Goodman Theatre Launches $30 Million Fundraising Campaign

Goodman Theatre is raising the curtain on its future as leadership and artists share a vision for its next century of impact. Together with hundreds of partners, donors, artists and patrons, Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins launch The Goodman, For Good—a $30 million campaign to secure Chicago's flagship not-for-profit theater for future generations. To date, $27 million has been raised—including 11 gifts in excess of $1 million—under the leadership of Goodman Trustee Elaine Leavenworth, Campaign Chair. Now, the theater invites the Chicago community to join the effort and ensure that The Goodman's core values and artistic priorities continue while providing flexibility to innovate towards new challenges. To commemorate the day, guests in attendance signed a piece of Goodman history, which will displayed in the main lobby.

“As we begin our 101st season and look beyond, we must dream big with a wide-open heart. In order to create the kind of programming that has open doors and open windows for all Chicago to find themselves on our stages, we need a platform from which we can fly: we need an endowment,” said Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. “In a risk-averse climate, this campaign allows us to take the enormous risks on which this theater was built. It allows us to be, for you, The Goodman for good. Not just when it's convenient and when the economics allow. For good. We are deeply grateful for those who have demonstrated early leadership and generosity—and now, we welcome our community to join this effort for our future.”

“We find ourselves at a defining moment for The Goodman. It was during our recently completed Centennial Season—our largest, most audacious, most successful season ever—that we reached a level of service and impact previously unimaginable. Our challenge and invitation today is to safeguard what we've built for future generations, ensuring that it remains rooted in the values which have guided and distinguished us for so many years,” said Executive Director John Collins. “For the good of unparallelled artistry; for the good of our communal well-being; for the good of future generations who deserve the same world-class theater that has served this city since 1925, join us and invest in The Goodman, For Good.”

The Goodman's three core values include Quality, ensuring artistic excellence in every area of operations; Community, committing, in equal measure, to excellence on stage and service to Chicagoland; and Equity and Access, remaining accessible to people of all ages, abilities, identities and location.

The Goodman's 2025/2026 Centennial was its all-time most successful season with milestone programming and record attendance figures, drawing 300,000+ audiences—with 57% attending The Goodman for the first time—to 4,000 performances and events. Curated by Booth, the 15-production season earned widespread critical and audience acclaim: 11 extended productions, 290 sold-out performances, while the world-premiere musical Iceboy! Or, The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O'Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh became the theater's all-time best-attended, best-selling production. Attendees hailed from 61 countries beyond the U.S. with audiences from 5,837 unique zip codes. In addition, the Goodman broke new ground transforming a 15,000 square-foot, in-the-raw space for Theater of the Mind, Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne's immersive work, drawing 63% first-time Goodman attendees. Chicago resident magician Dennis Watkins continued into his third year at The Magic Parlour, in partnership with The Goodman and Petterino's, hosting 163 sold-out performances and expanding his roster by welcoming nine guest artists. Beyond the stage, The Goodman offered 100 Free Acts of Theater—a year-long collaboration with 48 community partners at creative organizations in all 50 Chicago wards—drawing more than 20,000 people, presented in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Expanded Theater for the Very Young programming drew nearly 5,000 children and caregivers, with nearly 13,000 people of all ages engaging in free and low-cost Education and Engagement programming.

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