Helen Hunt-Led BETRAYAL & More Set for Goodman Theatre 2024/25 Season

The 99th year of the not-for-profit Goodman Theatre in Chicago 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. 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.

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

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.

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.

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 directs.

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.

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). 

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 play about new beginnings.
 

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 play.
 
“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.
 

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.

SPECIAL PRODUCTIONS, EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS

2024 Destinos Festival at The Magic Parlour                                        

 Fall 2024 Dates TBA
Produced by Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA)                                       

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                                     

November 16 – December 30, 2024   By Charles Dickens                                                                         In the Albert Theatre
Adapted by Tom Creamer                                          
Directed by Jessica Thebus
Starring Larry Yando as Scrooge

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                                 

December 2024 (Dates TBA)                                                                 

In the Owen Theatre

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                                

July 2025 (Dates TBA)

In Partnership with the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian                  

In the Owen Theatre

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                                    

Performances are ongoing

In Partnership with Dennis Watkins and Petterino’s                                    

50 W. Randolph                    

The Magic Parlour 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.  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.