Artists
King Lear at Goodman Theatre
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Robert Falls
Stacy Keach returned to the Goodman in the title role of King Lear in September 2006. An ancient tale of a king and his three daughters, King Lear has become the most powerful drama in Western literature and is Shakespeare at his most profound.
Both an intimate family drama and an explosive political commentary, King Lear explored with stark violence and devastating wit the most basic elements of human existence: destiny; love and duty; friendship and betrayal; leadership and loyalty; and the overwhelming inevitability of a life nearing its end. As elemental and awesome as any storm found in nature, Robert Falls' 20th anniversary production captured both the epic grandeur and the intimacy of Shakespeare's masterpiece.
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.
The 2006/2007 season marked Mr. Falls’ 20th anniversary at the Goodman. He directed the
season's opening production, King Lear, starring Stacy Keach, as well as the world premiere of
Richard Nelson’s Frank’s Home.