Goodman Theatre: In what ways do you feel you’ve grown as an artist and individual during your time as a fellow at the Goodman?
Jamal Howard: I’ve gained so much more confidence in my abilities as a director, producer and theater maker. Through this fellowship, I’ve been able to be on the production team for six shows and observed parts of many other productions—an opportunity to see how other directors and artists collaborate and run their rooms. The pure variety of creative teams I’ve been a part of at the Goodman has given me so much insight into how to be a great artistic leader and director. Before this fellowship, I had never worked at a theater within the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and I had limited experience working on Equity shows or in union houses. Simply put, this opportunity has given me a trove of invaluable experience.
Goodman Theatre: How has working with other artists influenced your creative process here?
Jamal Howard: The Goodman works with the country’s top theatrical talent and working with this caliber of artist is a dream. I’ve learned so much about how to question and collaborate respectfully, and my instincts when it comes to how I treat a company of artists has been reinforced by my experiences here. In fact, a lot of what I’ve learned has roots that go back to trusting my instincts on how to make big, bold artistic choices and stand by them. At the same time, I’ve learned when to let certain ideas go—it’s this delicate balance that goes into making great theater and I will hold that with me in my future creative processes.
Goodman Theatre: Please share a standout moment or performance that deeply impacted you?
Jamal Howard: I’ve had so many amazing experiences during my tenure that I can’t just pick one moment. Some of the most deeply impactful moments have been when I was the assistant director for A Christmas Carol and English, co-director for The Lizard y el Sol and a witness to a moment from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil that has become one of my most cherished theater memories.
What a special year to be part of A Christmas Carol, as it was Robert Schleifer’s first season in this production as Mr. Fezziwig. As an extremely talented deaf actor, he brought a whole new aspect to the role that made the show’s themes of community and empathy truly pop. We added another language, American Sign Language, to the Fezziwig sequence and being a part of that process will continue to be a favorite memory of mine that I will hold on to for a long, long time.
The whole process of English was a lesson in how to create brilliant theater. Director Hamid Dehghani masterfully led the cast and creative team to a wildly successful production, and one day the playwright Sanaz Toossi came to see the show. When she met the cast afterward, it was pure magic and a moment filled with joy and inspiration. This story was so personal that it felt like a family reunion.
During the final rehearsal room run through of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I was observing with some of the designers and producers. Late in the second act, the show paused and composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown got up from his seat and announced that he would perform the next song. He explained that he had just written it that morning, so he moved over to the piano and debuted one of the most beautiful, soulful and inspiring songs in modern musical theater “A Little More Room.” By the time he was done, the whole room, cast and creative team were in tears and so moved by this powerful and emotional song.
For the opening performance of our outdoor show for very young audiences (ages 0-5) The Lizard y el Sol, the sky was very cloudy, which was very convenient for a show about searching for the missing sun. At the exact same time the lizard finally figures out where the sun has been hiding in the show and reveals the sun to the audience, the real-life sun came bursting through the clouds and literally reflected off the artist’s costumes. It was a magical moment, and turns out, even mother nature can have good theatrical timing.
Goodman Theatre: How has being part of this theater community in Chicago shaped your perspective?
Jamal Howard: I have always been grateful of the work that the crew does on any production that I’m working on, but now that I’ve seen the crews at the Goodman up close and personal, I’m even more in awe. My appreciation for stage managers, run crews, wardrobe crews, sound board operators, young performer supervisors and many more has gone up tenfold.
Goodman Theatre: What advice would you give to those who are just beginning their journey in the theater industry?
Jamal Howard: I have a couple of simple pieces of advice: 1) Show up with your best foot forward; 2) Look for the people you look up to; 3) Assume everyone in the industry knows everyone else.
Goodman Theatre: What are your hopes and aspirations as you move forward from this chapter?
Jamal Howard: I want to advance my career as a director and theater maker in ways that allow me to create more art with meaning, power and integrity. This experience will certainly help push my career forward into working with more theaters across the country, but I hope to continue to collaborate with the amazing artists I’ve met while at the Goodman. I also hope to continue the important work of creating theater for young audiences because it is such a powerful learning tool in teaching empathy, courage and the building blocks of literacy.
Goodman Theatre: Lastly, tell us what’s next for you!
Jamal Howard: Up next I will direct a show at Northwestern University this fall called The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra, Go! It’s a comedic epic space adventure for young audiences that follows a sister and brother who find out that they have superpowers and go on to save the universe.
