Thursday, September 16, 2021
Robert Falls to Step Down as Goodman Theatre Artistic Director
Playbill: After more than three decades leading creative operations for Chicago's Goodman Theatre, Tony winner Robert Falls will end his tenure as artistic director at the completion of the current 2021–2022 season.
Falls will program the 2022–2023 season, in which he will direct two productions. Over the coming months, the Goodman will conduct a search for his successor.
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3 comments:
It sounds like Robert Falls has done some great things for the Goodman theatre in the past 30 years. I really admire the way he is stepping down. I like that he is planning the next season and will still be around as a director for that year because it will probably be very hard for someone to step into this position after he has been there for so long. I hope this opening will be filled by someone young, preferably of color, with new ideas that could help the Goodman continue to be what it is. Schulfer said that Falls “brought a host of ideas that would transform our theatre and out industry.” I hope that they look for someone who will do exactly the same, rather than someone so similar to Falls. Change is hard for theatres but it can also be so good and lead to such great things like it seems it did when Falls took over in 1986, I hope they can find that again.
It is always a bittersweet moment when an artistic director resigns from a theater company, particularly if they were respected, created a healthy working-environment, and gave opportunities to people trying to enter the business. Having the person that has ran the theater company for over thirty years step down can be a terrifying concept. Its easy to contribute great amounts of success to an artistic director, or the people that they have specifically chosen to work at the company. Having them step down could mean a loss of interest in your company, or could mean that work is held to a different (not always better) standard. However, having an artistic director step down could mean an amazing shift is about to happen for the company. A younger, fresher take that someone new could bring to the role of artistic director could be just what the company needs. While its hard to say goodbye, it is also exciting to think about what is next.
It is always bittersweet when a beloved community member steps down. Falls, based on this article, has certainly made his mark on the map of regional theater. He has paved the way for mor artists to shine through the Artistic Collective and it sounds like his leadership will be very missed. However, on the bright side this opens an opportunity for someone new to leave their mark on theater. Personally, I hope the new artistic director is someone who has lived experience as someone commonly left out of American theater. It is great for someone like Falls to advocate for those of us who have “varied cultural identities,” but it is a whole other thing when that advocacy is coming from someone who understands fundamentally what that means, because it is an aspect of their own life. Hopefully, this can lead to another successful 30 years at the goodman and I look forward to seeing what this next chapter has in store for the iconic theatre.
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