‘Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol’ adds layers to the Dickens story with light, puppets and people
Seeing the multimedia artists work their magic enhances first live staging of the troupe’s streaming hit.
Theater, comedy and dance reviews.
2021/2022
Creepy and morbid, ‘The Malignant Ampersands’ is ultimately just too confusing
“The Malignant Ampersands” is a new play by Brett Neveu that A Red Orchid Theatre describes as a “very unofficial sequel” to Orson Welles’ 1942 film “The Magnificent Ambersons.” But is it really?
‘1919’ a searing, unflinching portrait of Black Chicago’s past, present and future
Eve L. Ewing’s collection of poems is adapted for the stage by J. Nicole Brooks in a powerhouse production at Steppenwolf Theatre.
Expectations and reality duke it out in thought-provoking and witty ‘Tiger Style!’
Mike Lew’s script falters a bit in the second act, but as a whole “Tiger Style!” rings true on so many levels.
Poignant summer romance a Sweet affair in captivating ‘Girlfriend’ musical
Quirky conceit, endearing characters, captivating actors and clever soundtrack — “Girlfriend” is a winning mix.
Early days of ‘fake news’ fuel the politics of ‘Campaigns, Inc.’ at TimeLine Theatre
What “Campaigns, Inc.” could use is a tighter focus on its central characters’ mercenary motivations.
Vestiges of a less enlightened time tarnish ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’
Mercury Theater revival of the drag-queen musical has some fun with music and costumes but can’t overcome the 16-year-old script’s shallow portrayals.
In her new revue, Felicia P. Fields reminds us why the blues — and she — are cultural treasures
“Pearl’s Rollin’ With the Blues: A Night with Felicia P. Fields” is a sizzling showcase from the Tony Award-nominated actress.
An ‘Oz’-inspired journey is a real life-changer in ‘Somewhere Over the Border’
Brian Quijada’s charming but uneven world-premiere musical at Teatro Vista needs just a bit more finessing.
‘The Chinese Lady,’ a compelling TimeLine play, imagines inner life of a teen showing her culture to U.S. audiences
Mi Kang charms as the girl brought from Guangzhou in 1834 and put on display in New York.
The spectacle that is ‘Lookingglass Alice’ remains as enchanting as ever
The charming acrobatics-laden show has become an effective calling card for Chicago’s famed Lookingglass Theatre.
Time-jumping ‘In Every Generation’ shows how faith rocks a family, from one Passover to another
New play at Victory Gardens makes some smart points about religion as ritual, until an unfortunate final twist.
Past, present, living, dead all collide in haunting sci-fi thriller ‘Solaris’
“Solaris,” the play, is based on a 1961 novel by Polish author Stanisław Lem. Staged by Scott Weinstein in the 56-seat Schwartz Stage at Edgewater’s Raven Theatre, the production marks the play’s North American premiere.
Impressive cast delivers powerhouse showcase for ‘Women of Soul’
The production is all about iconic women and their soulful music, and all are of the highest quality in the Mercury Theater Chicago revue.
Father, son clear the air in emotionally charged ‘Queen of the Night’
The brief time we spend with the characters is enjoyable, thanks to travis tate’s often raucous banter and the well-matched actors André Teamer and Terry Guest, who make a persuasive and sympathetic pair.
In engaging play ‘Relentless,’ the diaries of a mother once enslaved unnerve the next generation
Considering it was originally meant to premiere in 2020, it’s remarkable how timely “Relentless” proves at a moment in 2022 when so many are expressing an aversion to engaging with history.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ radio staging allows a brief, uplifting escape from 21st century woes
American Blues Theater lassos a miracle, a show that, over 20 editions, has worked as both great storytelling and a flashback to another age of show business.
2020
‘I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter’ review: A rising star shines
Karen Rodriguez shows the layers of hurt and hope in a grieving teen in adept adaptation of hit YA novel set in Chicago.
Raven Theatre delivers faithful revival of Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’
19th century mores are alive and well in director Lauren Shouse’s staging of the classic drama.
‘Roe’ ultimately gives a compelling look at both sides of landmark abortion case, key figures
Before the play even begins, director Vanessa Stalling has established that “Roe,” Lisa Loomer’s 2016 work about the people behind the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, isn’t strictly a history play.
Evanston teen band revisited in compelling, rockin’ ‘Verböten’
Punk rock, like so many subcultures, was about finding a chosen family when you couldn’t relate to the family you were given. The play suggests the rear-view perspective of those who’ve grown old enough to recognize that you need both kinds.
‘Once on This Island’ showing its age in lackluster road show
The touring production, likely through circumstances beyond producers’ control, seems to be missing some of the magic it conjured on Broadway.
‘Whisper House’ skims the surface of its characters, both real and ghostly
The fog that “Whisper House” can’t cut through comes down to its creators and their odd mismatch of tones.
2019
Razor-sharp ‘Dance Nation’ at Steppenwolf has echoes of ‘Dance Moms,’ Hulu’s ‘Pen15’
Clare Barron’s Chicago-premiering play about the preteen girls (and one boy) in a competitive dance troupe offers the same kind of world depicted in the reality TV show, which was an inspiration.
Retooled ‘Working’ still feels dated but formidable cast makes it succeed
Christopher Chase Carter has assembled six hugely talented artists for Theo Ubique’s staging.
‘The First Deep Breath’ an extraordinary portrait of a shattered family
Passionately performed by a powerhouse ensemble in Victory Gardens’ bracing premiere, “Breath” feels like the kind of theatrical event you’ll want to be able to say you saw first.
Despite too many twists and turns, ‘Lindiwe’ — and Ladysmith Black Mambazo — will win you over
Eric Simonson’s play, which he co-directs with Jonathan Berry, draws here and there from fairy tales, fables and mythology.
Dread, intrigue lurk in A Red Orchid’s ‘Grey House’
Menacing children take in stranded strangers in unnerving staging of Levi Holloway’s play
‘Man of No Importance’ a timid character study lacking Wilde passion
You wish this wholly tentative show gave the actors more to work with.
Powerhouse cast delivers deeply moving and timely ‘The Brothers Size’
Combined with a trio of powerfully layered performances “The Brothers Size” offers the kind of intro to theater that could make lifelong converts.
‘Every Brilliant Thing’ at Windy City Playhouse should top your list of plays to see
A number of Chicago premieres — Duncan Macmilan’s breathtaking work among them — are suddenly reminding us to take stock of joy and possibility and human kindness.
SR review: “Hello Again” at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Theo Ubique brings some new energy to Michael John LaChiusa’s 1994 chamber musical, but it still runs on the fumes of ancient gender essentialism
Captivating ‘Bernhardt/Hamlet’ reveals a remarkable actress centuries ahead of her time
Theresa Rebeck’s smartly breezy backstage comedy is rendered in modern-sounding language that contrasts with Shakespeare’s dulcet iambs.
‘King Hedley II’ at Court offers abundant rewards for the August Wilson faithful
With its many allusions to Wilson’s past work, Ron OJ Parson’s heavy but humorous production might fluster those new to the playwright.
‘The King’s Speech’ a royal letdown in stage adaptation
Diehard fans of royal pomp and circumstance may find some pleasure here. But I suspect they already have the superior version of this story on their DVD shelves at home.
‘Oslo’: The diplomacy’s far from dry in TimeLine’s inside look at Mideast peace
The information about Israel and the PLO comes at us quickly, but so do the dramatic turns
Bold staging idea for ‘Dana H.’ makes kidnapping story more authentic, more unsettling
Playwright Lucas Hnath shapes the real-life narrative as told in the actual voice of its victim, his mother.
SR review: “Midsummer (A Play with Songs)”
David Greig’s inventive, booze-soaked rom-com overflows with charm at the Greenhouse
Superb ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ a potent dose of reality
Profound compassion radiates from the stage in the theatrical adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s “Dear Sugar” online advice columns.
American Blues Theater’s ‘Five Presidents’ imagines what went on in real life at Nixon’s funeral
There’s the mild frisson of seeing these august commanders-in-chief cursing, drinking and voicing petty beefs. But Rick Cleveland’s play doesn’t ultimately reveal much human truth.
‘The Band’s Visit’ a marvelous, exquisitely crafted arrival indeed
What joyously unexpected depths this beautiful and moving desert tale plumbs.
SR review: “All Quiet on the Western Front” at Red Tape Theatre
War’s still hell in Red Tape’s kinetic, uneven adaptation of the WWI novel
SR review: “Howards End” at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Douglas Post’s adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel loses some nuance in its race to the finish
An intriguing ‘Casa Valentina’ sinks into melodrama
Harvey Fierstein’s play skims the surface of fascinating, richly drawn characters.
SR review: “Into the Woods” at Writers Theatre
An ideal cast brings Sondheim’s fractured fairy tales to life in Gary Griffin’s inclusive staging
SR review: “Out of Love” at Interrobang Theatre Project
A long friendship between two English girls burns bright in Elinor Cook’s drama, given a loving U.S. premiere at Interrobang
A marvelously macabre ‘Ghost Quartet’ is one wild, madcap romp
A non-linear plot follows four friends across the centuries in life, death and beyond.
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2018
Review: “La Ruta” at Steppenwolf
Playwright Isaac Gomez gives full-throated voice to the endangered women of Juárez
Spectacle overpowers story in Chicago Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream'
Rather than trusting his audience to keep up with unadulterated Shakespeare, Dowling interpolates bits of modernized spectacle.
Reviews: “The Full Monty” and “The Winter Wolf”
Monty is an odd choice for Theo Ubique’s new hall
Review: “The Revolutionists” at Strawdog Theatre Company
A clunky, self-congratulatory case for art’s place in the revolution.
Review: “HeLa” at Sideshow Theatre Company
Cancer, the stars and space for hope in an affecting journey to the final frontier.
In 'Rightlynd,' an idealist embraces Chicago politics — but at what cost?
For “Rightlynd,” writer Ike Holter pulls out all of the realistic stops, the better to express his disdain for the city’s entire political system.
Deeply moving 'Private Peaceful' makes plain one soldier's torment
The precision and ease with which Shane O’Regan swaps dialects and physicalities to embody a total of 24 characters is a sight to behold.
Devil gets his due in the artful language of Writers Theatre's 'Witch'
The devil doesn’t bother disguising himself in Jen Silverman’s exceedingly smart new comedy at Writers Theatre.
Actress who defied convention gets conventional treatment in 'Nell Gwynn'
She’s more interesting as one of the first women on the British stage than as a royal mistress in the Chicago Shakespeare Theater production.
'BigMouth' speaks volumes but its message is unclear
Shorn of context and with no real framing, it’s frustratingly unclear what playwright/performer Valentijn Dhaenens is using his “mouths” to say.
'Vietgone' a hugely personal road trip rom-com for playwright
You don’t want to miss this refreshingly different take on the refugee question and a stimulating story of love finding a way.
Young evangelicals, on mission to help others, find themselves in 'The Harvest'
Returning to his favorite setting, Idaho, playwright Samuel D. Hunter scrutinizes but never judges his subjects.
Michael Shannon, A Red Orchid deliver logically illogical 'Victims of Duty'
The company marks 25 years with a remount of its 1995 Eugène Ionesco production.
'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' fueled less by passion than soap opera melodrama
Tennessee Williams's play remains a work fueled entirely by passionate arguments and salacious secrets.
Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story
This surface-level bio is more interested in musical fan service than actual insights, but the music, and its star, are top of the line.
Pretty Woman: The Musical
Feel free to walk on by this rote and regressive new musical with old sensibilities.
The Antelope Party
A game cast and solid production elevate this stunty satirical allegory.
Traitor
Nobody’s a hero in Brett Neveu’s assertively amusing modernization of Ibsen.
2017
The best Chicago theater of 2017
In a year when ‘identity politics’ was a hot topic, much of 2017’s best theater grappled with questions of identity
Escape to Margaritaville
Tropical troubadour Jimmy Buffett’s catalog gets a gaudy, shoddy jukebox treatment.
Our Town
The intimate Redtwist Theatre mounts a revival of Thornton Wilder’s gimlet-eyed portrait of life and death in Grover’s Corners.
Choir Boy
Raven Theatre stages the Chicago premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s 2013 play about a young gay man looking for his place in an all-black prep school.
The Rembrandt
A museum guard gives in to the urge to touch a famous painting, setting off an eons-spanning lesson in art appreciation in this time-hopping comic fantasy.
A View from the Bridge
Ivo van Hove’s bold revival of Arthur Miller’s 1955 drama about tangled loyalties among Italian-American dockworkers makes a strong landing in Chicago.
The Toad Knew
The toad may know but we’re left out of the loop in the inaugural show in the Yard.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center of New York City
Humor may not heal but it helps in Halley Feiffer’s acerbic cancer comedy.
United Flight 232
If you missed the House’s absorbing plane-crash documentary play last year, it’s now reboarding.
The Audience
Playwright Peter Morgan returns to the royal well for a dutiful but dull portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and her Prime Ministers.
Trevor
With an optimistic eye and a healthy dose of Diana Ross, a new musical about a gay kid’s coming-of-age shows strong promise.
Luzia
For Cirque du Soleil’s latest spectacle, the French-Canadian circus troupe looks south to Mexico for inspiration.
An American in Paris
This dance-heavy Broadway adaptation of the much-loved movie musical can’t fill its big toe shoes.
An Octoroon
Young synergist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins deconstructs 19th-century Irish writer Dion Boucicault’s race melodrama to thrilling effect.
Something Rotten!
The musical spoof about down-and-out Elizabethan playwrights inventing musical theater in the shadow of Shakespeare arrives at the Oriental on tour.
Little Fish
Kokandy Productions stages the Chicago premiere of Michael John LaChiusa’s esoteric 2003 musical about a hesitant young woman in the big pond of NYC.
How to Be a Rock Critic
A solo play about the rock critic Lester Bangs constructs a portrait of his outsize personality, but doesn't answer the question posed by its title.
Hir
What you think you know—about gender, family dynamics or Steppenwolf—is up for debate in Taylor Mac’s charming and challenging work.
Late Company
Two families grit their teeth through a tense dinner party a year after one of them lost a teenage son to suicide.
The Bridges of Madison County
The musical adaptation gets bogged down in tying up loose ends, but it's the music and the affair we'll remember.
Ah, Wilderness!
The Goodman takes O’Neill’s aberrantly warm family comedy down from the shelf for an affable revival.
The King and I
Perhaps this touring production of the discomfiting chestnut should mark the end of its era.
Parade
Jason Robert Brown’s impressive score and a strong cast make for an enjoyable staging of the somewhat chilly musical.
Ragtime
Griffin reinvents Ragtime in a “chamber musical” revival that’s brimming with invention and heart.
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2016
The best Chicago theater of 2016
Despite offstage turmoil and uncertainty, Chicago stages offered no shortage of performances relevant and revelatory
The Christians
Playwright Lucas Hnath takes us to church in a provocative consideration of religious life, individual and organizational.
The Hunter and the Bear
PigPen Theatre Co. returns to Writers with a new, grief-tinged musical ghost story.
The Winner…of Our Discontent
The political is personal and pointed in Second City’s electrically current new revue.
The Fundamentals
Self-preservation is fundamental in Erika Sheffer’s workplace dramedy about getting ahead no matter what, or who, the cost.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Now on tour, the stage adaptation inventively takes us inside the mind of its unique protagonist.
Deer and the Lovers
A dead woodland creature shakes up a quartet of lovers in Emily Zemba’s new comedy.
I Am My Own Wife
About Face Theatre stages a reimagined production of Doug Wright’s play about an East German transgender woman who survived both the Nazi and Communist regimes.
Rutherford's Travels
Pegasus Theatre’s new adaptation of Charles Johnson’s allegorical adventure shoots right down the middle.
Fun Home
The groundbreaking, acutely perceptive musical is nicely retooled to tour—see it while you can.
The Magic Play
Brett Schneider uses his illusions to emotional effect in an inventive hybrid piece.
Longer! Louder! Wagner! The Second City Wagner Companion
Lyric Opera and Second City grab for the Ring and miss.
Hamilton
Nobody’s throwing away their shot in this top-shelf Chicago staging of the most talked-about new musical in years.
Wicked City
This noir-Greek musical mashup doesn't fully land punches on either side of its parody targets.
How We Got On
Idris Goodwin’s suburban fable of the early days of hip-hop is charming, if somewhat slight.
A Life Extra Ordinary
A pregnant woman disappears in a small Ohio town on Christmas Eve, and guides us through her life and death.
The City of Conversation
The talk goes in circles in Anthony Giardina’s slack political drama.
Hand to God
We’ve found religion: Praise be to the divine cast of this devilish comedy’s Chicago premiere.
The Bardy Bunch
Here's the story: I think you’ll love this goofy, gory parody of ’70s sitcoms and Shakespeare.
Cheers Live on Stage
A stage adaptation drawn from early episodes of the classic TV comedy is a faithful but hollow imitation of its source material.
In the Heights
Porchlight’s production doesn't reach all the heights, but it showcases several remarkable young talents.
Wonderful Town
Mary Zimmerman’s postcard to Bernstein’s NYC makes a persuasive case for the show’s title.
Naperville
There’s no place like Naperville in Mat Smart’s suburban meditation on community and connection.
You On the Moors Now
Literary heroines get dangerous in the Hypocrites’ raucous revisiting.
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2015
Gotta Dance
Age may be nothing but a number, but this by-the-numbers new musical needs more depth before it’s a gotta see.
The best Chicago theater of 2015
The best of this year in Chicago theater was defined by great characters.
Domesticated
Bruce Norris's biting comedy asks if philandering men are just naughty by nature.
The Heir Apparent
The sparkle is less apparent than usual in this David Ives adaptation of a French Restoration comedy.
Fallen Angels
A Noël Coward comedy revival doesn't hit bottom, but it doesn't fly too high either.
Beautiful—The Carole King Musical
Abby Mueller handily fills two pairs of big shoes at once: her titular character’s and her Tony-winning sister’s.
Fool Me Twice, Déjà Vu
You might think you've seen the Second City's 104th mainstage revue before, but give it the chance to revisit itself.
No More Sad Things
Two lost souls meet on a Maui beach and find an instant connection in Hansol Jung’s quirky world premiere.
Pilgrim's Progress
Brett Neveu's dysfunctional-family play takes a darkly comedic place in that pantheon by quoting its predecessors.
Marjorie Prime
Jordan Harrison pens a humane consideration of whether technology can substitute for humans.
Spill
TimeLine applies docudrama style to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
R+J: The Vineyard
A mixed Deaf/hearing treatment breathes new signs of life into the star-cross’d lovers’ tale.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago serves up kinetic William Forsythe program
Hubbard Street’s fall program provides a fascinating sample of Forsythe’s wide-ranging aesthetic.
The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence
If Watson’s second, who comes first? That’s the question of Madeleine George’s intensely brainy dramedy.
Marvin's Room
Illness necessitates a reunion between estranged sisters in Scott McPherson's 1990 family drama.
Good for Otto
A psychologist ministers to a range of adrift Connecticut residents in this new ensemble piece by Tony Award winner David Rabe.
The Black White Love Play
Black Ensemble impresario Jackie Taylor sets the romance of late film critic Roger Ebert and his wife, Chaz, to a pop soundtrack.
The Cheats
A new play from Hamish Linklater examines neighborly niceties and what remains unsaid.
Ride the Cyclone at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Six dead teenagers reflect on their lives—but this delightful Canadian chamber musical is far funnier, and more moving, than it sounds.
Blood Brothers
The long-running, long-winded British musical about a different kind of parent trap gets Theo Ubique's close-up treatment.
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
A goofy, sweet comedy about a social-climbing serial killer is one of the best new Broadway musicals in years.
Feathers and Teeth
Monsters, demons and grief hover in the corners of the Goodman's gory new comedy.
Gem of the Ocean
The 1900s installment of August Wilson's 10-play cycle isn't its crown jewel, but Court's production is packed with strong performances.
Side Show
The musical about a famous pair of conjoined twins gets a second life.
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2014
The best Chicago theater of 2014
From hyper-relevant local stories to thrilling musical revivals to a massive, multi-hour marathon of tragedy, these were the best Chicago plays of the year
Airline Highway
Playwright Lisa D'Amour parties with the down and out in New Orleans in her raucous Steppenwolf drama.
H.M.S. Pinafore
The Hypocrites expand their Gilbert & Sullivan Rep
Twist Your Dickens
The Second City and Goodman Theatre join forces to poke fun at A Christmas Carol.
Pericles
For being the noble prince of Tyre, Pericles can’t seem to catch a break.
Panic on Cloud 9
The Second City’s 103rd mainstage revue
Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake)
Sheila Callaghan's off-kilter tale is in sync with Jackalope's style.
The Mousetrap
The classic mystery gets a fine new staging at Northlight.
The Humans at American Theater Company
Playwright Stephen Karam is in rare form here, showing a remarkable ear for the way families converse. For all of the characters' woes, this is a warm, funny, sharply observed portrait of their abiding connections with one another.
Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale
The Twisted Sister frontman’s new holiday musical has potential, but like a new electric guitar, it needs a little tuning before it can really shred.
Great Expectations
Strawdog's stirring adaptation still lives up in a new remount.
The Hundred Flowers Project
Christopher Chen’s metatheatrical riff on Mao Zedong and the making of art is a tedious slog.
Camelot
Drury Lane mounts a lush, bracing new revival.
Strandline
Intriguing in places but impenetrable on the whole, Abbie Spallen’s drama leaves us stranded.
The King and I
The show's half-life is fading fast, but Heidi Kettenring dazzles as Anna.
Luce
JC Lee’s play explores adoption, education, and pushing back against being defined by your back story.
Titanic
This small-scale revival of the 1997 musical is well worth the voyage.
Amazing Grace
"Amazing" isn't the right adjective, not yet anyway, for this big new musical with Broadway intentions. "Ambitious" applies, certainly, but unfortunately "adequate" or "acceptable" would also work.
The Art of Falling
It's hard to imagine a more seamless marriage than the one between The Second City and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
Bethany
Desperate times bring out desperate measures in Laura Marks’s Great Recession story.
The Wild Party
This is a party you don’t want to be late for.
Sweeney Todd
Porchlight's new staging has a number of savory ingredients, but there's something off in the recipe.
The Night Alive
Conor McPherson's usual compassion for his characters is on full display here, but there's something else missing in Steppenwolf’s production: drive.
The Vandal
Hamish Linklater’s twisty tale receives an artful production at Steep.
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2013
Tribes at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
A deaf man struggles to be heard within his family in Nina Raine's affecting play.
Best of 2013: The best plays in Chicago theater
From achingly felt dramas to uproarious pop-culture comedies, 2013 was a strong year for Chicago theater.
A Q Brothers' Christmas Carol at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
The Q Brothers set Dickens to a beat.
We Three Lizas at About Face Theatre
For those in search of a little holiday irreverence, the revamped vamps of We Three Lizas could be singing your new favorite carol.
The Dead Prince at Strange Tree Group
A princess quests to bring the true love she never met back from the dead in Strange Tree's charming play-with-music.
An Iliad at Court Theatre
Timothy Edward Kane returns to his searing performance of Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson's solo piece in a remount at Court Theatre.
Appropriate at Victory Gardens Theater
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's biting new drama, which smartly avoids the clichés of family-secrets plays, is blisteringly acted at Victory Gardens.
Hellcab at Profiles Theatre
Paul Dillon returns to the driver's seat 21 years after the original production of Will Kern's Chicago tale.
The Peacock at Jackalope Theatre Company
Rising playwright Calamity West raises slippery questions of gender, power and violence in postwar academia.
Great Expectations at Strawdog Theatre Company
A stirring bit of storytelling brings Charles Dickens's story to life in a fashion that lives up to its title.
Port Authority at Writers Theatre
Three Dublin men reflect on what might have been in Conor McPherson's interlocking monologues, exquisitely acted in Writers Theatre's production.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Griffin Theatre Company
The sweet, small musical about kids who love to spell gets a letter perfect production at Griffin.
The Normal Heart at TimeLine Theatre Company
Larry Kramer's righteous AIDS agitprop proves all the more vital decades later.
Mary Poppins at Marriott Theatre
Grounded by Marriott's physical limitations, the stage version of Disney's magical nanny proves less than practically perfect.
Hello, Dolly! at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace
Tony Award–winner Karen Ziemba plays the musical matchmaker in a disappointingly tepid revival.
Harry & the Thief
You could say it’s the MTV’s ‘The Real World’ of Harriet Tubman time-travel comedies.
Smokefall at Goodman Theatre
Noah Haidle's affecting new play takes a fractured, poetic look at family and mortality.
Master Class at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Kelli Harrington impressively embodies Terrence McNally's cartoonish version of Maria Callas, but her students hardly register next to her.
Motortown at Steep Theatre Company
Joel Reitsma captivates as an unstable English soldier in Simon Stephens's raw but rather inscrutable 2005 work.
Broadsword
Marco Ramirez’s play about heavy metal and the supernatural finds more warmth and truth than that combination would suggest.
Signs of Life at Biograph Theater
A musical depicting art surviving even in a Nazi-controlled Jewish ghetto suffers from formulaic writing and inconsistent tone.
Pullman Porter Blues at Goodman Theatre
Like the train on which it takes place, this clunkily informative piece on the Pullman porters is swift, comfortable and earthbound.
Veronica's Room at Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
BoHo dusts off a far-fetched but effective thriller by the author of Rosemary's Baby.
4000 Miles at Northlight Theatre
A young man takes refuge in his aged grandmother's Manhattan apartment in Amy Herzog's delicate, truthful character study.
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2012
War Horse at Cadillac Palace Theatre
The much-hyped puppets impress, but they can’t carry slack storytelling.
The Book of Mormon at Bank of America Theatre
The joyfully vulgar musical comedy reaches heavenly heights with a Chicago cast that improves on the original.
The School for Lies at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
David Ives’s update of Molière is a charming blend of old School and new.
The ten best plays of 2012 in Chicago theater
We pick the year’s best productions.
The Feast of Saint MacGonagall at The Plagiarists
The Plagiarists come not to praise the inept poet William Topaz McGonagall but to bury him.
We Three Lizas at About Face Theatre
An embittered fashion designer is visited by three fabulously sequined spirits in Scott Bradley and Alan Schmuckler’s Seuss-like, delightfully queer new holiday piece.
The Letters at Writers’ Theatre
Kate Fry and Mark L. Montgomery captivate in this Soviet cat-and-mouse piece, but John W. Lowell’s script leaves us wanting.
American Storm at Theatre Seven of Chicago
Set in 1962 around a fictional Ohio horse-racing track, Carter W. Lewis’s small-town drama tries to live up to its title, presenting the American moment in microcosm.
The Gifts of the Magi at Porchlight Music Theatre
Like the presents in the titular O.Henry short story, this slight musical holiday card is undoubtedly well-meant but somewhat lacking in utility.
The Mikado at the Hypocrites
The Hypocrites mine Gilbert and Sullivan’s farcical operetta for every bit of fun.
James Joyce’s The Dead at Court Theatre
With a rich, ideal cast, this musical of loss and renewal hits hard.
Sister Act at Auditorium Theatre
The Broadway musical adaptation of the Whoopi Goldberg vehicle arrives on tour.
The Burnt Part Boys at Griffin Theatre Company
Set in rural West Virginia in 1962, The Burnt Part Boys tells a refreshingly simple, bluegrass-tinged tale.
The Nutcracker at the House Theatre of Chicago
The House’s take on the perennial tale is an engaging family-friendly treat.
breaks & bikes at Pavement Group
Like its protagonist, Mallery Avidon’s new play speeds along promisingly before meeting an unfortunate ending.
Toast of the Town at Factory Theater
The Factory’s high-energy Chicago-theater-world farce, first seen in 2005, gets a welcome remount.
i put the fear of méxico in ’em at Teatro Vista
The tensions along the U.S.-Mexico border are clearly worthy of reporting right now, but Matthew Paul Olmos’s grating new Tijuana-set work doesn’t fit the bill.
Bulrusher at Congo Square Theatre
Eisa Davis’s drama is frustrating but impeccably acted in Congo Square’s production.
The Quality of Life at the Den Theatre
Jane Anderson asks the big questions in this wry rumination on letting go.
QED at theatre4humanity
Peter Parnell’s bio-play about physicist Richard Feynman follows a familiar formula.
The Book Thief at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
An adaptation tries to squeeze a 560-page YA novel about Nazi Germany into two hours.
Kinky Boots at Bank of America Theatre
This very fun Broadway-bound musical has aces up its sleeve—and down its thigh.
Trainspotting USA at Book and Lyrics Theatricals
A transfer of Irvine Welsh’s junkie philosophers from Scotland to the heartland is intriguing if not wholly successful.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson at Bailiwick Chicago
A near-perfect emo-rock take on our seventh president proves everything Old Hickory is new again.
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2011
Twelve great performances in Chicago theater 2011
These dozen performances, presented in no particular order, stood out from the pack.
Twelve outstanding ensembles in Chicago theater 2011
These dozen shows’ casts offered thrilling onstage teamwork.
The ten best plays of 2011 in Chicago theater
We pick the year’s best productions.
Penelope at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Irish wordsmith Enda Walsh fleshes out the suitors of Odysseus’ wife in all their absurdity.
Elizabeth Rex at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Canadian playwright Timothy Findley’s flight of fancy has a strong bent toward presentism, particularly in its obsession with gender roles.
Changes of Heart at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Remy Bumppo recasts Marivaux’s 1723 commedia in 1960s Chicago, but that concept doesn’t really show up onstage.
Spring Awakening at Griffin Theatre
Jonathan Berry’s intimate production retains the honesty and energy of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s electrified teen-angst tale.
Striking 12 at Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
Four impressive actor-musicians power this thoroughly charming rock-concert retelling of “The Little Match Girl.”
Memphis at Cadillac Palace Theatre
Music melts racial barriers like soft-serve in Joe DiPietro and David Bryan’s pop-rock paean to radio rebels.
Burning Bluebeard at the Neo-Futurists
The Neo-Futurists’ blistering excavation of the Iroquois Theatre disaster is alternately wistful, sidesplitting and chill-inducing.
Sweet Confinement at SiNNERMAN Ensemble
Anna Carini’s portrait of a group of lifelong friends in crisis is skillfully plotted but underplayed.
Five Flights at Immediate Theatre
Immediate Theatre debuts with Adam Bock’s 2004 flight of fancy.
The Jackie Wilson Story at Black Ensemble Theater
Black Ensemble christens its new home with a remount of one of its most popular musical bios.
twentyone at the side project
Spring breakers on holiday in Mexico strive for life’s meaning and more beer in Brett Neveu’s cheeky 2004 play.
Let My People Come at Street Tempo Theatre
A goofy Off Broadway musical artifact encourages us to embrace our inner sex machines.
Assisted Living at Profiles Theatre
The parent becomes the child’s burden in Deirdre O’Connor’s affecting, sharply drawn family dramedy.
First Look 2011 at Steppenwolf Garage
New plays in development by Christina Anderson, Zayd Dohrn and Carly Mensch get the Steppenwolf treatment.
Maple and Vine at Next Theatre Company
Jordan Harrison takes us back in time, sort of, in this engaging thought experiment of a play.
Or, at Caffeine Theatre
Liz Duffy Adams makes Restoration playwright Aphra Behn the star of her own Restoration-style farce.
A Behanding in Spokane at Profiles Theatre
Darrell W. Cox has menace but not enough madness in the central role of Martin McDonagh’s half-handed black comedy.
The World Over at The State Theatre
Keith Bunin’s cautionary fable gets a DIY-style staging from The State Theatre.
In the Next Room or the vibrator play at Victory Gardens Theater
This hysterical take on hysteria in the electric age is Sarah Ruhl’s most appealing work, featuring an incandescent Kate Fry.
Red at Goodman Theatre
John Logan’s Tony-winning two-hander escapes its declamatory structure on the strength of its performances.
Snapshots at Northlight Theatre
This greatest-hits repurposing of Stephen Schwartz’s songs is pretty dreadful in its execution.
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2010
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Edward Albee's marital-strife drama no longer carries the shock value that scandalized 1962 audiences, but as Tracy Letts and Amy Morton prove in Steppenwolf's searing revival, it still has plenty of potential to upend expectations.
A Streetcar Named Desire
Director David Cromer casts fresh, revealing light on the Tennessee Williams classic.
Trust
David Schwimmer stages an earnest, well-meaning PSA posing as a play.
2008
Turn of the Century
Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice come to bury the American songbook, not to praise it.
Lipstick Traces
Pavement Group stages Kirk Lynn’s thrillingly helter-skelter take on punk rock and art history.
As Told By the Vivian Girls
Dog & Pony’s stunningly ambitious, fascinating performance piece is inspired by Henry Darger’s work.