Roche Schulfer and John Collins. (Images by Hugo Hentoff)
CHICAGO: Goodman Theatre has introduced that govt director/CEO Roche Edward Schulfer will retire on the finish of the 2023-24 season. Schulfer’s work on the Goodman spans 50 years, starting in 1973 within the field workplace, with him serving in his present place since 1980. The Goodman board has named longtime managing director/COO John Collins as the corporate’s new govt director, efficient Sept. 1. Schulfer will proceed on with the corporate as a senior advisor by the group’s centennial season launch in September 2025.
“In my earlier days with the Goodman, Roche offered me deeply significant help for my inventive aspirations, and subsequently grew to become my mannequin for what an entrepreneurial and risk-welcoming companion must seem like in a management duo,” stated inventive director Susan V. Sales space in a press release. “After I returned right here final fall, I found a wholesome, engaged, ever-evolving group that had by no means rested on its appreciable laurels. I credit score Roche’s astute management for that, and I’m ever grateful for his friendship and collaboration as I’ve reacquainted myself with this astonishing theatre.”
Since changing into govt director/CEO of the Goodman in 1980, Schulfer has overseen greater than 400 productions, initiated the theatre’s annual manufacturing of A Christmas Carol, and led the institution of high quality, variety, and neighborhood engagement as core firm values alongside then-artistic director Robert Falls. Along with negotiating the presentation of quite a few Goodman productions nationally and internationally, Schulfer coordinated the theatre’s 12-year strategy of relocating to Chicago’s Theatre District in 2000.
Schulfer’s different achievements embody being a founding father of the League of Chicago Theaters and serving in management roles with Arts Alliance Illinois, TCG, the Performing Arts Alliance, the League of Resident Theatres, Lifeline Theatre, the Arts & Enterprise Council, and Theater Wit. He has been acknowledged with the League of Chicago Theaters Lifetime Achievement Award and TCG’s Visionary Management Award, whereas additionally being counseled by Actors’ Fairness for selling variety and equal alternative in Chicago theatre, the American Arts Alliance and Arts Alliance Illinois for arts advocacy, and the Arts & Enterprise Council for distinguished contributions to Chicago’s inventive vitality, amongst quite a few different awards and accolades.
“My objective has all the time been to assist make Goodman Theatre a spot the place artists might do their greatest work, the place artists and employees might have careers, and the place the theatre might have the best optimistic influence on our society,” Schulfer stated in a press release that included thanking employees, board members, and Goodman leaders current and previous individually. “I’m thrilled that Goodman Theatre has chosen John Collins as govt director. He’s an impressive producer and a terrific individual as I’ve had the chance to expertise over greater than 20 years. The Goodman is in good fingers with Susan and John on the helm; collectively, they’ll take the Goodman to new ranges of feat.”
Collins has served as a senior chief for the theatre for the final 17 years, first generally administration from 2008 to 2019 and presently as managing director/COO.
“On the coronary heart of this appointment is the board’s perception that John is strictly the precise individual on the proper time,” stated board of trustees chair Julie Danis and board president Linda Coberly in a joint assertion. “John enters the position with large management and administration abilities, having educated beneath the perfect within the business—together with our personal Roche Schulfer. And over the previous 12 months, he has developed a extremely productive and collaborative relationship with inventive director Susan Sales space. We’re excited to see the place Susan’s imaginative and prescient and John’s experience will take the Goodman because it enters its second century.”
In his present position, Collins gives every day route and steering to the senior management staff and manages the theatre’s annual funds of roughly $23 million, working intently with the CFO and Goodman division heads. His new position will embody working intently with inventive director Sales space and overseeing the fiscal and producorial duties that help her inventive imaginative and prescient for the 98-year-old group.
“It’s an infinite honor to step into this position to understand Susan Sales space’s distinguished inventive imaginative and prescient; to help our world-class artists; to foster significant collaboration with our three devoted boards and extraordinary employees; and, most significantly, to ship the very best productions and applications for our neighborhood,” stated Collins in a press release. “We’re at a second of chance in our business—a time of recent concepts and unprecedented alternative. The Goodman will meet this second and forge our success as we all the time have—by letting our values and artistry cleared the path.”
Collins is a previous chairman and present board member of the League of Chicago Theaters and a board member for the Chicago Loop Alliance and the League of Resident Theatres. Throughout his time on the Goodman, he oversaw quite a few Goodman manufacturing transfers to Broadway, regional, and worldwide venues and excursions, together with The Who’s Tommy, Struggle Paint, and Chinglish. He additionally helped open the Alice Rappaport Heart for Training & Engagement at Goodman Theatre, together with the profitable completion of a $15 million marketing campaign to construct out a ten,000-square-foot middle for expanded programming and actions. In his capability as chairman of the board of the League of Chicago Theatres, Collins labored with cross-sector stakeholders to ascertain a $100,000 emergency reduction fund for out-of-work artists and technicians. He was additionally key to the launch of an intensive strategic planning course of particular to Inclusion, Range, Fairness, Entry and Antiracism together with artists, employees, board and different key stakeholders, ensuing within the creation of Goodman’s IDEAA Plan, and guaranteeing alignment on values and priorities amongst board, employees and artists.
“I couldn’t be happier in regards to the promotion of John Collins to govt director for Goodman Theatre,” stated resident inventive affiliate Henry Godinez in a press release. “For 20 years, John has all the time demonstrated real love and dedication to supporting artists and their inventive visions. For me, personally, John was instrumental within the success of the Goodman’s Latino Theatre Pageant, making even probably the most difficult worldwide collaborations a joyous inventive enterprise. The way forward for the Goodman couldn’t be in higher fingers.”
A nonprofit arts and neighborhood group working since 1925 on the standard homelands of the Council of the Three Fires, the Goodman Theatre produces each basic and up to date works and operates with a funds simply over $24 million.
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