Goodman Theatre celebrates its 10th season in Chicago's North Loop Theatre District with a fresh take on an enduring masterpiece- Candide, Voltaire's effervescent, picaresque adventure, newly adapted and directed by Chicago's own Mary Zimmerman, the Goodman's Manilow Resident Director. A cast of 19 and an orchestra of 12, under the direction of Music Director Doug Peck, bring to life nearly 30 songs in Leonard Bernstein's glorious score, and recreate Voltaire's satirical story of Candide (Geoff Packard)-a young optimist shipwrecked, soldiered, swindled and separated (repeatedly) from his true love, Cunegonde (Lauren Molina). For this major revival, Zimmerman has tapped her signature design team- Daniel Ostling (Set), Mara Blumenfeld (Costumes), T.J. Gerckens (Lighting) and Richard Woodbury (Sound). Danny Pelzig choreographs the cataclysmic events that ensue. Candide runs September 17 - October 24 in the Albert Theatre; tickets are $25 - $85.
"Mary Zimmerman's reinvention of Candide represents, to borrow a phrase, 'the best of all possible worlds'!" said Goodman Artistic Director Robert Falls. "Her singular insight and vivid imagination-as we've seen in The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, Journey to the West, The Odyssey, Pericles and three highly successful productions for New York's Metropolitan Opera, among many others-distinguish Mary as a leading contemporary adapter of classic texts. I am thrilled that she is now bringing her unique artistry to this funny, insightful and irresistibly theatrical work-a glorious way to launch our 10th anniversary on Dearborn Street."
As previously announced, the cast of Goodman Theatre's production of Candide features Geoff Packard in the title role; Lauren Molina as his princess love, Cunegonde; Larry Yando as Candide's mentor, Pangloss; Hollis Resnik as the Old Lady; Jonathan Weir as the Governor; Erik Lochtefeld as Maximillian; Margo Seibert as Paquette; Jesse J. Perez as Cacambo and Tom Aulino as Martin. Ensemble members include Spencer Curnutt, Rebecca Finnegan, Govind Kumar, Rob Lindley, Tracy Lynn Olivera, Emma Rosenthal, Thomas Adrian Simpson, Joey Stone, Tempe Thomas and Joseph Tokarz.
"Candide is exquisite entertainment, a blend of opera, comedy, travel adventure and romance," said Adaptor and Director Mary Zimmerman, whose major revival for the Goodman will be made using her signature style of collaboration with her company and creative team. "Its gorgeous music and lyrical wit act as proof of the very best potential of human beings and the beauty of this life-while at the same instant, the story is revealing some of the worst and most difficult aspects of that life."
Candide chronicles, in lightning-fast progression, the story of a young man banished from his home, drafted into the Bulgarian army and forced to endure relentless disaster. Voltaire's satiric genius is found in Candide's earnest attempts to trivialize the tragedy and uphold the contention of his mentor, Dr. Pangloss, that all things happen for the best in this 'best of all possible worlds'. Although Candide's journey is described with humor, Voltaire raises serious questions: How can mankind deal with disaster without surrendering to despair? Can optimism prevail in a world that frequently seems randomly cruel? How is survival itself possible in an environment that often gleefully refutes Pangloss's hopeful axiom?