Season of Concern Holiday Collections Raise Over $140,000

Throughout each holiday season, area performing arts organizations take up audience collections at productions to benefit Season of Concern, Chicago’s nonprofit dedicated to providing financial assistance to Chicagoland theater practitioners impacted by illness, injury or circumstance. This season, from November 10, 2025 - January 11, 2026, theater companies raised $140,537 for the organization.

Season of Concern Managing Director Christopher Pazdernik comments, “We are so grateful to the theatre companies that partner with us in our mission of supporting Chicagoland theater workers facing emergencies, and to the audience members who gave so generously during this year's holiday collections. In these challenging times, it is a testament to the resilience of our community.”

Season of Concern welcomes audience collections at any time of year. Many theatre companies participate in the annual tradition of collecting over the winter holidays, embracing the spirit of giving during that time of year.

Participating theaters during the 2025 holiday season included: The Beautiful City Project, Chicago Cabaret Professionals, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, City Lit Theater Company,  Drury Lane Theatre, Gary Thomas, The Goodman Theatre, Jeffrey Cooke, Kokandy Productions, Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles / Wilde Cabaret, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Marriott Theatre, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Music Theatre Works, Northlight Theatre, The Second City, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Theater Wit & Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre.

The leading companies for collections were: Drury Lane Theatre ($37,786), Steppenwolf Theatre Company ($35,627), Goodman Theatre ($23,013), Chicago Shakespeare Theater ($14,217), Northlight ($9,007), Kokandy Productions ($6,203), Lookingglass Theatre Company ($3,741), City Lit ($3,086), Metropolis Performing Arts Centre ($2,082) and The Second City ($2,076).

Funds raised also support the Entertainment Community Fund's Central Region office, which provides additional resources for local performing arts & entertainment professionals.