The Goodman Theatre Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary with HOLIDAY 

Bonnie DeShong

Photos by Todd Rosenberg

The Goodman Theatre continues its 100th 2025/2026 anniversary season with the late Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Richard Greenberg’s contemporary adaptation of Philip Barry’s classic love story “Holiday.” Directed by award-winning director Robert Falls, “Holiday” tells the story of old-money upper class versus middle-class ideals.

The Seton family is upper crust, old money, Upper East Side, and has been in business for decades. Father Edward Seton (Jordan Lage) blames his wife’s death on alcohol. Their oldest daughter, Linda, is an artist and free spirit who has no interest in the business. Youngest daughter Julia is her father’s clone. She lives and breathes the family business. Brother Ned is his father’s disappointment. He has been in and out of rehabs for drugs and alcohol and has seen the inside of a jail several times; however, he is lovable and uses drugs as an escape. Linda has changed her life to be close to and protect Ned.

Julia takes some time at a luxury sanitarium to relax, and while there, she meets Johnny Case (Luigi Sottile). In the three weeks they are there, they fall in love, become engaged, and decide to get married right after the new year, which is only a few days away. She brings him home to meet the family. The problem is, he doesn’t come from money but plans to make a million dollars and then quit to figure out what he wants to do. Of course, this does not fit in with the Seton way of doing things, especially Julia and her father. However, Linda seems to be more in line with Johnny’s way of thinking.

The play is funny and interesting, while predictable, and the acting is superb.

I left the theatre thinking about two characters: Walter, played by Rammel Chan. Walter is the chef who has been with the family for a while. He wants to open a restaurant, and Edward has promised he would partner with him…when the time is right. He keeps dangling this nugget in front of Walter to keep him cooking for the family. Rammel’s timing in this role is on point and in layers. We don’t see Walter much, but he stood out to me. Second was Wesley’s portrayal of Ned. It was effortless. I really liked Ned because he was so natural, and I felt more for him than any other character.

The supporting cast was also very good and added the seasoning needed to flavor the play.

Joshua Gibson and Kim Zhou’s set design is beautiful, and the audience was amazed by the set change from the attic to the parlor.

“Holiday” was the perfect play for this centennial season. Over the last 100 years, The Goodman has produced “Holiday” four times in 1930, 1939, 1947, and 1979, and now in 2026.

I give “Holiday” 4 out of 5 winks of the EYE. It was an enjoyable evening at the theatre. Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!