The Goodman Theatre’s Centennial: 7 Must-Know Facts About Chicago’s Tony Award-Winning Heartbeat
The Goodman Theatre in Chicago is not just a venue; it is a cultural institution celebrating a monumental milestone: its Centennial 2025/2026 Season. As of December 19, 2025, the buzz around the Chicago Loop is all about the theater’s next chapter under its new leadership, a historic lineup of plays, and a renewed commitment to community engagement that solidifies its status as the city's oldest and largest not-for-profit theater.
This article dives deep into the most current and essential updates, exploring the groundbreaking productions, the visionary leadership steering its course, and the enduring legacy that has earned the Goodman a reputation as a powerhouse in American regional theater for a full century. Its dedication to producing both classic and bold, new works continues to spark conversation, connection, and change across the entire city.
The Centennial Season: A Lineup for 100 Years of Excellence
The Goodman Theatre's 2025/2026 Season marks its 100th anniversary, an extraordinary achievement that is being celebrated with an ambitious and diverse lineup designed to honor its history while championing the future of dramatic arts. This Centennial Season is a testament to the theater’s mission of bringing humanity to center stage, featuring a mix of beloved classics, world-premiere productions, and works by celebrated contemporary playwrights.
Key Productions Defining the 2025/2026 Season
The season showcases a commitment to diverse voices and compelling storytelling, ensuring that the Goodman remains the heartbeat of the Chicago theater scene. The lineup includes several high-profile and highly anticipated shows:
- Ashland Avenue: Kicking off the Centennial, this world-premiere production is a significant highlight, demonstrating the Goodman's commitment to new drama.
- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: A powerful inclusion that underscores the theater’s dedication to producing works by iconic American playwrights, fostering critical conversations through timeless stories.
- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao: This production is a major draw, representing the theater’s focus on adapting contemporary literary masterpieces for the stage.
- Covenant and Iceboy!: These works further diversify the season, featuring artists like Philip Barry and Steve H. Broadnax, III, and solidifying the Goodman's role as a platform for innovative, risky new drama alongside its established New Stages Festival.
- A Christmas Carol: The annual holiday tradition, adapted by Tom Creamer, remains a cornerstone of the season, drawing audiences from across the Midwest and serving as a vital connection to the community.
The selection of plays, which also includes other notable titles, reflects the Goodman’s ongoing effort to commission and support new works, particularly by women and artists of color, ensuring the theater remains relevant and forward-thinking.
Goodman Theatre’s Enduring Legacy and Impact
The Goodman Theatre’s history is inextricably linked to the cultural fabric of Chicago. Established in 1925 following a gift to the Art Institute of Chicago in memory of playwright Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, it is Chicago’s oldest currently operating non-profit theater. Its move to the Chicago Loop solidified its presence in the city’s vibrant theater district, becoming a flagship institution known globally for its artistic quality and educational outreach.
A Tony Award-Winning Powerhouse
The Goodman’s reputation for excellence is crowned by its prestigious accolades, most notably receiving the Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 1992. This recognition places it in an elite category of American theaters, acknowledging its sustained artistic achievement and significant contribution to the field. Furthermore, the company and its productions frequently garner top honors at the local Jeff Awards, celebrating individual performance excellence and overall production quality.
The foundation’s success is built on a history of visionary leadership, including former Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer. Today, the Goodman is guided by the leadership of Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, who are committed to upholding the theater’s three guiding principles: artistic excellence, community engagement, and fiscal responsibility.
Beyond the Stage: Education and Community Engagement
The Goodman Theatre’s influence extends far beyond its two main stages, the Albert Theatre and the Owen Theatre. Its commitment to education and engagement is a cornerstone of its mission, reaching thousands of students and community members annually.
Key Outreach and Education Programs
The Centennial celebration is being amplified by a major city-wide initiative in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, designed to activate all 50 Chicago wards with arts programming. This initiative highlights the scope of their community work, which includes:
- School Matinee Series (SMS): The flagship Education program, which allows students from over 20 Chicago public high schools to experience Goodman productions free of charge.
- New Stages Festival: Now in its 21st year, this festival is a celebration of innovative works-in-progress, providing a crucial development platform for playwrights and a chance for audiences to see the future of theater.
- Youth Intensives: Programs like the Musical Theater Intensive and PlayBuild Youth Intensive offer rigorous training and leadership development for teens, fostering the next generation of theater artists and audiences.
- ACTivation Workshops: These community-focused workshops bring the power of drama to various groups, demonstrating the theater’s dedication to connection and change.
The Goodman Theatre remains a beacon of artistic integrity and community service. Its Centennial 2025/2026 Season is not just a look back at 100 years of history, but a bold declaration of its future, ensuring its role as a vital cultural force in Chicago and the national theater landscape for decades to come.
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