Executive Leadership
Goodman Executive Director Roche Schulfer has been leading Goodman Theatre since 1980; in 1986 he was joined by Artistic Director Robert Falls. For the past 20 years, they have brought the Goodman into the national spotlight, making it one of the most respected and highest-regarded theaters in the country.
Robert Falls
Artistic Director
Roche Schulfer
Executive Director
ROBERT FALLS (Goodman Artistic Director) has been the artistic director of Goodman Theatre since 1986. From 1977 to 1985, he was the artistic director of Wisdom Bridge Theatre. Two of his most highly acclaimed Broadway productions, Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman and Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night (first staged at the Goodman and both starring his longtime collaborator Brian Dennehy) were honored with seven Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards. Most recently, Mr. Falls directed Eugene O'Neill's Hughie for the Stratford Festival; that production will be presented at the Long Wharf Theatre this fall. Also this fall, Mr. Falls will direct a new Broadway production of David Mamet's American Buffalo, after which he will direct Desire Under the Elms as part of the Goodman's international play festival: Eugene O'Neill in the 21st Century. Last season, he re-mounted his Tony-nominated Broadway production of Conor McPherson's Shining City for the Goodman and the Huntington Theatre. Prior to that, he directed the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Eric Bogosian's Talk Radio, starring Liev Schreiber. During the 2006/2007 season, Mr. Falls directed Peter Weller and Harris Yulin in the world premiere of Richard Nelson's Frank's Home for the Goodman and Playwrights Horizons, and, before that, Stacy Keach in an explosive new production of King Lear for the Goodman that will be re-mounted for The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., next summer. His production of Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida for Walt Disney Theatricals ran on Broadway for four years, as well as touring nationally and abroad. During the 2005/2006 season, Mr. Falls directed Oliver Platt, Brian O'Byrne and Martha Plimpton in the American premiere of Shining City on Broadway; David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre for the Goodman; and the London revival of Death of a Salesman. Other recent Goodman productions include the world premiere of Arthur Miller's final play, Finishing the Picture; the world premieres of Rebecca Gilman's Blue Surge and Dollhouse; the Midwest premieres of Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero and Edward Albee's The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?; and Hughie. Previous Goodman credits include the world premieres of Griller, Book of the Night, The Speed of Darkness, On the Open Road and Riverview: A Melodrama with Music; the American premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's House and Garden; plus Galileo, The Iceman Cometh, A Touch of the Poet, Three Sisters, The Night of the Iguana, Landscape of the Body, The Misanthrope, Pal Joey and The Tempest. Elsewhere, Mr. Falls has directed Blue Surge at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, Horton Foote's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Young Man from Atlanta on Broadway (Tony-nominated transfer from the Goodman), the world premiere of Eric Bogosian's subUrbia at Lincoln Center Theater (Obie Award for Best Director), Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo for Circle in the Square (Tony-nominated), The Iceman Cometh at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, On the Open Road at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, The Night of the Iguana at the Roundabout Theatre, and Nicky Silver's The Food Chain at the Westside Theatre in New York, as well as productions for the Guthrie Theater, Remains Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Metropolitan Opera and the Grande Théâtre de Genève. Honors received by Mr. Falls include the Illinois Arts Council's Governor's Award for Outstanding Contributions by an Individual Artist, "Chicagoan of the Year" recognition by Chicago magazine, the League of Chicago Theatres' Artistic Leadership Award, election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Lake Forest College, a Special Jeff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Theatre and, most recently, a 2007 Chicago Illini of the Year Award.
ROCHE EDWARD SCHULFER (Goodman Theatre Executive Director) is in his 31st season as executive director of Goodman Theatre. He has overseen the production of more than 330 plays including more than 120 world or American premieres. Mr. Schulfer instituted the Goodman's annual production of A Christmas Carol, which celebrates its 33rd year as the leading Chicago holiday tradition. Under his leadership the Goodman has received numerous local and national awards for excellence, including being named the Best Regional Theater in the United States by Time magazine (2003), the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater (1992) and the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined by Lynn Nottage (2009). Mr. Schulfer has arranged for the transfer of Goodman productions to many cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Dublin, London and Paris. He coordinated the design and development of the new Goodman Theatre which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary as an anchor in the creation of Chicago's Theater District. Mr. Schulfer is a founder and two-time chairman of the League of Chicago Theatres, the trade association representing more than 200 Chicago-area theater companies and producers. He is a past chair and a board member of the Arts Alliance of Illinois, the statewide arts advocacy coalition. He was recently named to a second-term as Chair of the Performing Arts Alliance, the national network of more than 18,000 not-for-profit, performing arts and presenting organizations. Mr. Schulfer is on the executive committees of Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization consisting of more than 400 not-for-profit theaters as well as the League of Resident Theaters, the management association serving more than 65 theaters across the country. Mr. Schulfer is a member of the board of Lifeline Theater and the Arts & Business Council. He has been recognized for his work by the Actors' Equity Association, the American Arts Alliance, Chicago magazine, the Chicago Tribune, City of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Crain's Chicago Business, the Illinois Arts Alliance, the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, Lawyers for the Creative Arts, the League of Chicago Theatres, the Raymond R. Snyder Award from Lifeline Theater, and Season of Concern. He received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from North Central College in 2009. In 2010, he was honored by the Arts & Business Council for his work in Chicago over the past 25 years. He is a frequent guest lecturer at colleges and universities and informally consults with numerous theater companies. Mr. Schulfer is a member of the adjunct faculty of The Theatre School at DePaul University. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and managed the cultural arts commission on campus.