(Above) David Byrne (seated) with an all-Chicago ‘Theater of the Mind’ cast. Back row, from left: Shariba Rivers, Emily Zhang, Victor Musoni, Helen Joo Lee, Elizabeth Laidlaw, Kelli Simpkins, Lucky Stiff, Em Modaff, and James Earl Jones II. Front row, from left: AJ Paramo and Maidenwena Alba. Photo by Anna Lee Ackermann.
Click images to view larger versionsMarch 18, 2026 – While the Goodman Theatre’s production of Theater of the Mind technically opened its doors on March 11, the experience is designed to feel as though time and space are entirely relative. The production is currently in its preview phase, offering a first look at the surreal environments ahead of its official opening night on March 25.
Instead of a traditional stage, the production has transformed a massive expanse of River North real estate into an intricate series of environments designed to challenge the very nature of perception.
Goodman Theatre Production Manager Matt Marsden, who oversaw the “technically complex” assembly of the site, describes the result as a sequence of eleven rooms – plus interstitial spaces – that engage every sense, including taste.
“This is not like the Van Gogh immersive experiences,” Marsden (left) noted during a walkthrough of the cavernous space. “It’s a small, intimate group of 16 people at a time. Every room is specifically designed around the science behind the tricks we are doing.”
Goodman Theatre
The ‘Davids’ of Chicago
While David Byrne – the Oscar-winning composer and Talking Heads co-founder – co-created the piece, he does not appear in it. Instead, the audience is led by a “Guide” who assumes the identity of a narrator named David.
“Man, woman, animal, or vegetable – they are all David,” Marsden explained. “The name of the narrator walking into the room is David. Everybody that plays the main narrator is called David.”
The all-Chicago cast of “Davids” includes James Earl Jones II (the accomplished Chicago stage veteran and third cousin to the legendary voice of Darth Vader), Elizabeth Laidlaw, Helen Joo Lee, Em Modaff, Victor Musoni, AJ Paramo, Shariba Rivers, Kelli Simpkins, and Lucky Stiff. Understudies for the run are Maidenwena Alba and Emily Zhang.
A walkthrough of the surreal
The experience begins in an “onboarding” area where participants leave their phones and belongings behind to ensure a focused, disconnected journey. From there, the path winds through surreal environments that include:
The Funeral Parlor: The first encounter with “David.”
The Skull: A striking room designed to look like the white interior of a human skull, where light and sound experiments take place.
(Right) The Skull under construction on January 13.
“Basically, this whole thing is going to be like the white interior of a skull,” said Marsden. “Unlike traditional scenery in theater, we’ve got to do sprinklers, HVAC, lighting, sound, and special effects.”
The Disco: A technically challenging octagon room where light angles and acoustics are calibrated for specific sensory “tricks.”
(Left) The disco scene in Theater of the Mind. Photo by Matthew DeFeo.
“This room is technically complex because the science behind it requires certain light angles,” noted Marsden, who was the Production Manager at Royal George Theater for eight years.
The Attic: A space involving VR elements and recliners, tucked inside a simulated house.
Pushing the envelope for the Centennial
For the Goodman Theatre, producing a show of this scale at an off-site location is a centerpiece of its Centennial 2025/2026 Season. Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth emphasized that the project is meant to “double down on what it means to be Chicago’s flagship theater” by offering something “courageous, wildly creative, and new.”
The production model, originally developed at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, operates on a high-frequency schedule: 16 people enter every 15 minutes. It is a labor-intensive format that Marsden believes creates a more personal connection than traditional theater.
“I hope we find a different word than ‘immersive’ and ‘experiential’ because they tend to be overused,” Marsden said. “But this is an actual art installation turned into storytelling.”
At a glance: Theater of the Mind
- Status: Now in previews (official opening March 25)
- Location: Reid Murdoch Building, 333 North LaSalle Street
- Dates: Running through May 31, 2026
- Duration: 75 Minutes (no intermission)
- Tickets: Start at $66 via GoodmanTheatre.org
Need to know
- Arrive 15 minutes early. There is strictly no late entry.
- The “No-Phone” Zone: All participants are required to place phones, smartwatches, and bags into provided secure lockers.
- Physicality: You will be walking and standing for the full 75-minute duration. Comfortable shoes are highly recommended.
- Sensory Warning: Includes theatrical haze, strobe lights, and a “taste” element. Alert your “David” to any dietary restrictions.
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