CHICAGO TRIBUNE
by Myrna Petlicki
April 9, 2024
The goal is in sight for Northlight Theatre as the theater company seeks $25 million for phase one of the construction of its new theater at 1012-16 Church Street in downtown Evanston.
The theater group, which moved to Skokie in 1997, began in Evanston and has since outgrown the space at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.
Thanks to a leadership gift of $3 million from the family of Paul Finnegan, past president and chairperson of the theater’s Board of Trustees, they are a lot closer to their plan of starting construction early in 2025, with a completion date of fall 2026.
“It’s the largest individual gift that we’ve ever received,” said Northlight’s Executive Director Timothy J. Evans. “It’s a huge boost for the campaign at a time that we’re really working hard to get a shovel in the ground. We’ve already seen it motivate others in the community to help us get this done.”
Artistic Director BJ Jones, who is starting his 26th year at Northlight, noted that Finnegan was the board president and lead the search committee when Jones was hired as artistic director.
“He’s been a major, major factor in all the years that I’ve been artistic director,” Jones said. “He’s been very supportive.”
Evans reported that Finnegan has encouraged the theater company to use this gift as a challenge for others to match the donation.
“We’ve already raised another half-million since the week that it’s come and we’ve got plans to do everything we can to match it and then some,” Evans said.