Theater News

John Proctor is the Villain and American Idiot Will Be Part of Goodman Theatre's 2026-27 Season

The season will also include the world premiere of the 7 Fingers’ The Attic; Things I’ve Seen While Lying on My Back and a revival of Marsha Norman’s ‘night Mother starring S. Epatha Merkerson.

Linda Buchwald

| Chicago |

May 20, 2026

Billie Joe Armstrong (© Tristan Fuge) — Billie Joe Armstrong
(© Tristan Fuge)

Goodman Theatre’s 2026-27 season will include 12 productions, five of which are world or Chicago premieres.

The season will kick off in the 856-seat Albert Theatre with the world premiere of the 7 Fingers’ The Attic; Things I’ve Seen While Lying on My Back (September 5–October 4), created, directed, and choreographed by Shana Carroll.

The Albert Theatre season also includes the 49th annual production of A Christmas Carol (November 13–December 31), directed by Malkia Stampley, with Tim Hopper in the role of Scrooge for the first time; Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is The Villain (January 23–February 21) in its Chicago debut, directed by Marti Lyons, produced in partnership with the Guthrie Theater; a revival of Marsha Norman’s ‘night Mother (March 27–April 25) starring S. Epatha Merkerson and directed by Michael Pressman; and a revival of Green Day’s musical American Idiot (June 18 – July 25, 2027), with music by Green Day, lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong, and a book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer, directed by artistic director Susan V. Booth.

The productions in the 400-seat Owen Theatre are the world premiere of Dead Girl’s Quinceañera (September 26–November 1) by Phanésia Pharel and directed by Melia Bensussen, produced in partnership with Barrington Stage and Hartford Stage; the world premiere of Calamity West’s FEAST! (February 27–March 28), directed by Susan V. Booth; and the Chicago premiere of Kemp Powers’ The XIXth (The Nineteenth) (April 17–May 16) directed by Carl Cofield.

Theater for the Very Young will debut two new productions—In the Loop (January 30–February 28), created and directed by Jamal Howard and Ellie Levine, and a world premiere by Marisa Carr in the summer of 2027.

Finally, the season will include the 22nd annual New Stages Festival (December 5–13) as well of the return of David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar’s immersive Theater of the Mind, directed by Andrew Scoville, and Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour.