The Goodman Theatre will officially open the Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement May 18th in conjunction with the Goodman-curated Citywide Celebration of Chicago native playwright Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, To Be Young, Gifted and Black). The opening will kick off a week-long celebration of festivities which will include opportunities for audiences to experience programming in the center, nicknamed “The Alice”.
Goodman Theatre Chair Joan Clifford made the announcement Wednesday at the Arts as a Catalyst for Social Change Education and Engagement Luncheon held at the University Club, hosted by Tony and Grammy Award winner Heather Headley.
The Alice Rapoport Center for Education and Engagement is a $15 million expansion (of which 80% supports expanded programming) effort that realizes the theater’s 30-year commitment to using its art as education—using the process of artistic creation to empower and inspire youth and lifelong learners
The Goodman will open Hansberry’s final work THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW (April 30th-June 5th). THE SIGN is part of the six-week celebration of Hansberry’s work as a groundbreaking playwright and highlight her deep roots here in Chicago.
Abigail has worked as an actor/director in Chicago for over ten years, and along with husband Jason Epperson founded Lotus Theatricals in 2015, and PerformInk Chicago and Kansas City in 2016 (where she serves as Managing Editor of both publications). When not talking shop, Abigail is raising three padawans with Jason, drinking lots of coffee, converting school buses into RV's, and eating all the foods at Disney World. You can find her on Twitter @AbigailTrabue
