International Initiatives
"I believe we—like the undeniably global city we live in—must spread our wings to become a truly international cultural force...to challenge, inspire and delight communities across the world the same way we do Chicago audiences."
-Robert Falls, Goodman Theatre Artistic Director
The Goodman’s international initiative arises out of the theatre’s vision to be the driving cultural force in Chicago and its commitment to diversity. Part of that commitment includes reaching beyond our country’s borders to increase cultural exchange in our community. In a world in which globalization is a reality, it is essential that outstanding artistic work from this country travels abroad and, at the same time, that American audiences experience the cultural life of the rest of the world.
Goodman Theatre seeks opportunities to foster collaborations and presentations with international companies, including and beyond the English speaking world. We promote cultural exchange which can enrich our community through:
- Fostering collaborations between international and American artists to create new productions
- Touring work created at Goodman abroad
- Presenting work by international companies at Goodman
- Co-productions with international theatre companies/festivals
For Goodman Theatre's 2009 exploration of Eugene O'Neill, Artistic Director Robert Falls views the 20th century "father of the American drama" through a 21st century international lens: a handful of the world's leading theater companies bring to Chicago their highly contemporary, inventive interpretations of O'Neill's dramas to plumb the depths of this important playwright's work.
The Goodman's biennial Latino Theatre Festival returns with a celebration of Latino culture, featuring performances from some of the most extraordinary Latino theater artists in the world.
This world premiere, directed by Aida Karic and adapted from Friedrich Schiller's Die Jungfrau von Orléans is a co-production with the Linz 2009 European capital of culture. A contemporary spin on the classic story of Joan of Arc, Joan D'Arc premieres at the Linz 2009 Festival and then opens the Goodman’s Owen season.
About Robert Falls, Goodman Artistic Director
Robert Falls has been the artistic director of Chicago’s Goodman Theatre since 1986. Under his leadership, Goodman Theatre was named by Time magazine in May 2003 "the number one regional theatre in the U.S." Through more than 20 years of leadership at the Goodman and his 30-year career as a director in Chicago, Falls has emerged as one of this city's major cultural figures. His acclaimed revival of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, starring Brian Dennehy, completed a long run in London’s West End, and his production of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida is currently playing in Germany, Japan and Seoul, South Korea.
Most recently, Mr. Falls directed Brian Dennehy, Carla Gugino and Pablo Schreiber in Desire Under the Elms which premiered in the Goodman’s A Global Exploration: Eugene O’Neill in the 21st Century festival before moving to Broadway.
About Henry Godinez, Resident Artistic Associate and
curator of Latino Theatre Festival
Henry Godinez is the resident artistic associate at the Goodman and curator of the Goodman's Latino Theatre Festival. At the Goodman he has directed the world premieres of Karen Zacarías' Mariela in the Desert, Regina Taylor's Millennium Mambo and Luis Alfaro's Straight as a Line. Also at Goodman, he has directed The Cook by Eduardo Machado, Electricidad by Luis Alfaro, Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez, Sam Shepard's Red Cross (one of the five short plays in Regina Taylor's Transformations), the Goodman/Teatro Vista co-production of José Rivera's Cloud Tectonics and the Goodman's production of A Christmas Carol from 1996 to 2001.