January 2012 - Ashland Scoop Newsletter

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Chicago theater director Robert Falls found early inspiration in Ashland Theater director Robert Falls first read the play “Death of a Salesman” when he was 12 years old Falls is artistic director at the Goodman Theatre at the town library in Ashland, in Chicago.

20 miles west of Springfield.

Little did anyone suspect that 33 years later, he would be mounting the 50th anniversary production of the play on Broadway with the playwright, Arthur Miller. But back then, the Ashland librarian was so concerned about Falls straying into the adult section of the library to read serious plays while most boys were out playing sports that she spoke to his parents about it.

Now artistic director of the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Falls has directed many classic dramas to great acclaim during his 34-year career. Quite a few have gone on to play New York and London, collecting Tony Awards as well as other accolades. In 1999, he was recruited to rescue Elton John’s musical “Aida” and transformed it into a Tony-winner with a four-year run in New York. His latest play, “Red,” opened at the Goodman to critical raves in October, and he’ll be directing “The ROBERT FALLS Iceman Cometh” starring Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy in the Age: 57 spring.

Hometown: Ashland Education: Bachelor’s degree in directing and playwriting, University of EARLY START Falls began directing at an early age Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1976 in Ashland, putting on puppet shows Position: Artistic director, Goodman and plays with friends, for which Theatre, Chicago Who Inspires him: People who swim they charged their parents a nickel against the current stream, including or quarter. “I tell this to people and they are always amazed: I knew President Barack Obama; Grant Achatz, innovative chef at the Chicago that I wanted to be involved with the theater since I was 5 years old,” restaurant Alinea; and Roger Ebert, film critic and cancer survivor. says Falls.