Several months after a fire damaged Goodman Theatre’s famed marquee beyond repair, the theater is preparing to flip the switch on a brand new, energy efficient sign. The theater announced that it will illuminate the new vertical marquee above its Dearborn Street main entrance during a public ceremony at 5:30pm on Thursday.
And in an effort to reaffirm its “core values and artistic priorities,” Goodman Theatre is aligning its illumination event with the Ghostlight Project—a nationwide action intended to bring members of the theater community together at theaters across the country on the eve of Inauguration Day to promote inclusion, participation and compassion.
“As part of The Ghostlight Project, we will stand with our theater colleagues across the country at the same time and pledge to protect the values of equality, inclusion, justice—and empathy for everyone, regardless of race, class, religion, country of origin, immigration status, (dis)ability, gender identity or sexual orientation,” Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls said in a statement.
The new marquee will have the same look and dimensions as the former sign, which was erected in 2000. However, the new energy efficient marquee will feature greater illumination functionality and use less than one-tenth of the power consumed by the original sign. It will also feature new color-changing LED capability and individually programmable letters.
Falls added that the Goodman’s marquee has been the brightest sign of the theater’s aesthetic and cultural diversity, as well as its community engagement efforts. “We are proud to reaffirm this longtime commitment now, at a time when tensions in the United States have unleashed dark divisions. The illumination of our marquee is an essential symbol, shedding light on the values we believe are at the heart of our country.”
Immediately prior to the 5:30pm illumination ceremony, Goodman Theatre's leadership will offer remarks on the new sign and the Ghostlight Project. The theater said it plans to keep the marquee lit around the clock for the foreseeable future as a symbolic representation of Goodman’s values of quality, diversity and community.
Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.