Goodman Theatre's acclaimed production of CANDIDE, directed and newly adapted by Mary
Zimmerman, must close Sunday, October 31 at 2pm. Tickets are still available for the final seven
performances, October 26 - October 31.
The premiere production of the Goodman's "Decade on Dearborn" celebration was hailed as "ingenious...gorgeously imagined...original and enchanting" (Chicago Sun-Times), a "great triumph" (Chicago Reader) and "the best of all possible Candides" (Variety). Performances of CANDIDE continue at Washington, D.C.'s Shakespeare Theatre Company this holiday season, November 26 - January 9.
The cast of 19 for the Washington, D.C. engagement includes Geoff Packard in the title role; Lauren Molina as Cunegonde; Larry Yando as Pangloss; Hollis Resnik as the Old Lady; Jonathan Weir as the Governor; Erik Lochtefeld as Maximilian; 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 and Tempe Thomas. Ryan Lanning Waite replaces Joe Tokarz.
For the Chicago engagement, JP Morgan Chase & Co. is the Major Corporate Sponsor; ComEd is the Official Lighting Sponsor; Abbott and Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP are the Corporate Sponsor Partners. Chicago Tribune and WBEZ 91.5 FM are Media Sponsors.
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?
