Revolution(s) is on stage through November 9.
During this milestone season, we spotlight the people who have filled our spaces for 100 years. Come to The Goodman. Leave More Human.
Jin-Soo Huh first came to The Goodman in 2014 and has been coming back ever since. For him, the theater is both entertaining and thought-provoking—a place where stories stay with you long after the performance ends.
Q: Tell us the story about how you first came to The Goodman.
A: : After reading reviews, I came to see Smokefall in 2014. I was so intrigued by this magical realism story about family relationships. I was only able to catch the final performance and was so disappointed I couldn’t see it again! The story, set, acting, everything was just so striking. I still think about this show.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory or experience?
A: There are so many! One that sticks out to me is the 2017 production of A View from the Bridge directed by Ivo van Hove. My mom was visiting me and I was able to take her to it and got seats on the stage. The story is captivating and a classic for a reason, and it’s a production my mom and I still talk about.
Q: Has a Goodman production ever stayed with you after the curtain fell?
A: School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play has definitely stayed with me. The play was comedic to start and then hit the audience with a gut punch that made us feel empathy for an antagonist with commentary on colorism. My friends and I who watched it had a long discussion about the show afterward and the artificial hierarchies we create even within communities that are sometimes viewed as monoliths.
Q: What keeps you coming back—what makes The Goodman feel like “your” theater?
A: I love the range of shows I see at The Goodman. There are straight plays and musicals, star-studded productions and workshops, classics and new works. Whatever the show, I know it will be a high-quality night that will be entertaining and thought-provoking.
Q: If you were to describe The Goodman in one word, what would it be, and why?
A: Stimulating. Like all good theater, The Goodman’s productions entertain. I also know that these shows will leave me thinking for a long time about the human experience and/or about issues like race, class structures and gender.
Q: Why do you think live theater matters right now?
A: I believe there are deep divisions in this country and folks are just not connecting. Theater can help provide mirrors that reflect our experiences and also windows that help us understand the experiences of others to help bridge this divide.
Q: When you think about “leaving more human,” what does that mean to you?
A: “Leaving more human” to me means experiencing parts of the human experience through stories told on stage, where the audience learns about people with experiences different from themselves, connects with characters with similar experiences, and recognizes universal human experiences.
