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THE GOODMAN’S 2019/2020 SEASON
TO FEATURE A GROUNDBREAKING WORLD-PREMIERE MUSICAL ADAPTATION OF THE OUTSIDERS, BASED ON S.E. HINTON’S NOVEL AND FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S FILM, DIRECTED BY LIESL TOMMY
**NEW SEASON INCLUDES WORLD PREMIERES BY LUCAS HNATH AND KORDE ARRINGTON TUTTLE; CHICAGO PREMIERES OF AMERICAN MARIACHI BY JOSÉ CRUZ GONZÁLEZ; BERNHARDT/HAMLET BY THERESA REBECK; LISA LOOMER’S ROE; AND JOCEYLN BIOH’S OFF-BROADWAY HIT SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY**
***ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ROBERT FALLS TO DIRECT A MAJOR REVIVAL OF MOLLY SWEENEY BY BRIAN FRIEL**
Here at ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama, we're beyond excited for Goodman's upcoming season! Some of our favorite directors are back to helm world premieres, Chicago premiers, an off-Broadway hit and more. Don't miss this!
Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer announce Goodman Theatre’s new 2019/2020 Season of “Theater That Moves”— three world premiere productions (including a new musical), four Chicago premieres and a major revival of a beloved contemporary classic—on the theater’s two stages (the 856-seat Albert Theatre and 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre). In addition to these eight offerings, which comprise the Goodman Membership, the Goodman will produce its 16th annual New Stages Festival and the 42nd annual production of A Christmas Carol. The 2019/2020 Season begins September 2019 and continues through August 2020. Memberships, including flexible packages, are now available for purchase. Five-play Albert Theatre packages start at just $100. Call 312.443.3800 or GoodmanTheatre.org/1920season. Single tickets will be available for select productions beginning in August.
“I am thrilled to share our 2019/2020 Season—a dynamic line-up of plays, each written by and/or featuring a woman protagonist at its heart. These fresh, powerful works of art entertain and delight, challenge and shock, and fearlessly reflect the world around us,” said Robert Falls of the 33rd season he has curated as Artistic Director.
Continued Falls, “We open our Albert Theatre season with Bernhardt/Hamlet by Theresa Rebeck, directed by Donna Feore—a wonderful comedy about the great French actress Sarah Bernhardt taking on Hamlet, the most challenging role of her career—in its first production since debuting on Broadway last year. Next, we’ll produce Roe by Lisa Loomer, directed by Vanessa Stalling—a remarkably complex, balanced look at the young women behind the landmark court case. Then, I am excited to direct Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel—a work I’ve long considered one of the most beautiful plays of modern times. An astonishing journey from blindness to sight, it’s a masterwork from the playwright oft described as ‘the Irish Chekhov.’ In Spring 2020, we’ll produce American Mariachi by José Cruz González, directed by Henry Godinez—the funny, heart-warming story of an all-female mariachi band in an era when this was not considered possible. It’s a co-production with Dallas Theater Center, and we are proud to once again collaborate with Teatro Vista and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance. Finally, we conclude the Albert Theatre line-up on a high note with the world premiere of a thrilling new musical, The Outsiders, adapted from S.E. Hinton’s seminal book and Francis Ford Coppola’s film, with a book by Adam Rapp, music and lyrics by Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance of Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine, with choreography by Lorin Latarro, directed by Liesl Tommy. This story of “haves” and “have-nots” that defined a generation is boldly told anew, for the next generation.
Continued Falls, “Our Owen Theatre line-up begins with the world premiere of an innovative, highly personal new play, Dana H. by Lucas Hnath, adapted from interviews with Dana Higginbotham conducted by Steve Cosson, directed by Les Waters. A co-production with Center Theatre Group, this true story is told in Dana’s own words as she recounts the harrowing five months she spent imprisoned by an unstable captor. Next, we’re thrilled to produce a moving new work first seen our New Stages Festival last year, where it played to full houses each night—Graveyard Shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle, directed by Danya Taymor. We conclude the Owen season with the Chicago premiere of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Lili-Anne Brown—a work that enjoyed enormous critical and popular acclaim in its extended run Off-Broadway.
Falls continued, “The season also includes our 42nd annual production of A Christmas Carol, directed by Henry Wishcamper and starring Larry Yando in his 12th turn as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Albert Theatre. And we are proud to present the 16th annual New Stages Festival of new plays, a free first look at projects in development.”
About the Productions + Events in Goodman Theatre’s 2019/2020 Season
The Goodman is grateful to its 2019/2020 Season sponsors, including American Airlines and Northern Trust Bank, Major Contributors; Mayer Brown LLP, Corporate Sponsor Partner; Time Warner Foundation, Lead Support of New Play Development; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Major Support of New Work Development, and the Shubert Foundation, Lead Support of General Operations.
Dana H.
By Lucas Hnath
Adapted from Interviews with Dana Higginbotham,
Conducted by Steve Cosson
Directed by Les Waters
September 6 – October 6, 2019 in the Owen Theatre
A Co-Production with Center Theatre Group
A WORLD PREMIERE
“I want to be a part of the world again.” –Dana H.
Dana was a chaplain of a psych ward where she met a charismatic patient, an ex-convict searching for redemption. A harrowing true story, Dana was held captive with her life in this man’s hands—trapped in a series of Florida motels, disoriented and terrified—for five months. Told in Dana's own words and reconstructed for the stage by her son Lucas Hnath (A Doll’s House, Part 2, The Christians), “one of the freshest playwriting voices to emerge in the past five years” (The New York Times), this innovative work shatters the boundaries of the art form and our understanding of good and evil.
Bernhardt/Hamlet
By Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Donna Feore
September 14 – October 20, 2019 in the Albert Theatre
A CHICAGO PREMIERE
“It is delightful to undress a man, and find a woman inside.” –Edmond; Act I, Scene II
High humor and human drama collide in a rollicking comedy “so clever it uplifts, so timely it hurts” (The New York Times). In 1899, legendary leading lady Sarah Bernhardt’s decision to assume the title role of Shakespeare’s Hamlet left critics and patriarchs aghast and indignant. Laced with forbidden romance and backstage gossip, this behind-the-scenes look at Bernhardt’s most ambitious role is a “dynamic character study” (Variety) of one of the most famous actresses—and infamous divas—in the world.
Roe
By Lisa Loomer
Directed by Vanessa Stalling
January 18 – February 23, 2020 in the Albert Theatre
A CHICAGO PREMIERE
“You didn’t give a damn about Roe the person—all you cared about was Roe the case!” –Norma; Act II, Scene II
Conceived in a pizza parlor and argued in the highest court in the land, 1973’s Roe v. Wade legalized abortion—and is hotly debated still today. The complex young women behind the trial—attorney Sarah Weddington and plaintiff Norma McCorvey (“Jane Roe”)—embark upon separate journeys that mirror the current polarization over the landmark decision. Shocking, humorous and “full of nuance and complexity" (NPR), Roe illuminates the heart and passion that each side has for their cause.
Graveyard Shift
By Korde Arrington Tuttle
Directed by Danya Taymor
February 7 – March 8, 2020 in the Owen Theatre
A WORLD PREMIERE
“Our new life starts tomorrow.” –Kane; Scene VI
When she receives the opportunity of a lifetime, Janelle relocates to Texas and moves in with her partner, Kane. Meanwhile, a small-town police officer’s life is thrown into flux when the coworker he's romantically involved with decides to leave town. When their worlds collide, Janelle experiences firsthand how dangerous power can be. Loosely inspired by the legacy of Sandra Bland, Graveyard Shift is an unflinching but open-hearted look at how we navigate a world full of fear.
Molly Sweeney
By Brian Friel
Directed by Robert Falls
March 7– April 12, 2020 in the Albert Theatre
“And what sort of world did you expect, Mrs. Sweeney?” —Dr. Rice; Act II
In this riveting exploration of triumph and loss, master storyteller Brian Friel—“a towering figure of the stage, from Dublin to Broadway” (The Guardian)—reveals the unexpected consequences of a modern medical miracle. Visually impaired since infancy, Molly agrees to a procedure that will restore her sight. But is it she who benefits most—or her ambitious spouse, or her doctor’s career? Robert Falls directs a major revival of this “astonishing, highly entertaining, deeply moving meditation on hope, change and despair” (The New York Times).
School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play
By Jocelyn Bioh
Directed by Lili-Anne Brown
March 27 – April 26, 2020 in the Owen Theatre
A CHICAGO PREMIERE
“Look confident. Be confident. This. Is. Yours.” –Paulina, Part III
This biting and buoyant comedy, “ferociously entertaining, as heartwarming as it is hilarious” (The Hollywood Reporter), arrives in Chicago on the heels of a critically acclaimed, extended run Off-Broadway. As the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school sets her sights on the Miss Universe pageant, a new student unexpectedly changes the game. This “gleeful African makeover of an American genre” (The New York Times) spotlights the universal similarities—and glaring differences—of teenage girls around the globe.
American Mariachi
By José Cruz González
Directed by Henry Godinez
April 25 – May 31, 2020 in the Albert Theatre
A Co-Production with Dallas Theater Center
A CHICAGO PREMIERE
“Women mariachis? It’s about time!” –Soyla; Act I, Scene V
Familia, amor and tradiciόn are at the heart of this hilarious and heartwarming new comedy about the freedom to dream big. Lucha spends her days caring for her ailing mother, but longs to shake up her 1970s home life. When a forgotten record album sparks her mother’s memory, Lucha and her cousin strike upon a radical idea: to create an all-female mariachi band. Infused with live mariachi music, this “big-hearted, musical tug at the heartstrings” (Denver Post) reveals how music and love can make just about anything possible.
The Outsiders
Based on the Novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola’s Motion Picture
Book by Adam Rapp
Music and Lyrics by Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine
Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by Justin Levine
Choreography by Lorin Latarro
Directed by Liesl Tommy
June 20 – August 2, 2020 in the Albert Theatre
A WORLD PREMIERE
“Stay gold.” –Johnny, Act II, Scene XII
The story that defined a generation is reimagined in a groundbreaking musical for a new generation. In 1967 Tulsa, Oklahoma, the hardened hearts, aching souls and romantic dreams of Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and their band of greasers take center stage in a fight for purpose and a quest for survival. Adapted from S.E. Hinton’s seminal book and Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic film, and directed by Tony nominee Liesl Tommy with a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Rapp, The Outsiders features a score by acclaimed Austin-based rock duo Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine.
New Stages Festival
October 23 – November 10, 2019 in the Owen Theatre
FREE
The 16th annual New Stages Festival of new plays includes developmental productions and staged readings. This season’s world-premiere production of Graveyard Shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle emerged from New Stages. 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.
A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Tom Creamer
Directed by Henry Wishcamper
November 16 – December 29, 2019 in the Albert Theatre
42nd ANNUAL PRODUCTION
Acclaimed Chicago actor Larry Yando returns for his 12th season at Goodman Theatre as Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, directed for the seventh year by Artistic Associate Henry Wishcamper. More than 1.5 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.
ABOUT GOODMAN THEATRE
AMERICA’S “BEST REGIONAL THEATRE” (Time magazine), Goodman Theatre is a premier not-for-profit organization distinguished by the excellence and scope of its artistic programming and civic engagement. Led by Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director 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 (celebrated revivals include Falls’ productions of Death of a Salesman and The Iceman Cometh). Goodman Theatre artists and productions have earned two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards, over 160 Jeff Awards and many more accolades. In addition, the Goodman is the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle;” and its annual holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, which marks its 42nd production next season, has created a new generation of theatergoers. The Goodman also frequently serves as a production partner with local off-Loop theaters and national and international companies by providing financial support or physical space for a variety of artistic endeavors.
Committed to three core values of Quality, Diversity and Community, the Goodman proactively makes inclusion the fabric of the institution and develops education and community engagement programs that support arts as education. This practice uses the process of artistic creation to inspire and empower youth, lifelong learners and audiences to find and/or enhance their voices, stories and abilities. The Goodman’s Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is the home of such programming, most offered free of charge, and has vastly expanded the theater’s ability to touch the lives of Chicagoland citizens (with 85% of youth participants coming from underserved communities) since its 2016 opening.
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: Brian Dennehy, Rebecca Gilman, Henry Godinez, Dael Orlandersmith, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, Regina Taylor, Henry Wishcamper and Mary Zimmerman. David W. Fox, Jr. is Chairman of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees, Denise Stefan Ginascol is Women’s Board President and Megan McCarthy Hayes is President of the Scenemakers Board for young professionals.
ABOUT CENTER THEATRE GROUP
Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading not-for-profit theater company, which, under Artistic Director Michael Ritchie, programs seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1600 to 2100-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.
ABOUT DALLAS THEATER CENTER
One of the leading regional theaters in the country and the 2017 Regional Theatre Tony Award® Recipient, Dallas Theater Center (DTC) performs to an audience of more than 100,000 North Texas residents annually. Founded in 1959, DTC is now a resident company of the AT&T Performing Arts Center and presents its Mainstage season at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, designed by REX/OMA, Joshua Prince-Ramus and Rem Koolhaas and at its original home, the Kalita Humphreys Theater, the only freestanding theater designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright. DTC is one of only two theaters in Texas that is a member of the League of Resident Theatres, the largest and most prestigious non-profit professional theater association in the country. Under the leadership of Enloe/Rose Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty and Managing Director Jeffrey Woodward, DTC produces a six-play season of classics, musicals and new plays and an annual production of A Christmas Carol; extensive education programs, including the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award-winning Project Discovery, SummerStage and partnerships with Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts; and many community collaborations.
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