GOODSPEED MUSICALS 2024 IMPACT REPORT
2024 IMPACT REPORT
GOODSPEED MUSICALS’ MISSION IS TO
share the joy of musical theatre; to delight, inspire, and challenge audiences; to nurture creators; and to build and support a broad, diverse, and inclusive community.
In 2024 Goodspeed continued to implement our three-year strategic plan. Now in our final year of this plan, with the hiring of a new Managing Director, Goodspeed and our Board of Trustees will continue to fulfill this mission by focusing on three goals:
1. Sustain Goodspeed’s pre-eminence as a statewide and national leader in musical theatre by broadening and modernizing the concept of the classic musical as well as developing new work that advances and enriches the art form.
2. Grow Goodspeed’s organizational culture around accountability, community, and equity.
3. Secure Goodspeed’s future and develop a financially sustainable operating model through revenue growth and expense assessment.
GOODSPEED MUSICALS TODAY
Goodspeed mounts both new and newly-revived musicals each year on our main stage at The Goodspeed and at The Terris Theatre in Chester—a total of 363 performances during the April to December season, attracting more than 102,000 patrons to the Connecticut River Valley. We stand at the forefront of producing and preserving the American musical, simultaneously reinventing the classics and inventing new ones. We attract well-known icons of the theatre world and foster emerging talent among composers, lyricists, and librettists. Each year, actors, directors, choreographers, and technicians aspire to come to Goodspeed to practice their craft. Among millions who know and love this art form—and those who appreciate its history and enduring appeal—Goodspeed is widely recognized as “The Home of the American Musical.”
Throughout the year, and intensively during the winter months, Goodspeed addresses issues unique to the field by offering innovative and highly sought-after programs through our Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. The Festival of New Musicals features students from The Hartt School and Western Connecticut State University performing staged readings of three brand new musicals, industry-related seminars, a symposium and cabaret performances. Each winter, Goodspeed also hosts The Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove inviting musical theatre writing teams to retreat from daily life for a four-week residency to concentrate solely on writing new musicals.
THE FUTURE WE ENVISION
The Goodspeed campus will continue to serve as a thriving musical theatre company where artists and the creative process inform the work on our stages and educational programs. We aspire to serve as a safe haven where a singular commitment to discovery and innovation will enrich the field with the next generation of musical theatre artists.
OUR FACILITIES
THE GOODSPEED
The Goodspeed, originally constructed in 1876 as the Goodspeed Opera House, is a historic landmark on the Connecticut River. The building was marked for demolition in 1958, but local preservationists became interested, and in 1959 the Goodspeed Opera House Foundation was organized to restore and reactivate the theatre. With the cooperation of the State of Connecticut and the support of donor-members of the Foundation, The Goodspeed was restored and
rededicated on June 18, 1963, with the opening of the musical Oh, Lady! Lady!!
THE TERRIS THEATRE
The Terris Theatre, inaugurated in 1984 by Goodspeed Musicals, is dedicated to developing new musicals and honors actress Norma Terris. Initially a knitting needle factory, the space was fully renovated as an intimate 200-seat theatre and opened its doors on July 10, 1984, with the new musical Harrigan ’n’ Hart. Since its opening,
The Terris has presented over 97 new musicals, including Private Jones, A Sign of the Times, and Amazing Grace
THE ARTISTS VILLAGE
Goodspeed owns and maintains 34 houses which accommodate as many as 121 people at a time. These homes are managed by Goodspeed’s company management team and maintained by Goodspeed’s Facilities team. In addition, a fleet of cars and vans transports artists to and from the theatre and other locations while they are staying on the Goodspeed campus.
THE CHAUNCEY STILLMAN PRODUCTION FACILITY
Behind each Goodspeed production is a wealth of technical and engineering expertise. The Chauncey Stillman Production Facility houses one of the largest and bestequipped scene shops in the country. In this 33,000-squarefoot facility numerous craftspeople build, weld, and paint all the scenery and props used in each Goodspeed show.
THE FACTORY BUILDING
The Max Showalter Room in our Factory Building holds not only the memorabilia from the decades-long career of this beloved actor of stage and screen, but is now home to Showalter’s pair of baby grand pianos. It was Max’s wish that these beloved instruments be shared by composers, musicians and performers in a space that will be used for programs and events to inspire and educate “young creators in the fields of theatre, film and music.”
THE SCHERER LIBRARY OF MUSICAL THEATRE
Extending its mission beyond the stage, Goodspeed is home to one of the largest musical theatre libraries in the nation. The Scherer Library currently houses 2,264 libretti, 3,570 scores, 30,000 copies of sheet music and a 11,100+ vinyl record collection. Used by theatre historians and educators across the country—as well as actors, directors and choreographers in residence—the collection contains scripts, scores, sheet music, and a vast collection of Broadway and Off-Broadway cast recordings. In addition, the Library is an invaluable resource to Goodspeed’s own Music and Production Departments.
COSTUMES
Costumes seen on Goodspeed’s stages are designed from scratch and expertly sewn in our Costume Shop, or they are selected from the Goodspeed costume collection of more than 600,000 costumes and accessories that occupy more than a mile of hanging rail in the Cynthia Barrington Costume Center. Most productions require as many as 250 costumes, not including hats, shoes, wigs, and other accessories.
REHEARSAL STUDIOS
The Natalie & Ashton Tenney Rehearsal Studio features three rooms for music, staging, and rehearsals. The Alice Rehearsal Studio, named after Alice Hammerstein Mathias, includes a dance space and an additional rehearsal studio.
SEASON SPONSORS
MARQUEE SPONSORS TERRIS THEATRE SPONSOR
EDUCATION SPONSOR
The Norma Terris/ Albert D. Firestone Foundation
Lead Scenic Artist Miranda Harkins paints a drop for South Pacific
The cast of The Mystery of Edwin Drood rehearse in the Tenney Rehearsal Studio
BY DAN McMAHON | DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
The 2024 Season was filled with laughter, joy, and tears from all seven musicals–including two world premieres! Together we solved a murder, visited exotic islands, and joined in the heartbreak of one family and the holiday joy of another at The Goodspeed, while at The Terris Theatre, we took a life’s journey with a theatre legend, witnessed a string of hilarious murders, and felt the pain of a young couple starting their family. What a year!
April
5 -
June
2,
2024 | THE GOODSPEED
A
The season opened with the zany comedy where you, the audience, decided whodunnit! After watching the story unfold with a series of twists and turns, The Chairman—played so well by Lenny Wolpe—asked the audience to vote. The actors waited for the results and finished the show based on who the audience selected as the culprit, the lovers, and the identity of the mysterious Dick Datchery. The show was truly different every night!
Did you know? The character chosen most often as the murderer was Rosa Bud. She “won” the vote 27 times!
June 14 - Aug 11, 2024 | THE GOODSPEED
After two cancellations due to the pandemic, we finally produced South Pacific. And by all accounts, it was worth the wait! Every performance was sold out as audiences laughed and cheered along with Nellie, Emile, and the Seabees. It’s a testament to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II that their work from 75 years ago is just as popular and relevant today.
Did you know? The water used for Nellie to “wash that man right out of her hair” was heated to 115 degrees before the show so it would be a comfortable 103 degrees when she washed her hair. And she used styling mousse instead of shampoo to get the soapy look!
Aug 23 - Oct 20, 2024 | THE GOODSPEED
After an initial run in Canada, the writers and creative team for Maggie came to Goodspeed to refine their musical and offer it to American audiences for the first time. It was a beautiful production that touched the hearts of many with the story of a mother fighting fiercely to keep her family together. Her friends and Uncle Charles were the support team who helped her along the way and provided plenty of laughs.
Did you know? Johnny Reid, who co-wrote the music, book, and lyrics, is a huge country music star in Canada. He has won 28 Canadian Country Music Awards and regularly sells out concerts in large arenas. Maggie is the story of his grandmother.
Musical by Rupert Holmes Music Direction by Adam Souza | Choreographed by James Gray | Directed by Rob Ruggiero
Marquee Producing Partners: Rich Cersosimo & Valerie Koif
Music by Richard Rodgers | Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan Adapted from the Pullitzer Prize winning novel "Tales of the South Pacific" by James A. Michener Music Direction by Adam Souza | Choreographed by Parker Esse | Directed by Chay Yew
Marquee Producing Partners:
Frank & Amy Campbell
Dr. Anne Rothstein & Ms. Jane Hellman
Carol Sirot
Marquee Producing Partners:
Jerrold & Patricia Day Laura & Jim Duncan
Hila & Saul Rosan
Dick & Mable Seymour
Book & Lyrics by Johnny Reid & Matt Murray
Music by Johnny Reid, Matt Murray & Bob Foster Music Direction by Adam Souza | Music Supervision by Bob Foster Choreographed by Emiy Jane Boyle | Directed by Mary Francis Moore
Marquee Producing Partners:
Beverley Buckner Baker
Fiona Egan
Marquee Producing Partners:
Hila & Saul Rosen
Jeff Riley & Mary M. Wilson
Marquee Producing Partners:
Rich Cersosimo & Valerie Koif
Fiona Egan
Dr. Ann Rothstein & Ms. Jane Hellman
Book by Joseph Robinette | Music & Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story distributed by Warner Bros., written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark
Music Supervision by Adam Souza | Music Direction by Andrew Smithson
Choreographed by Mara Newbery Greer | Directed by Hunter Foster
Christmas started early when the Parker family arrived at The Goodspeed in November. Throughout the holiday season, Ralphie and his family gave us all a heartfelt and nostalgic look at Christmas past. The houses were packed with fans of the movie, families celebrating the holidays, and groups of friends enjoying time together. The joy of theatre was alive and well at Goodspeed.
Did you know? To accommodate the large case of adults and children for A Christmas Story, we had to add temporary dressing rooms three floors below the stage in the Green Room. The young actors got plenty of exercise running up and down the stairs!
May 10 - June 2, 2024 | THE TERRIS
THEATRE
Book by Ianne Fields Stewart | Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Brielle
Additional Lyrics by Sam Salmond
Music Direction by Debra Barsha | Directed & Choreographed by Jeff Calhoun
We opened The Terris Theatre season with a truly memorable new musical. A Complicated Woman told the story of John Kenley,an influential and well-known summer stock producer in Ohio who spent winters in Florida as Jean Kenley. Inspired by true events with a cast that included transgender and non-binary actors, this was a very personal, meaningful, and groundbreaking production. Audiences of all backgrounds and ages raved about this new musical.
Did you know? Director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun actually knew John Kenley and was cast in several of his summer stock shows.
July 19 - Aug 11, 2024 | THE TERRIS THEATRE
Book & Lyrics by Darko Tresnjak | Music by Oran Eldor
Music Direction by Ian Axness | Choreographed by Karla Puno Garcia Directed by Darko Tresnjak
Laughing at murder is not usually our thing, but no one could keep a straight face during this wild and wacky comedy. Darko Tresnjak’s incredibly creative work was a master class in how to write, direct, and cast a comedy. The actors were superb and went all out to make this one of the most popular shows at The Terris Theatre.
Did you know? The title of the show was inspired by Bette Davis’ line in the classic film Now, Voyager: “Oh Jerry, don’t let’s ask for the moon. We have the stars.”
Sept 27 - Oct 20, 2024 | THE TERRIS THEATRE
This intimate look into a young couple’s lives moved quickly from their first meeting in a bar to their first child. John McLarnon and Anna Russell-Martin kept us on the edge of our seats with performances filled with honesty, wit, and raw emotion. It was an unforgettable musical that, despite its title, really was about love.
Did you know? No Love Songs was a US premiere. It originated at Dundee Rep in Scotland and played a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
From an original idea by Kyle Falconer & Laura Wilde Songs by Kyle Falconer | Book by Laura Wilde & Johnny McKnight Music Direction by Gavin Whitworth | Directed by Andrew Panton & Tashi Gore
Marquee Producing Partners: Russell Tait & Lee Anderson
102,711 people attended a show at Goodspeed Musicals
THE GOODSPEED 89,895 Total Tickets
THE TERRIS THEATRE 12,816 Total Tickets
GOODSPEED EMPLOYED
145 Artisans, Technicians & Administrators
21% First-time attendees
28,939 Season Tickets
2,200 Season Tickets
393 people
147 Actors & Stage Managers
55 Musicians & Music Staff
46 Creative Team Members
60,959 Single Tickets
10,616 Single Tickets
297 musicals
21 shows to Broadway OVER THE PAST 61 YEARS GOODSPEED HAS: Produced Sent
2,579 hours of applause Enjoyed
88 world premieres Launched
15,769 performances Played
4,935 actors Employed
5.5M patrons Delighted
39,310 hours Performed for
NEW WORK
BY MICHAEL FLING | ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
For our 2024 season, Goodspeed celebrated our continued dedication to new work by staging four new musicals across our two stages, in addition to supporting over 60 projects at all levels of development.
THE FESTIVAL, WRITERS GROVE & NYU RESIDENCY
We kicked off our year with our Festival of New Musicals, featuring music stand presentations of Photosynthesis, Letters to the President, and The Snow Goose—one of our commissions from our GoodWorks Commissioning Program. With Nevada Lozano’s hilarious cabaret presentation of The Carol of the Bells on Friday evening and Nikki Lynette’s singular performance Saturday evening, the 2024 Festival had a little something for everyone and one of the strongest lineups in its history.
Right on the heels of the Festival was The Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove, our one-of-a-kind experience for the creation of musical theatre. 38 musical theatre writers descended into Goodspeed's Artists Village to work on nearly 20 musicals at all stages of development. And while they were churning out countless songs and scenes, the graduating class from NYU’s prestigious Musical Theatre Writing program arrived for a special week-long retreat of their own to focus solely on their thesis projects.
THE TERRIS THEATRE
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of The Terris Theatre, we were thrilled to be producing our first full season in Chester since prior to the pandemic.
We kicked off with A Complicated Woman by Jonathan Brille and Ianne Fields Stewart. This entertaining and touching story of theatre empresario John Kenley had the perfect mix of classic showbiz and contemporary storytelling. We are so proud of the production and the community engagement efforts that surrounded it.
Summer was a blast with the premiere of Ask for the Moon, conceived, directed, and co-written by Darko Tresjnak (Anastasia, Gentleman’s Guide…) with an equal parts highand low-brow score from Oran Eldor. Audiences were in stitches (as were many of the characters) and the show proved to be a box office smash.
Rounding out the year was No Love Songs, the thoughtprovoking and poignant two-hander making its American premiere before a run Off-Broadway this year. While the subject matter doesn’t scream “musical theatre,” its unique direct-address ‘gig theatre’ style made for a beautifully powerful look at the impacts of post-partum depression.
THE GOODSPEED
In keeping with our long tradition of producing original musicals at The Goodspeed, we were thrilled to welcome Maggie to America in 2024. Inspired by his grandmother and family’s story, Johnny Reid (along with collaborator Matt Murray) brought her to life through some of the most moving music we’ve had the pleasure of premiering. Led by the extraordinary Christine Dwyer in the title role and under the deft direction of Mary Francis Moore, Maggie had audiences leaping to their feet for eight weeks. It was so touching to hear the backstories of so many of your families and the emotional experience you had watching the story unfold. While we can’t share future steps yet, we remain optimistic that it won’t be the last time Maggie will be seen on a stage. And if you miss the music as much as we do, you can listen to the concept album on Spotify!
THE FUTURE
We remain dedicated to supporting new work and fostering the voices at the forefront of the theatre industry. Our 2025 season is just around the corner, and we’ll play host to the stage premiere of Jerry Herman’s Mrs. Santa Claus at The Goodspeed, as well as About Time and The Great Emu War at The Terris Theatre. It’s crucial that you know how vital a part you are of the future of musical theatre. Without Goodspeed audiences’ willingness to try something new and give honest feedback, these musicals wouldn’t be as special as they emerge after being at Goodspeed.
And if you are someone who isn’t as fond of new work and prefers the classics, I want you to know: I’m like you, too. I love the classics. More than the next guy. But it is essential to remember that every classic musical was once a new musical. So—join us! Be a part of making the new classics!
The cast of Photosynthesis at the Festival of New Musicals.
Photo by Diane Sobolewski.
The cast of A Complicated Woman. Photo by Diane Sobolewski.
The cast of Maggie. Photo by Diane Sobolewski.
EDUCATION: THE ARTS EDUCATION COLLABORATION
1,539 Students participated in
from 30 Underserved schools 6 Counties
BY NICK PALAZZO | EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
“That was so good that I almost cried. I felt every moment of the show…It was my first time at a show, and now I love shows.” - Yabdiel, Bulkeley High School Student (Hartford)
“Partnering with The Goodspeed has been a one-in-amillion opportunity for our students... and I look forward to more years of collaborating with Goodspeed in the future.” Alison Rivera, President of St. Martin de Porres Academy (New Haven)
As we look to the future of Goodspeed's 2025 season, we also reflect on the 1,539 students who were members of our 2024 audience through the Arts Education Collaboration program. The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre introduces and educates the youth of Connecticut to the joy of live performance by cultivating a relationship with the community and encouraging emerging musical theatre artists. It is our hope to preserve the American Musical and Goodspeed for future generations. We believe it is important to engage the young—especially those from underserved communities in the state of Connecticut—in the creative process of musical theatre, making the art form accessible to new generations of theatergoers.
GOODSPEED RENOVATIONS
Each season, Goodspeed’s Arts Education Collaboration brings elementary, middle, and high school students from Windham, Middlesex, Hartford, New Haven, New London, and Tolland counties to our productions at The Goodspeed or The Terris Theatre, providing them with a special behindthe-scenes look into the making of a production. In 2024, we were also able to extend the invitation to The Theater Offensive of Boston, bringing a group of young queer and trans people to see A Complicated Woman. We also provided in-school workshops before and after the students attended the show. For many young people, this was their first time experiencing a live performance. The entire program is underwritten by Goodspeed and its generous funders; it is provided at no cost to the schools, the students, or their families. It is Goodspeed's mission to share the joy of musical theatre while creating an inclusive theatre environment, and we look to our current patrons and staff to help the audiences of tomorrow feel welcome today.
In 2024, fundraising for our major renovation project continued. This project will make Goodspeed more welcoming and accessible for everyone. It's been a long time coming, but we are thrilled to see such substantial progress as we work towards making the Goodspeed Opera House a more accessible place for our entire community. We are grateful to our fantastic project partners: general contractor (La Rosa Construction Co.), architect (Centerbrook Architects & Planners), and construction manager (Petra Construction Corporation) who are keeping this project moving forward.
ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE:
New ADA Ramp & Entrance
Everyone will be able to enter through the front doors safely and easily!
ADA ramp for those who can’t use stairs
Expanded porch to accommodate wheelchairs
• Automatic-open front doors
Energy-efficient lighting for the porch, stairs, ramp, and plaza
• New landscaping
Goodspeed Parking Area
A digital rendering of the new ADA ramp at The Goodspeed.
A complete transformation! We're creating a safer, more pleasant experience from the moment you arrive.
Completely repaved surface including eco-friendly permeable areas
Parking islands with energy-efficient lighting
• EV charging stations
New landscaping
Upgraded footbridge landings
Liz McCartney (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) teaches a dialect workshop to students from Bulkeley High School in Hartford.
2024 was an artistically thrilling season which brought audiences old and new to Goodspeed and featured the first full season of three developments of new musicals at The Terris Theatre since 2019. Our audience is growing again, as overall ticket sales rose 9% compared to 2023 for productions at The Goodspeed and The Terris. Memberships and Annual Fund donations were strong, and we remain grateful to donors. 20% of our members, who provide sustaining support, elected to increase their giving in 2024. A special thank you to the 787 households that joined us as new members in 2024.
Inflationary increases continue to impact our production and facilities budgets, but we have been able to respond to those challenges in creative ways and continue to provide the
exceptional work you expect on our stages. As you will see in the chart below, the bulk of our spending funds what you see onstage, producing high-quality musicals and fostering new works. Fiscal year 2024 was year two of our three-year strategic plan. A key cornerstone of the plan centers on financial sustainability, and we have focused attention on those areas that most impact our bottom line. We will be sharing more about that work with you in the coming year.
Significantly, beyond our operating budget, we accomplished a successful Phase 1 Capital Campaign raising over $4.8 million (including a $2.9 million bond from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)) for renovations to the façade and parking area of the historic Goodspeed Opera House.
REVENUE EXPENSES
2024 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Hila Rosen, President
Jef Wolter, Chairman
Leonard H. Suzio, First Vice President
Anthony Cacace, Vice President
Meg Sakellarides, Treasurer
Jennifer Brown, Secretary
Gov. Ned Lamont, Ex Officio Honorary Chairman
Francis G. Adams, Jr.
Michael Arseneault
Kris Burbank
Frank Campbell
Carolyn Rossi Copeland
Senator Christopher Dodd
Jim Duncan
Anne Evans
Marlene Ferreira
Muriel Fleischmann
Sue Frost
Jean Selden Greene
Steven Hernandez
Jeffrey Hoffman
Ann Houston
Sue Link
Gavin Lodge
Mark Masselli
Kristen Roberts
Anne Rothstein
Blair Russell
Karen Sherry
Joseph Smith
John Voege
EMERITUS TRUSTEES
Kay Knight Clarke
Chandler Howard
Lynde Karin
Mary Ellen Klinck
Julie Godbout LeBlanc
Lawrence McHugh
Michael P. Price
Dona D. Young