Theatre News Wire

Goodman Theatre proudly announces that it has raised $10 million toward its $15 million Endowing Excellence, The Campaign for Goodman Theatre-a multifaceted fundraising effort designed to ensure permanent resources for Chicago's oldest and largest not-for-profit producing theater. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago's philanthropic and business leaders gathered for the breakfast event, where Goodman Theatre Chairman Patricia Cox, Artistic Director Robert Falls, Executive Director Roche Schulfer and Campaign Co-Chairs Shawn M. Donnelley (Immediate Past Chairman) and Joan Clifford (Women's Board President and Vice President of the Board of Trustees) unveiled the seven key areas of the theater in need of endowment support (details on page 2). Donnelley and Clifford led the initial campaign effort to procure $10 million by the conclusion of the theater's 10th Anniversary "Decade on Dearborn"; $5 million more is needed to reach the goal.

Standing center stage at Goodman Theatre this morning, Mayor Rahm Emanuel encouraged Chicagoans to contribute at this important moment for the theater, noting the Goodman's stature in America's "only city to house five Tony Award-winning theaters."

"This is a great theater," declared Mayor Emanuel. "When people from around the world come to see theater in Chicago, they come to Goodman Theatre. Our cultural institutions create economic vitality and a fabric to a community-whether that's downtown or in a neighborhood-like nothing else. No other city has what we have; we have something really special, and the great thing about the Goodman is that it doesn't just do it in this building- which is essential for the quality of life I want to build here. I see you as an anchor for that. Let's finish the job."

During the "Decade on Dearborn" celebratory season, each of Goodman Theatre's chairmen-Patricia Cox, Shawn M. Donnelley, Lester N. Coney, Carol Prins, Deborah Ann Bricker, Sondra Healy and James E. Annable-has been honored for his/her leadership and significant contributions. In a video tribute this morning, Founding Chairman Stanley M. Freehling noted the importance of endowment for a major cultural institution, and charged the next generation with its responsibility. Merle Reskin, Women's Board Founding Member, was also acknowledged for her generous support. The Goodman is grateful to the major individual, corporate and foundation contributors who have supported the campaign.

The theater now seeks to engage the full support of the Chicago community to reach its $15 million campaign goal. To contribute to Endowing Excellence, The Campaign for Goodman Theatre, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Endowment; to make a gift of $10,000+ or to explore naming opportunities, contact Kealie Williams at 312.443.3811, ext. 581.

Goodman Theatre, "the leading regional theater in the nation's most important theater city" (Time), is a major cultural, educational and economic pillar in Chicago, generating nearly $300 million in economic impact over the past decade in its state-of-the-art two-theater complex on North Dearborn Street. Founded in 1925 and currently under the leadership of Artistic Director Robert Falls, "Chicago's most essential director" (Chicago Tribune), and Executive Director Roche Schulfer, Chicago's oldest and largest nonprofit resident theater has welcomed nearly twomillion patrons to productions and events-including 10 festivals celebrating playwrights such as David Mamet, August Wilson and Horton Foote, as well as the biennial Latino Theatre Festival-served legions of students through its Education and Community Engagement programs (including the FREE Student Subscription Series and other interactive programs) and employed more than 3,000 artists and theater professionals. The Goodman has earned more than 90 awards for hundreds of productions, including the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined by Lynn Nottage-one of 25 new-work Goodman commissions in the last decade.