Rachel Fink, Executive Director | americantheatre.org
Rachel Fink, Executive Director | americantheatre.org
This appropriation represents state-level funding authorized by lawmakers, reflecting what was approved in the budget, not necessarily disbursed. The funds cover only State of Illinois support and exclude federal, local, or other public sources.
Founded in 1988 by David Schwimmer, David Catlin, Eva Barr, Thom Cox, Lawrence DiStasi, Joy Gregory, David Kersnar, and Andy White., Lookingglass Theatre Company states that its mission is: “Through theatre, which invites, even demands, interaction with its audience, our goal is to fire the imagination with love, to celebrate the human capacity to taste and smell, weep and laugh, create and destroy, and wake up where we first fell — changed, charged, and empowered.”
You can learn more about the organization at its website.
In its most recent IRS Form 990 filing filing for tax year 2024, the organization reported $5,976,680 in total revenue. Of that, $50,600 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 0.8% of total revenue.
The nonprofit listed $4,914,380 in contributions overall. It also reported $197,275 in non-cash contributions, such as donated goods or services, and $4,385,670 categorized under other contributions, which may include restricted donations, pledges, or bequests.
At the beginning of 2024, Lookingglass Theatre Company had $2,356,480 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $4,023,790, indicating a significant 70.8% growth in overall holdings.
According to its filing, public funding to Lookingglass Theatre Company declined in the last year, falling from $1,650,230 in 2023 to $50,600 in 2024—a decrease of 96.9% year-over-year.
However, a Chicago City Wire analysis found that IRS filings frequently contain discrepancies when compared with publicly disclosed government grant reports and budgets.
Lookingglass Theatre Company is one of hundreds of nonprofits across Illinois that receive substantial support from state taxpayers while also fundraising privately.
In 2025, Illinois lawmakers introduced House Bill 1266, also known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Act. The proposal would create a new oversight body within the Office of the Auditor General tasked with identifying cost-saving measures, reviewing agency performance, and advising on audit priorities. If passed, DOGE could bring additional scrutiny and performance evaluation to taxpayer-funded organizations.
According to ProPublica, Illinois has more than 78,000 active tax-exempt organizations, including nearly 60,000 classified as charitable nonprofits. In their most recent IRS filings, these groups reported a combined revenue exceeding $156 billion.
| Term | Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2024 | Anita B Mauro | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Anthony Fleming | Director & Ensemble Member |
| 2024-2024 | Bob Palffy | Co-Chair |
| 2024-2024 | Brenda Langstraat Bui | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Catie Walsh Headtke | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Chanon L Dicarlo | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Charles Frankel | Director |
| 2024-2024 | David S Catlin | Director & Ensemble Member |
| 2024-2024 | Deann G Bayless | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Diane M Whatton | Chairperson |
| 2024-2024 | Gail Roth | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Heidi A Stillman | Artistic Director & Ensemble |
| 2024-2024 | Jeffrey Alan Steigelman | Treasurer & Chair, Finance Committee |
| 2024-2024 | Jill Reznick Meier | Secretary & Chair, Fundraising Committee |
| 2024-2024 | Lee P Golub | Co-Chair, Facilities Committee |
| 2024-2024 | Lester Coney | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Lindsay H Knight | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Lindsay Hearn Stal | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Lisa Green | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Luis Gutierrez | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Marla Mendelson | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Michael D Belsley Jr | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Michael Leonar Harrington | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Molly L Beran | Director & Associates Board Co-President |
| 2024-2024 | Rachel Lynn Fink | Executive Director |
| 2024-2024 | Richard Chapman | Chair, Aei Committee |
| 2024-2024 | Richard Ditton | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Samuel Tepper | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Steven Edward Weiss | Vice President |
| 2024-2024 | Steven D Armstrong | Director |
| 2024-2024 | Yasmeen Soin | Director |
| Year | Name | Title | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Mary C Tepper | Teaching Artist | - |
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