Chicago is a fantastic theater town. There are many big theaters, but there are great small theaters performing in church basements and storefronts. This is where real Chicago theater lives- in the performances where you could reach out and touch the actors. There are over 200 theaters producing great innovative work for almost every taste. Most of them are listed at the League of Chicago Theatres.
Here is my basic quick guide to Chicago theaters and tips for seeing theater on the cheap.
Reviews appear in the Sun Times, Tribune, Chicago Reader and TimeOut Chicago. Timeout even has their “17 theatre shows to see this fall” article for some quick recommendations.
Below is a breakdown of some of the many kinds of theater and dance going on in Chicago and you can pick the time which interests you most.
Movement Based Theater
Check out: The Building Stage, Redmoon (this year their Great Chicago Fire Festival opens October4 , I have been told there will be a burning building on a river), The House, TUTA (The Utopian Theatre Asylum- the first play I saw there was an adaptation of a Peter Handke novel and performed without speaking), Lookingglass (they are particularly known for their Lookingglass Alice- expect to see someone dangle from a rope), 500 Clown (you haven’t seen Macbeth until you’ve seen it done by three actors with comedia dell’arte and clown training, some of their members will be in residence at the Smart museum this fall), or The House Theatre (their play about a director turning Ahab-like while trying to direct a theatrical version of Moby Dick is getting lots of early buzz).
New Plays
Chicago Dramatists, New Leaf, Theatre Oobleck (always free if you’re broke and amazing writing) Curious Theater Branch, Victory Gardens Theatre or Collaboraction (which hosts an annual sketchbook).
Plays with a literary bent or literary adaptations
Lifeline (they specialize in literary adaptations –full disclosure I am an ensemble member here- this year you get adaptations of Jane Eyre, One Came Home and a comic book musical Soon I Will be Invincible), Remy Bumppo, or Writer’s (although you have to make the trip to Glencoe and the ticket price is steep). The Hypocrites are doing a 12-hour marathon of 32 greek tragedies compiled into a single epic day of theater.
Improv
Sure you can go to The Second City and they are great but try the long-running classic Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind at the NeoFuturists or IO or ComedySportz. They are all cheaper options for seeing improv.
Musicals
New Tuners, Porchlight, Light Opera Works specialize in musicals.
Specialized Theatrical Missions
Eclipse does a season of one playwright, TimeLine does plays in set history that resonate with current social issues (full disclosure – I am a company member there), Silk Road does plays that focus on the countries along the silk road and their Diaspora communities. Rasaka has a South Asian ensemble, Black Ensemble Theatre and Congo Square have African American Ensembles, Teatro Vista has a Latino ensemble, About Face focuses on plays that speak to the LGBT community, Akavit Theatre does plays Scandinavian playwrights and Irish Theatre of Chicago does Irish plays. WildClaw Theatre is devoted to horror. Backroom Shakespeare Project does performances of Shakespeare in the back rooms of bars. These are often standing room only occasions.
The Big Theaters
These companies have big theaters and budgets to produce plays on a large scale. However many of them have those small theater roots. Steppenwolf started in a church basement and Chicago Shakespeare on the roof of a bar.Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, The Goodman, Northlight, The Court (on the U of C campus you have no excuse not to go).
Touring shows
Other theaters downtown under the auspices of Broadway in Chicago feature big touring shows but I stress this is not Chicago-grown theater, but if you need to see Annie or The Jersey Boys right now this is where you should go.
Best of Theater
The Department of Cultural Affairs Theater houses various Chicago theaters throughout the year (this year they will be home to the well regarded Red Tape Theatre and TUTA) and Theater on the Lake remounts some of the best small theater productions of the previous year during the summer so if you miss plays all year you can still see some in the summer.
Dance
There is a lot of dance in Chicago as well. I recommend joining See Chicago Dance for updates on smaller dance performances. If you want the big old established companies you’ll want to look at The Joffrey Ballet, or Hubbard Street for modern. If you like dancing look for classes or if you are here in the summer Chicago Summer Dance has free dance meet ups in city parks.
“Yes, but I am a poor graduate student,” you say? There are many opportunities to see Chicago theater on for less.
Student Discounts
You are a student. Be sure to ask or look for the student rate. Most theaters offer substantially reduced ticket prices to students. Plus your student ID functions as your Arts Pass and gets you in to free or discounted shows at many museums theaters and other arts organizations. Here is a full list of Arts Pass partner organizations.
Hottix
Hottix has discounted tickets to most shows playing in Chicago and you can now buy on line rather than go to their limited ticket locations.
Previews
Preview performances happen the week before a play opens and the tickets are often much cheaper than later in the run. Some companies also ask for feedback on the play so you can help them develop a production. Call the box office or get on a theater’s email list or follow them on facebook if you want information on discounted tickets.
Industry nights
Industry nights are designed for poor actors but they are often open to poor students on an off night of the week like a Wednesday or when the press is coming and they would like a full house be sure to ask the box office if they have any discounts.
Volunteer
You can see many performances for free if you volunteer. The Saints in Chicago is an organization that ushers in exchange for tickets. Many great dance and performance pieces happen at Links Hall, the home of Chicago Dancemaker’s Forum and they rely heavily on volunteers. If you have a favorite company email them to see if they need help. You could see a show for free and get valuable experience. The Chicago Humanities Festival also has many free tickets for students or free spots for volunteers.
Maren’s Picks for Fall
Jane Eyre at Lifeline and Great Expectations at Strawdog for all the Victorianists, The Whale Ship Essex at Shattered Globe followed by The House Theatre’s Season on the Line will give you the full Moby Dick experience, All Our Tragic by the Hypocrites, for the die-hard Classicists, The Great Chicago Fire Festival, at Redmoon will be magical, Smokefall at the Goodman, Danny Casolaro Died for You at TimeLine, for anyone paranoid about government surveillance of U.S. Citizens, Native Son at the Court Theatre, Nambi Kelley’s new adaptation should be great and Jerod Haynes is a powerhouse actor. Usman Ally playing many characters in Let Me Down Easy at American Theatre Company should be stunning, catch a Backroom Shakespeare Production or Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind at the Neofuturists if you want a fun night out of Hyde Park.
Feel free to drop by my office for tailored recommendations.
