To the editors:
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As the flagship of Chicago’s not-for-profit theatres, the Goodman is fairly emblematic of the state of the art in this town. While the Goodman is endowed heavily, it seems difficult for its artistic director to rise above the demands of the enormous subscriber base and take a lot of risks at the end of a season–it’s handy to have a blockbuster running when your telemarketers are busy hustling next year’s subscribers.
We keep seeing what is now beginning to resemble theatrical dogma, trotted out year after year in the way of easy comedies and revivals. Why the lack of diversity? Perhaps it is because we live in an age of fearful conservatism, when it’s more comforting to revive than create anew. Or maybe it is simply that theatre has become like the department store, where the customer is always right.
