The Goodman’s ACTivation Series offers a dynamic lineup of workshops led by experienced Chicago theater artists and educators, designed to spark creativity and build community.
September 23 - November 7
The Goodman's Alice Center for Education and Engagement - Baskes Rotunda
170 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60601 - View on Google Maps
The Goodman’s ACTivation Series offers a dynamic lineup of workshops led by experienced Chicago theater artists and educators, designed to spark creativity and build community. Held in the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement, these classes (designed for ages 18+ and open to all experience levels) welcome both lifelong learners eager to celebrate their inner artists and theater professionals looking to refine their craft. Participants will engage in exciting, immersive, and joyful hands-on experiences that highlight the transformative power of theater.
We believe in theater for everyone and recognize that cost can sometimes be a barrier to participation. Please choose the registration level that best reflects what you can comfortably play right now.
Producer tier – I can comfortably pay the full registration fee. This level covers the full cost of the workshop and helps make reduced-cost registration available to others.
Director tier – I can comfortably pay a reduced registration fee. This level contributes toward the cost of the workshop while helping make the experience accessible to more participants.
Ensemble tier – I can comfortably pay this amount right now. This level helps make the workshop accessible at a cost that works for me.
UP NEXT
Wednesday, September 23 from 6PM – 8PM
Interested in creating a solo performance but not sure how to begin? Maybe you have a seed of an idea—or even a rough outline. Great! This workshop will help you turn that early spark into something tangible. Led by Julie Ganey, performer and co‑author of SOLO: The Everything Guide to Writing, Performing, and Producing Your One‑Person Show, this session gives you the skills and confidence to shape your ideas into a compelling long‑form piece. You’ll experiment with techniques for getting words on the page, building out scenes, and exploring a variety of structural approaches. You’ll also learn foundational concepts for capturing an audience’s imagination—including the Seven Keys That Make a Solo Show Work. Whether you’re a seasoned performer stepping into solo creation, a strong writer new to the stage, or someone who falls somewhere in between, you’ll leave this workshop with clear tools, practical next steps, and the support you need to bring your show to life.
Producer: $75
Director: $60
Ensemble: $50
Attendance for all three workshops is suggested
Wednesday, September 23 from 6PM – 8PM
Wednesday, October 7 from 6PM – 8PM
Wednesday, October 14 from 6PM – 8PM
When Are We is a three-session generative dramatic writing class that will give writers tools to think of time not simply as a year or a setting, but as an active, dramatic tool. Through a series of writing exercises, discussions, and readings, participants will explore how the placement of events in a character’s life can unlock the dramatic potential of a narrative. Rather than beginning with plot, writers will begin with an entire life. Students will create a timeline for an imagined character and then experiment with different ways of dramatizing that timeline: focusing on a single threshold moment, compressing decades into a few pages, and placing multiple moments from different periods of a life into conversation with one another.
By the end of the workshop, students will:
Producer: $180
Director: $160
Ensemble: $150
Wednesday, October 7 from 6PM – 8PM
Already started a solo piece—or have a strong idea you’re ready to develop? This intensive workshop will take your work to the next level. You’ll dig into organizing principles, uncover the essential question at the heart of your piece, develop theatricality, refine your voice and point of view, and explore practical pathways for getting your solo play onto a stage in front of an audience. No matter where you are in the drafting process, this workshop focuses on shaping your work and strengthening your material. Led by Julie Ganey, co‑author of SOLO: The Everything Guide to Writing, Performing and Producing Your One‑Person Show, you’ll leave with greater clarity, new craft tools, and the confidence to transform your draft into a compelling, audience‑ready solo play. Participation also includes a post‑workshop one‑on‑one feedback session on your show‑in‑progress.
Producer: $75
Director: $60
Ensemble: $50
Saturday, October 17 from 10AM – 4:30PM
Step beyond the audience and into the world of Dead Girl’s Quinceañera with this one-of-a-kind ACTivation workshop led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot.
Designed for curious theatergoers, this immersive, full-day experience invites you to uncover the clues, examine the evidence and explore the ideas that shape Phanésia Pharel‘s thrilling world premiere. Together, we’ll dive into the rich traditions of the quinceañera, the irresistible allure of true crime and television procedurals, and the deeper questions of memory, identity and coming of age that pulse beneath the mystery. Through engaging activities, conversation and behind-the-scenes insights, you’ll discover how dramaturgy can unlock new ways of experiencing live theater.
Your registration includes the full-day workshop, lunch and a ticket to the performance of Dead Girl’s Quinceañera, with the experience weaving seamlessly between interactive exploration and the production itself. You’ll leave not only having seen the play, but having lived inside its world—equipped with fresh perspectives, surprising discoveries and a deeper appreciation for the artistry behind one of the season’s most exciting new works. Space is limited to just 25 participants.
Producer: $150
Director: $135
Ensemble: $115
Saturday, October 24 from 11AM – 3PM
Ever wondered what it takes to break into the world of voice–over? Whether you’re a stage actor looking to expand your skills or simply curious about what happens behind the microphone, this introductory workshop is the perfect place to start.
Join Emmy Award-winning voice artist for a hands-on exploration of the voiceover industry and discover what it takes to bring scripts to life through commercials, narration, audiobooks, animation, and more.
In this engaging four-hour workshop, you’ll get on your feet, warm up your voice, step behind the mic, and experience mock recording sessions while learning the fundamentals of voiceover performance. Abby will also demystify the business side of the industry—from equipment and home recording setups to finding opportunities and building a sustainable voiceover career.
In just four hours, you’ll:
No prior voiceover experience is required—just curiosity, enthusiasm, and willingness to play. Actors of all experience levels are welcome! Class size is limited to 15; reserve your space today!
Producer: $100
Director: $85
Ensemble: $75
Saturday, November 7 from 11AM – 3PM
Have you taken Intro to Voiceover with Abby Thompson? Are you a working actor with foundational voiceover training and ready for more time behind the mic? This immersive 4-hour workshop is designed for performers who know the basics and want hands-on experience recording, receiving feedback, and strengthening their voiceover skills. Learn directly from Emmy Award-winning voice artist Abby Thompson as you refine your technique, build confidence, and gain practical tools for future auditions and sessions
In this hands-on intensive, you’ll:
Class size is limited to 12, reserve your space today!
Producer: $100
Director: $85
Ensemble: $75
TEACHING ARTISTS
Carol Prins
and John Hart
Fruman and
Marian Jacobson
Kimbra and
Mark Walter
Carol and
Douglas Cohen
Scott and Lenore Enloe
The Muriel Pollia Foundation
Steven and Lauren Schiebe
Siragusa Family Foundation
Judy and Alexander Toland
