Goodman Theatre Extends ‘The Attic’ Through October 11 Following Strong Reviews (Chicago, IL) — Goodman Theatre has extended its production of “The Attic: Things I’ve Seen While Lying on My Back” through Oct. 11, giving Chicago audiences another week to see the world-premiere production from The 7 Fingers, the Montreal-based contemporary circus company.
Written, directed and choreographed by Shana Carroll, the production combines acrobatics, dance, music and stage projections to explore memory, fear, courage and the experiences that shape a person’s life. The show is currently being presented in the 856-seat Albert Theatre as part of the Goodman’s 2026-27 season.
The extension follows strong reviews from Chicago critics, with the production drawing particular attention for its combination of physical performance and personal storytelling. The Chicago Tribune’s Chris Jones described the show as potentially “the best show of the year in Chicago,” while the Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ praised it as a “mesmerizing display of acrobatic dance, music and stage projections.”
Carroll, a former trapeze artist who spent 20 years performing, developed “The Attic” from her own life story. Rather than presenting circus as spectacle alone, the production uses aerial movement and acrobatics as a way of translating memories and emotional experiences onto the stage.
The production features an ensemble of performers from The 7 Fingers alongside Chicago actor and performer Tyler Meredith. The cast includes Fran Alvarez, Melvin Diggs, Eduardo De Azevedo Grillo, Kalani June, Anna Kichtchenko, Nancy Luna, Santiago Rivera Laugerud, Alexandra Royer, Lucy Tan and Meredith.
The show’s approach reflects the artistic philosophy of The 7 Fingers, which was founded in 2002 with the goal of developing a contemporary form of circus that places storytelling and human experience alongside high-level physical performance. The company has since produced touring shows, theatrical productions, Broadway projects, large-scale performances, immersive experiences and special events internationally.
For “The Attic”, Carroll draws on her background as both a performer and creator. Before becoming a director and choreographer, she worked as a trapeze artist and Cirque du Soleil soloist and studied at Montreal’s National Circus School. She began her professional career with San Francisco’s Pickle Family Circus.
Carroll has subsequently directed, written and choreographed numerous productions for The 7 Fingers, including “Passengers”, “Cuisine and Confessions”, “Sequence 8” and “Traces”. Her work has also extended to Broadway and Cirque du Soleil.
In 2024, Carroll served as co-choreographer and circus designer for the Broadway musical “Water for Elephants”. That work earned her the Chita Rivera Award for Best Choreography, along with nominations for a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award.
Her other credits include directing and creating Cirque du Soleil’s “Crystal”, serving as acrobatic designer and choreographer for “Iris” in Los Angeles and “Paramour” on Broadway, and working as circus designer and co-creator of the immersive New York experience “Queen of the Night”. She also directed and choreographed Cirque du Soleil’s performance at the 84th Academy Awards and co-choreographed a segment of the opening ceremony for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
In 2023, Carroll was recognized by Quebec’s Conseil des arts et des lettres for her contribution to Quebec culture.
The 7 Fingers has continued to expand beyond traditional circus productions, creating works that incorporate theater, music, dance, visual design and other performance disciplines. The company currently has productions and projects operating in several locations, including “Dear San Francisco”, which was created by Carroll and Gypsy Snider and is marking its fifth year at Club Fugazi in San Francisco.
The company is also preparing “HEREDIS”, a new live production inspired by the world of “Assassin’s Creed”. The production is scheduled to open in Montreal in December 2026 before moving to Paris in early 2027.
At the Goodman, “The Attic” continues the theater’s longstanding focus on developing and presenting new work. Founded in 1925, Goodman Theatre has become one of Chicago’s major theatrical institutions, with a history that includes nearly 200 world or American premieres, according to the theater.
The Goodman has also been associated with major American theater honors, including two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards. The theater was the first to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle”.
The production’s extension week includes six performances. Shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11.
Tickets are listed at $34 to $139, although prices are subject to change. Tickets are available through Goodman Theatre, either online or by calling 312-443-3800.
The theater is also offering several enhanced and accessible performances during the production’s run. An ASL-interpreted performance is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. An audio-described performance, including a touch tour beginning at 12:30 p.m., is scheduled for Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. A Spanish-subtitled performance is scheduled for Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m., followed by an open-captioned performance on Sept. 27 at 2 p.m.
With its extension, “The Attic” gives Chicago audiences additional opportunities to experience a production that places contemporary circus within a theatrical framework. Through aerial movement, physical performance and projected imagery, the show uses the performers’ bodies and the stage itself to examine personal memory and the emotional risks involved in confronting the past.
The production also represents a continuing relationship between Chicago’s theater community and international artists. By bringing The 7 Fingers’ work to the Goodman stage, “The Attic” connects Chicago audiences with a Montreal-based company whose productions have increasingly crossed the boundaries between circus, theater, music and other performance disciplines.
For Goodman Theatre, the extension keeps one of its season-opening productions onstage into October while giving audiences another opportunity to see Carroll’s interpretation of her life story through contemporary circus.
“The Attic: Things I’ve Seen While Lying on My Back” is scheduled to remain at the Goodman Theatre’s Albert Theatre through Oct. 11.
Goodman Theatre Extends ‘The Attic’ Through October 11 Following Strong Reviews
