Leslie Odom, Jr. to Headline Goodman Theatre Centennial Gala

Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer Leslie Odom, Jr., known for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Hamilton, will headline The Goodman Theatre Centennial Gala, performing a set of favorites from his wide-ranging and critically acclaimed stage and recording career. Celebrating 100 years, the black-tie event begins with a cocktail reception, followed by the performance and an elegant three-course dinner, and concludes with dancing to the sounds of The Gentlemen of Leisure. Gala Co-Chairs are Jill Javors, Swati Mehta and Jackie Robinson; Lester N. Coney and David Fox, Jr. are Gala Trustee Co-Chairs; the Benefits Events Leadership Chair is Joan E. Clifford, Board of Trustees Past Chair and Life Trustee.

The 2025 Goodman Theatre Centennial Gala starring Leslie Odom, Jr., takes place on Saturday, May 17 at The Fairmont Chicago (200 N. Columbus); tickets start at $1,000; call 312.443.3811 ext. 220 or purchase online. All proceeds benefit Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs. Media interested in covering the event should call 312.443.5569. Goodman Theatre is grateful for the support of the Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust. 

Leslie Odom, Jr.

is a multifaceted Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy and two-time Academy Award-nominated vocalist, songwriter, actor, and New York Times bestselling author. With a career that spans all performance genres, Odom has received recognition for his excellence and achievements in Broadway, television, film, and music. Most recently, Odom made his long-awaited return to Broadway starring in, and co-producing, the six-time Tony-nominated Broadway production of the classic American comedy Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch by the legendary Ossie Davis, which opened in September 2023 to widespread critical acclaim and earned Odom a Tony nomination for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play.” In January 2024, PBS recorded the play live at the Music Box Theatre, and Great Performances: Purlie Victorious premiered on PBS stations nationally on May 24. Additionally, Odom recently starred in the highly anticipated sequel to the original iconic film The Exorcist for Blumhouse and Universal Pictures in October 2023, as well as in Rian Johnson’s 2022 Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which broke records for Netflix. In 2020, he starred as legendary singer Sam Cooke in the award-winning Amazon film adaptation of One Night in Miami…, directed by Regina King. His critically acclaimed and highly lauded portrayal of the soul icon and musical performance of original song “Speak Now” earned him multiple awards and nominations. He also starred in The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to David Chase’s award-winning HBO series The Sopranos, released in October 2021. Well known for his breakout role as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton, Odom hosted “The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back!” on CBS in September 2021 (2022 Emmy nomination). Additional film and television credits include Apple TV+’s Central Park (2020 Emmy nomination), Hamilton on Disney+ (2021 Emmy nomination), Abbott Elementary, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Love in the Time of Corona, Harriet, and many more. Co-written with Nicolette Robinson, Odom’s first children’s book, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, was published by Feiwel & Friends on March 28, 2023. The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at #7 in its first week. Odom is a BMG recording artist and has released five full-length albums. Released in November 2023, Odom’s fifth full-length album and his first of all-new original music since 2019, When A Crooner Dies, features a collection of 10 newly penned, original tracks that mark his most personal body of music to date.

Proceeds from this major fundraiser benefit Goodman Theatre’s Education and Engagement programming, led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and offered year-round for participants from birth through life. Upcoming opportunities for audiences to engage at the Goodman beyond the stage include:

· The Lizard Y El Sol (appears through February 2) After drawing more than 2,800 to Chicago Parks this summer, the family-friendly musical event returns to the Loop. This 60-minute play about a lizard in search of the sun is the Goodman’s second “Theater for the Very Young” production, programming developed for audiences aged 0-5 and their adult friends and family. Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Lizard

· All The World’s A Stage: Finding Your Voice in Shakespeare (February 15; FREE) Chicagoland teens join Fat Ham director and founding Artistic Director of Definition Theatre Tyrone Phillips for an immersive exploration of what it means to perform Shakespeare and classical texts in the modern day. Participants learn how to make Shakespeare’s words their own and discover their unique voice within the story.

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