On the heels of a successful preview period, which included nearly 250 sold-out performance time slots, and ahead of its opening night, Goodman Theatre Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins announces today the extension of Theater of the Mind, the one-of-a-kind immersive experience created by Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne with writer Mala Gaonkar. Directed by Andrew Scoville and Technology Director Heidi Boisvert, PhD, the Chicago-premiere production is a 75-minute mind-bending sensory journey for 16 audience members at a time. Led by a Guide whose stories are inspired by the creators' lives, audiences explore how they perceive the world through sensory experiments derived from both historical and current neuroscience research that reveal the inner mysteries of the brain.
Theater of the Mind, recommended for ages 10+, appears now through July 12, 2026, at the Reid Murdoch Building (333 N. LaSalle). Tickets ($69-$99, subject to change) are available at the Goodman Theatre Box Office (170 N. Dearborn), by calling 312.443.3800 or by purchasing online at TheaterOfTheMindChicago.com.
The Goodman is grateful for the support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Illinois Office of Tourism, Northern Trust and Friedman Properties. Theater of the Mind is produced here in special arrangement with Arbutus, a not-for-profit founded by David Byrne to celebrate, re-present, and amplify ideas found in surprising places.
Company of Theater of the Mind
Co-created by David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar
Directed by Andrew Scoville
Guides: James Earl Jones II, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Helen Joo Lee, Em Modaff, Victor Musoni, AJ Paramo, Shariba Rivers, Kelli Simpkins, and Lucky Stiff
Understudy: Emily Zhang
Assistant Director/Understudy: Maidenwena Alba
Creative Team
Technology Director: Heidi Boisvert, PhD
Technology Producer: LeeAnn Rossi
Scenic Designer: Neil Patel
Costume Designer: Sarita Fellows
Lighting Designer: Jeannette Oi-Suk Yew
Sound Designer: Cody Spencer
Associate Scenic Designer: Lisa Orzolek
Associate Costume Designer: Caryn Klein
Associate Lighting Designer: Brian Elston
Associate Sound Designer: Forrest Gregor
Local Assistant Scenic Designer: Ryan Emmens
Assistant Directors: Maidenwena Alba, Betty Hart, and Amanda Berg Wilson
Production Manager: Matt Marsden
Technical Director: Brian Claggett
Props Department Head: Adam Weiss-Halliwell
General Manager: Karen Berry
Casting is by: Lauren Port, CSA
Performance Schedule
Theater of the Mind is staged Tuesday evenings starting at 5:30 pm; Wednesdays starting at 2 pm; Thursday evenings starting at 5:15 pm; Friday evenings starting at 5 pm; Saturdays starting at noon; and Sunday afternoons starting at 12:30 pm. Performances begin every 15 minutes, and each includes 16 audience members. A complete schedule can be found at theaterofthemindchicago.com
ABOUT THE GOODMAN
Theater of the Mind makes its Midwest debut during The Goodman’s Centennial 25/26 Season. Since 1925, The Goodman has been a theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community. It’s where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves. Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection, and change through new plays, reimagined classics, and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including world and American premieres, Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Awards, and Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time and counts as its greatest legacy the community it’s built. The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago’s early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today.