Goodman Theatre announces a Summer 2025 line-up for all ages and interests
Book up! Theater for the very young (ages 0-5) in 12 Chicago parks (july 23 – aug.10); TJ and Dave improv sensation returns (july 24-26); 4th annual sweetest season gathering of indigenous creativity (august 1-2); and free readings of new plays by Satya Jnani Chávez & Krystal Ortiz, NJ Draine & Terry Guest and Omer Abbas Salem (august 8-10) … the Color Purple musical directed by Lili-Anne Brown starts june 21 (Albert Theatre) and Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour continues weekly (50 w. Randolph), as the Goodman welcomes 60 teens to two four-week youth intensive summer programs
At Goodman Theatre, summer programming is hot! Chicago’s flagship not-for-profit theater announces a wide-ranging July/August slate of experiences with something for everyone—from a free wondrous outdoor circus spectacle to side-splitting world-class comedic improvisation, new play readings by artists-in-residence and a one-of-a-kind festival of Indigenous artistry.
At the same time, 60 teenagers aged 14-17 join the Goodman for two month-long youth summer programs—Playbuild Youth Intensive and Musical Theatre Intensive. These programs complement the Goodman’s current season productions, the summer musical The Color Purple directed by Lili-Anne Brown (June 21 – July 27) and The Magic Parlour featuring acclaimed third generation magician Dennis Watkins (appearing weekly in partnership with Petterino’s at 50 W. Randolph, Thursday through Sunday).
For tickets and reservations, call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org.
More info and direct links to each program appear below.
“It so delights me when the Goodman hits summer going full-tilt,” said Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “We’ll be out in the parks with a free play for the little ones in your life, we’ll be hosting some of our city’s finest indigenous artists, we’ll be welcoming back the top-flight improv of TJ and Dave. In addition, we’ll have 60 teens making original work, playwrights sharing their newest projects. And, oh yeah—Lili-Anne Brown’s soul-soaring production of the musical The Color Purple, while Dennis Watkins captivates summer thrill-seekers with first-rate close-up magic. Join us!”
Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot, who oversees Theater for the Very Young and PlayBuild and Musical Theatre Intensive summer youth programs, added, “It’s a thrill to watch our building come alive with the energy of young artists eager to create, explore and grow. Whether in the parks, classrooms of the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement, or on stage, I see the same catalyst: a moment of connection through a shared creative experience that makes us feel just a bit more alive and bit more connected to our community.”
ABOUT THE SUMMER OFFERINGS
BOOK UP!
Presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks Series, supported by the Mayor’s Office and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)
Co-Directed by Tor Campbell and Raquel Torre
July 23 – August 10 in two one-hour performances per park, 9:30am and 11:30am
Appearing at 12 Chicago parks citywide
FREE
A traveling librarian (Jean Claudio) rolls into town with their magical book cart, ready to spark big imaginations everywhere and beyond! With a little wiggle, a little giggle and a whole lot of wonder, stories leap off the pages through juggling, tumbling, clowning and aerial acrobatics—with Kylie Anderson, Madie Doppelt and Robbie Matthew, all ProTraining alumni of Chicago’s famed Actors Gymnasium! Every book holds a new adventure; where will we go next? This wonderous outdoor circus spectacle invites little ones—and their grown-ups!—to move, play, and discover the magic of reading. Running 60 minutes with no intermission, Book Up! Is specially made for children ages 0 – 5 years and their adult friends and family. All performances are FREE and followed by a hands-on workshop for audiences. Tickets are not required, but registration is encouraged in the event of inclement weather. GoodmanTheatre.org/BookUp
The Goodman is grateful to Kirkland & Ellis, Arts and Community Sponsor for Theater for the Very Young programming.
BOOK UP! is presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series, supported by the Mayor’s Office and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. The Night Out in the Parks program presents cultural events year-round in neighborhood parks throughout the city. The Chicago Park District in partnership with local artists and organizations, presents engaging events and performances that enhance the quality of life across Chicago and amplify the artistic and cultural vibrancy in every neighborhood. Through multiple disciplines, which include theater, music, movies, dance, site-specific work, nature programs, and community festivals, the series aims to support Chicago-based artists, facilitate community-based partnerships and programs, cultivate civic engagement, and ensure equity in access to the arts for all Chicagoans. For more information, please visit www.nightoutintheparks.com.
TJ and Dave
With special musical guest Ike Reilly
July 24, 25 and 26 at 8pm | Owen Theatre
$28 – $53
On the heels of a sold-out three-performance stand at the Goodman last summer, famed longtime improvisers, actors and friends TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi—”two of the world’s finest practitioners of the art of long-form improv” (Time Out Chicago)—bring back their unforgettable live performance. Over the past two decades at venues across the country and overseas, TJ and Dave walk out on stage without characters, dialog or plot. One hour later, their two-person completely improvised show leaves an audience with one of the funniest nights of their lives. Hailed as “Second City-seasoned masters of long form improv” (The New York Times) and “Zen masters of their art; improv virtuosos, blissful to watch” (The Guardian) serving up “the best improv comedy we’ve ever seen: brilliant, heart-breaking, mind-blowing and inspiring” (Time Out New York), Jagodowski and Pasquesi have become living legends in their field. Don’t miss their limited three-night-only engagement—with special musical guest, Ike Reilly. GoodmanTheatre.org/TJandDave/
Sweetest Season
The 4th Annual Gathering of Indigenous Creativity
In partnership with Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum
August 1 and 2 | Owen Theatre and Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement
Tickets (and reservations for FREE offerings on Saturday, August 2) will be available mid-June
Together in partnership with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, Goodman Theatre proudly hosts a one-of-a-kind festival of local Indigenous artists and scholars in the fourth annual Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity. Experience two days of performances and workshops celebrating Two Spirit artists and community members—including a highly anticipated drag show in the Owen Theatre, featuring multiple drag artists uplifting the artistry, joy and resilience of Indigenous performers across Chicagoland and beyond. The next day, the Alice Center hosts a vibrant, community-centered lineup of workshops, panels, poetry, live music, comedy, artisan vendors and more. Come learn, laugh, connect and celebrate—all are welcome! Tickets and more information will be available mid-June.
NEW STAGES RESIDENCY READINGS
-Fruition by Satya Jnani Chávez & Krystal Ortiz
-Nightbirds by Xander Browne, NJ Draine & Terry Guest
-The Maids by Omer Abbas Salem
August 8-10 at 7pm | Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement
FREE (reservations open in July)
Be first to experience the plays of tomorrow with staged readings of works-in-progress from this season’s New Stages Residents—Chicago-based writers creating new pieces in collaboration with the Goodman. Established in 2010 as the “Playwrights Unit,” New Stages Residency is a year-long program for Chicago-area generative theater artists who meet bi-monthly with the Goodman’s artistic staff and other cohort artists. Each commissioned project receives mid-point and final readings at the Goodman, as part of its development journey. Cohort members are considered artists-in-residence at the theater. Admission to the final readings is free with reservation (reservations open in July).
The Goodman is grateful for the generosity of its New Work sponsors, including: Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation and the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Major Support of New Work; Ruth D. and Ken M. Davee New Works Fund, Major Support of New Play Development; and Shaw Family Supporting Organization, Support of New Work.
Youth Intensive Education and Engagement Summer Programs
PlayBuild | June 23 – July 21
Musical Theater | July 14 – August 11
Sixty high schoolers join the Goodman’s long-running summer youth programs—PlayBuild and Musical Theater Intensive—this summer. Both four-week programs are offered FREE and fulltime, with participants attending Monday through Friday working with teaching artists and local theater professionals. PlayBuild (June 23 – July 21) immerses participants in the building blocks of live storytelling and performance, refinining their skills in acting, playwriting/creative writing, improvisation, physical theater and ensemble work. Students learn a range of skills from local industry professionals and devise an original theater production created by the PlayBuild ensemble
Musical Theater Intensive (July 14 – August 11) is a pre-professional program that introduces and supplements musical theater knowledge in its participants, acquainting them with the demanding lifestyle of performance as they refine skills in acting, dancing, singing, storytelling and ensemble work.
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 (Opening Night is June 30)
$33 – $143, subject to change
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). The Color Purple begins June 21 in the 856-seat Albert Theatre. Tickets ($33 – $143; subject to change) go on sale March 28, available at GoodmanTheatre.org/Purple or by phone at 312.443.3800. The Goodman is grateful for the support of The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust (Lead Sponsor of IDEAA Programming; Shure Incorporated (Technical Sponsor) and Athletico Physical Therapy (Physical Therapy Provider).
Dennis Watkins’
The Magic Parlour
50 W. Randolph
Presented in partnership with Goodman Theatre and Petterino’s
Appears weekly, Thursday through Sunday | Tickets on sale for performances through December 31
$93, includes the 90-minute performance + complimentary beverage (and ticketing fees)
$133, includes the performance, beverage + The Encore Room 25-minute VIP experience (and ticketing fees)
Don’t miss “Chicago’s premiere resident magician” (Chicago Tribune) Dennis Watkins’ smash sensation performance—The Magic Parlour at 50 W. Randolph—in its second summer at its new permanent home, 50 W. Randolph, established in a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Goodman and Petterino’s. The third-generation magician performs his highly acclaimed 90-minutes of close-up magic for an intimate crowd of 64 guests, six shows each week; an exclusive “encore” experience for 24 guests follows every performance. The Magic Parlour is recommended for audiences ages 12+; while there is no inappropriate content, this elegant experience is designed for adults. In addition, Watkins can create magical entertainment for companies and clients seeking an unforgettable experience for up to 137 guests—booking private groups, corporate events, team member celebrations, client appreciation events, special occasions and more. Beyond 50 W. Randolph, Watkins can also create bespoke entertainment for groups nationwide, at the group’s own venue. Watkins’ show has been hailed as “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). “When it comes to magic, Dennis Watkins is the real deal! His shows are sophisticated for corporate events, upscale private and special occasions and dinner date outings” (Let’s Play Theatrical Reviews). “If you like good old-fashioned magic, sleight of hand and mind-reading tricks, Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour is the ticket” (Broadway World). “Go see The Magic Parlour, whether you have seen it before, or not!” (Hyde Park Herald). TheMagicParlourChicago.com.
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 Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, 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 earner two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson 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 fifth 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.
Using the tools of theatrical practice, the Goodman’s Education and Engagement programs aim to develop generations of citizens who understand and empathize with 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 for Chicago youth—85% of whom come from underserved communities—schools and life-long learners.
Goodman Theatre was built on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi Nations. We recognize that many other Nations consider the area we now call Chicago as their traditional homeland—including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo and Mascouten—and remains home to many Native peoples today. While we believe that our city’s vast diversity should be reflected on the stages of its largest theater, we acknowledge that our efforts have largely overlooked the voices of our Native peoples. This omission has added to the isolation, erasure and harm that Indigenous communities have faced for hundreds of years. We have begun a more deliberate journey towards celebrating Native American stories and welcoming Indigenous communities.
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 on the new Goodman center in 2000.
Julie Danis is Chair 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.
His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].
Follow RayHanania at Twitter
- The Pappas Portal: Free News You Can Use - September 19, 2025
- Hastings meets with Matteson School District 162 leaders to strengthen school safety measures - September 19, 2025
- Author Jeffrey Wolfson Publishes A Prayer Book: Reflections for a Shared, Sacred World - September 18, 2025
