, Goodman Theatre and the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian join forces to present a celebration of local Indigenous artistry. With a centerpiece performance showcase of music, movement, poetry, spoken word and more, previous events have been curated by Vincent Romero (Pueblo Laguna) with a line-up of featured artists including Brandi Berry Benson (Chickasaw; Violinist), William Buchholtz (Algonquin/Metis; Musician), Sergio Ceron (Otomi-Pame; Singer/Drummer), Leighann Daihl (Flutist), Martiza Garcia (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Singer/Dancer), Mark Jourdan (Oneida/Ho-Chunk; Singer/Songwriter), Lanialoha Lee (Native Hawaiian; Choreographer/Composer), Michaela Marchi (Isleta Pueblo; Singer), Vincent Romero (Pueblo Laguna; Storyteller/Curator) and Jennifer Stevens (Oneida and Oglala Lakota; Singer/Visual Artist). Details including the 2025 line-up of featured performers and dates TBA.
Theater for the Very Young
(Dates TBD)
The Goodman's Theater for the Very Young offers enchanting and immersive theatrical experiences designed specifically for children aged 0-5 and their grown-ups. Through interactive performances, storytelling, and sensory-rich activities, young audiences are invited to embark on magical journeys that ignite their imaginations and nurture their early development. With a focus on creativity, exploration, and connection, our programming provides a joyful introduction to the world of theater, fostering a lifelong love of the arts from the very beginning.
Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour
In Partnership with Dennis Watkins and Petterino’s 50 W. Randolph
Performances are ongoing
“Chicago’s premiere resident magician’s 4-star, special retro magic experience” (Chicago Tribune) continues its extended run in its new home in the heart of the loop, established by acclaimed third-generation magician Dennis Watkins in partnership with Goodman Theatre and Petterino’s. Hailed as a “star attraction dazzling audiences in an elegant underground Loop parlor” (WBEZ), the new venue offers increased capacity and an expanded six-performance weekly schedule—“90 minutes of mind-boggling fun that would make Houdini proud, offer(ing) warmth, intimacy and a great close-up view of the magic being performed right before your eyes” (WGN Radio). Performances, currently on sale through June 30, 2024, take place weekly, Thursday through Sunday, at 50 W. Randolph. Tickets are $85 (includes the 90-minute performance + complimentary beverage) or $115 (includes the performance, beverage and “The Encore Room” 25-minute VIP experience). To purchase tickets, call the Goodman Theatre Box Office at 312.443.3800 (12 Noon – 5pm daily) or visit TheMagicParlourChicago.com. The Magic Parlour is recommended for audiences ages 12+; while there is no inappropriate content, this elegant experience is designed for adults.*For complimentary passes, email media credentials to Press@GoodmanTheatre.org.
ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE
Chicago’s theater since 1925, Goodman Theatre is a not-for-profit arts and community organization in the heart of the Loop, distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and community engagement. Led by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director/CEO Roche Schulfer*, the theater’s artistic priorities include new play development (more than 150 world or American premieres), large scale musical theater works and reimagined classics. Artists and productions have earned two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and more than 160 Jeff Awards, among other accolades. The Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” Its longtime annual holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, now in its fourth decade, has created a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production and program partner with national and international companies and Chicago’s off-Loop theaters.
As a cultural and community organization invested in quality, diversity and community, Goodman Theatre is committed to using the art of theater for a better Chicago. Using the tools of the theatrical profession, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand the cultures and stories of diverse voices. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of these programs, which are offered free of charge for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.
Goodman Theatre was founded by William O. Goodman and his family in honor of their son Kenneth, an important figure in Chicago’s cultural renaissance in the early 1900s. The Goodman family’s legacy lives on through the continued work and dedication of Kenneth’s family, including Albert Ivar Goodman, who with his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton, contributed the necessary funds for the creation of the new Goodman center in 2000.
Today, Goodman Theatre leadership also includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Kimberly Senior, Chuck Smith and Mary Zimmerman. Julie Danis is Chairman of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Lorrayne Weiss is Women’s Board President and Kelli Garcia is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.
*Note: On September 1, 2024, John Collins becomes Executive Director of Goodman Theatre.