(Above) David Byrne in 2018 (Wikimedia Commons).

By Steven Dahlman

3-Mar-25 – An immersive theatrical experience that aspires to challenge perceptions and “reveal the brain’s inner mysteries” will open in River North this fall.

Theater of the Mind is planned for a 19,000-square-foot space at Reid Murdoch Center on the north bank of the Chicago River – not your ordinary venue but then one of the show’s creators is David Byrne, founding member of the new wave band Talking Heads.

(Left) A Chicago Water Taxi departs the Riverwalk in front of Reid Murdoch Center in 2017.

“Blending neuroscience with storytelling, Theater of the Mind will take audiences on an immersive experience of self-exploration and discovery,” is how Friedman Properties, owner of Reid Murdoch Center, describes the show.

The real estate investment and development firm says there will be 140 performances per week, attracting 100,000 visitors in the first year and having an economic impact of $11.4 million.

“River North’s dynamic spirit makes it the perfect setting for this one-of-a-kind exhibit, which will create yet another destination for both Chicagoans and visitors,” said Albert Friedman, Chairman and CEO of Friedman Properties. “This neighborhood has a rich history of celebrating and supporting the creative arts, making it the ideal home for a boundary-pushing concept like Theater of the Mind.”

(Left to right) Albert Friedman, David Byrne, and Roche Schulfer, Executive Director of Goodman Theatre, which is co-producing the show as part of its 2025/2026 season. Photo provided by Friedman Properties.

After Talking Heads split in 1991, Byrne, now 72 years old, had a solo album career. He has worked in theatre, film, and television. He has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, a Special Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award, and he’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He created Theater of the Mind with Mala Gaonkar, a technology investor and author. The show debuted in a 15,000-square-foot space in Denver in 2022.