* 2009-2010 Chicago Theater Season *
For short synopsis of play, hover your arrow over “info”,
or click on “info” to go to show’s website.
Click on review to read our review of the respective play.
Opening Nights:
| Aug 30 | The Taming of the Shrew (info), by W. Shakespeare – Theo Ubique review |
| Aug 31 | All My Sons (info), by Arthur Miller – Timeline Theatre review |
| Sept 1 | Saints and Sinners (info), by Vicki Quade – Royal George Theatre |
| Sept 5 | Last of My Species (info), by Lasko/Stalling/Maugeri/Hunter – Redmoon |
| Sept 8 | Mistakes Were Made (info), by Craig Wright – A Red Orchid Theatre review |
| The Night Season (info), by Rebecca Lenkiewicz – Vitalist Theatre review | |
| Sep 10 | Cotton Patch Gospel (info), by Harry Chapin – Provision Theater review |
| Fake (info) by Eric Simonson – Steppenwolf Theatre review | |
| Man of La Mancha (info) by Wasserman/Darion/Leigh – Theatre at Center | |
| The Miracle Worker (info), by William Gibson – Village Players | |
| Yeast Nation (info), by Hollmann and Kotis – American Theatre Co review | |
| Schoolhouse Rock Live!, (info) – Mary’s Attic | |
| Sep 11 | The Fantasticks (info), by Jones and Schmidt – Porchlight Theatre review |
| Black Comedy (info), by Peter Shaffer – Piccolo Theatre review | |
| boom, (info), by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb – Next Theatre review | |
| Treasure Island (info), by Robert Louis Stevenson - Lifeline Theatre review | |
| Year Zero (info), by Michael Golamco - Victory Gardens (at the Biograph) | |
| Sep 12 | Stoop Stories, (info), by Dael Orlandersmith – Goodman Theatre review |
| Village of K_ (info), by Clint Sheffer – Bruised Orange Theater Company | |
| The Importance of Being Earnest (info), by Oscar Wilde – Guthrie Theater | |
| Sep 15 | Beethoven, As I Knew Him (info), by H.Felder – Cleveland Playhouse |
| Sep 17 | Ma Rainey’s Big Black Bottom (info), August Wilson – Court Theatre review |
| The Marvelous Wonderettes (info), by Roger Bean – Northlight Theatre | |
| Sep 19 | Animal Crackers (info), by Kaufman/Ryskind/Kalmar/Ruby –Goodman review |
| Sep 20 | The Hostage (info), by Brendan Behan – Griffin Theatre review |
| Sep 23 | Richard III (info), by William Shakespeare – Chicago Shakespeare review |
| Hairspray (info), by Shaiman/O’Donnell/Meehan – Marriott Theatre review | |
| Sep 24 | Billy Bishop Goes To War (info) – Kevin Lahvic Studio |
| Resurrection (info), by Daniel Beaty – ETA Creative Arts Foundation | |
| 12 Ophelias: A Play with Broken Songs (info), by Caridad Svich – Trap Door Theatre review |
|
| SunChoke (info), by Josh Arteaga – Rodez Productions | |
| Sep 25 | The 100 Dresses (info), by Covert/Mills – Chicago Children’s Theatre review |
| The Mercy Seat (info), by Neil LaBute – Profiles Theater review | |
| The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (info), by Kristoffer Diaz – Victory Gardens review |
|
| Vamp 2 (info) – New Millennium Theatre | |
| An Apology for the Course and Outcome of Certain Events Delivered by John Faustus on That His Final Evening (info), by Mickle Maher – Theater Oobleck review |
|
| Ten Square (info), by Shepsu Aakhu – Pegasus Players | |
| Sep 26 | Fear (info), by Claff, Hawkins, Bockley, Johnston, Myers, Velarde, McGovern, Kerr-Hobert. – Neo-Futurists review |
| The Sublime Beauty of Hands (info), by M. Montenegro – Theatre Zarko | |
| Tosca (info), by Giacomo Puccini – Lyric Opera | |
| Sep 27 | St. Crispin’s Day (info), by Matt Pepper – Strawdog Theatre Co review |
| Sep 29 | The Message is in the Music (info), by Jackie Taylor – Black Ensemble Theater |
| Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (info), by Tom Stoppard – Writers’ Theatre review |
|
| Sep 30 | Fedra: Queen of Haiti (info), by J. Nicole Brooks – Lookingglass Theatre |
| Oct 1 | Lucinda’s Bed (info), by Mia McCullough – Chicago Dramatists review |
| Kill the Old Torture Their Young (info), by David Harrower – Steep Theatre review |
|
| Ivanov (info), by Anton Chekhov – SiNNERMAN Ensemble review | |
| Oct 2 | 1001 (info), by Jason Grote – DePaul University Theatre School |
| Obamanation: Revised Edition! (info) – by 4 Days Later – Red Ink review | |
| Oct 4 | C’est la Vie (info), by Gregg Opelka – Light Opera Works |
| Oct 5 | Mouse in a Jar (info), by Maryna Majok – Red Tape Theatre review |
| A Streetcar Named Desire (info), by Tennessee Williams – Polarity Theatre | |
| Faust (info), by Charles Gounod – Lyric Opera | |
| Oct 6 | Death of a Salesman (info), by Arthur Miller – Raven Theatre review |
| Ten Square (info), by Shepsu Aakhu – MPAACT and Pegasus Players | |
| Oct 7 | The Dreamers (info) – Apollo Theater Studio |
| Oct 8 | Rhymes with Evil (info), by Charles R. Traeger – InFusion Theatre |
| If All the World Were Paper (info), by Tim Webb – Chicago Children’s Theatre | |
| Oct 9 | Anton in Show Business (info), by Jane Martin – Lighted Match Theatre |
| Oct 10 | Lettice and Lovage (info), by Peter Shaffer – Redtwist Theatre review |
| Oct 12 | Two by Pinter: ‘The Lover’ and ‘The Collection’ (info), by Harold Pinter – Piven Theatre Workshop review |
| Oct 13 | Cats (info), by Webber / Eliot – Cadillac Palace Theatre |
| The House on Mango Street (info), by Tanya Saracho – Steppenwolf | |
| Oct 14 | Heroes (info), by Tom Stoppard – Remy Bumppo review |
| Carpenters Halloween (info), by J. Carpenter – Scooty & JoJo Show review | |
| Oct 15 | The Flowers, (info), by Adam Bock – About Face Theatre |
| Bastards of Young (info), assorted 1-acts – Tympanic Theatre | |
| Oct 16 | Man of La Mancha (info), by Wasserman/Darion/Leigh – Theo Ubique review |
| The Last Unicorn (info), by Beagle/Rutherford – Promethean Theatre | |
| Pride and Prejudice (info), by Calvit/Austen – GreenMan Theatre | |
| You Can’t Take It with You (info), by Kaufman/Hart – Village Players review | |
| Games People Play (info), by Victor Gulley – Chicago Center for the Performing Arts |
|
| Sleepy Hollow (info), adapted by Tyler Beattie – Filament Theatre | |
| Theatre of Souls (info), by Joe Kennedy/Michael Kopala – Village Players | |
| The Flowers (info), by Adam Bock – About Face Theatre | |
| Oct 17 | Dooby Dooby Moo (info), by Grote/Howe – Lifeline Theatre |
| Votes for Women! (info), by Elizabeth Robin – ShawChicago review | |
| Faith Healer (info), by Brian Friel – Guthrie Theater | |
| The Glorious Ones (info), by Ahrens and Flaherty – Boho Theatre | |
| Oct 21 | Of Mice and Men (info), by John Steinbeck – Columbia College |
| Frankenstein (info), adapted by Sean Graney – The Hypocrites review | |
| Silk Road Cabaret: Broadway Sings the Silk Road (info) – Silk Road Theatre Project |
|
| Oct 22 | Thoroughly Modern Millie (info), by Tesori/Scanlan/Morris – Drury Lane Oakbrook |
| Oct 23 | Spoon River Anthology (info), by Edgar Lee Masters – St. Sebastian Players |
| Oct 24 | Arsenic and Old Lace (info), by Joseph Kesselring – Northwestern Univ. |
| Oct 25 | Tell It & Speak It & Think It & Breathe It (info) – Ruckus Theater |
| These Shining Lives (info), by Melanie Marnich – Rivendell Theatre review | |
| Oct 27 | Ernani (info), by Giuseppe Verdi – Lyric Opera review |
| Oct 28 | The Walworth Farce (info), by Enda Walsh – Chicago Shakespeare |
| Oct 29 | End Days (info), by Deborah Zoe Laufer – Next Theatre |
| Oct 31 | High Holidays (info), by Alan Gross – Goodman Theatre |
| Nov 3 | Young Frankenstein (info), by Mel Brooks/Thomas Meehan – Cadillac Palace |
| Nov 5 | As You Like It (info), by William Shakespeare – Loyola University |
| Nov 6 | Horrible (info), by Josh Zagoren – Hobo Junction Productions |
| Phedra (info), by Jean Baptise Racine – New World Repertory | |
| Nov 7 | When She Danced (info), by Martin Sherman – Timeline Theatre |
| Gossamer (info), by Lois Lowry – Adventure Stage | |
| Nov 11 | He Who Gets Slapped (info), by Leonid Andreyev – Columbia College |
| Nov 12 | All The Fame of Lofty Deeds (info), by Mark Guarino – House Theatre |
| Democracy (info), by Romulus Linney – Eclipse Theatre | |
| The Mystery of Irma Vep (info), by Charles Ludlam – Court Theatre | |
| Souvenir (info), by Stephen Temperley – Northlight Theatre | |
| The Christmas Schooner (info), by Reeger and Shannon – Theatre at the Center |
|
| Mass (info), by Leonard Bernstein – Northwestern University | |
| How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found (info), by Richard Cotovsky – Mary-Arrchie Theatre |
|
| Nov 13 | The Addams Family (info), by Brickman/Elice/Lippa – Oriental Theatre |
| A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant (info), by Kyle Jarrow – A Red Orchid Youth Ensemble |
|
| A Christmas Carol (info), by Charles Dickens/Alan Menken – Marriott Theatre | |
| Holmes and Watson: A Musical Mystery (info), by Beecham/Hillgartner – Milwaukee Repertory |
|
| Nov 16 | Cooperstown (info), by Brian Golden – Theatre Seven |
| Nov 17 | Rewind (info), by Laura Eason – the side project |
| Oh Coward! (info), by Roderick Cook – Writers’ Theatre | |
| Nov 18 | A Christmas Carol (info), by Charles Dickens – Drury Lane Oakbrook |
| Nov 19 | Carnival Nocturne (info) – Silent Theatre Company at DCA Theatre |
| Fat B*tch (info), by Erica Watson – Chicago Center for the Performing Arts | |
| Banana Shpeel – Cirque du Soleil (info) – Cirque du Soleil at Chicago Theatre | |
| Nov 20 | Winter Pageant (info) - Redmoon |
| Miracle on 34th Street (info), adapted by Snyder/Severin/Vreeke – Porchlight Music Theatre |
|
| Aunt Dan and Lemon (info), by Wallace Shawn – Backstage Theatre | |
| A Christmas Carol (info), by Charles Dickens – Goodman Theatre | |
| Perseus and Medusa: Or it’s all Greek to me! (info), by Jessica Puller - Piccolo Theatre |
|
| Nov 21 | The Pillowman (info), by Martin McDonagh – Redtwist Theatre |
| Nov 22 | Peter Gallagher, Don’t Give Up on Me (info) – Drury Lane Water Tower |
| Katya Kabanova (info), by Leoš Janáček – Lyric Opera | |
| Nov 24 | The Ten Tenors Holiday Show (info) – Broadway in Chicago |
| The Lady with All the Answers (info), by David Rambo – Milwaukee Rep | |
| Nov 27 | It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play (info), by Capra – American Theater |
| Nov 28 | Those Silly Reindeer (info) – Lil Buds Theatre |
| Dec 3 | American Buffalo (info), by David Mamet – Steppenwolf Theatre |
| Chad Morton’s TV Christmas Miracle (info), by Jack Crowe – Village Players | |
| Dec 5 | A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant (info), by Kyle Jarrow – Next Theatre |
| The Merry Widow (info), by Franz Lehar – Lyric Opera | |
| Dec 9 | My Fair Lady (info), by Lerner and Lowe – Marriott Theatre |
| Dec 10 | Desire (info), by Franz Xaver Kroetz – Trap Door Theatre |
| Dec 15 | In the Heights (info), by Lin-Manuel Miranda/Quiara Alegría Hudes – Broadway in Chicago |
| Dec 26 | The Pirates of Penzance (info), by Gilbert & Sullivan – Light Opera Works |
| ====== | ========================================================= |
| 2010 | |
| Jan 3 | The Last of Dragons (info), by Bareford / Fiksel / Hamman / Balestrieri – Lifeline Theatre |
| Jan 6 | Private Lives (info), by Noel Coward – Chicago Shakespeare Theatre |
| Jan 7 | 24th Annual Young Playwrights’ Festival (info) – Pegasus Players |
| Yoni Ki Baat (info) – Rasaka Theatre and Premiere Theatre & Performance | |
| Killer Joe (info), by Tracy Letts – Profiles Theatre | |
| Jan 8 | I Am My Own Wife (info), – Boho Theatre |
| Pearl Bailey…By Request (info), by White and Jones II – Milwaukee Rep | |
| Rabbit Hole (info), by David Lindsay-Abair – Steel Beam Theatre | |
| Jan 14 | No Exit (info), by Jean-Paul Sartre – The Hypocrites |
| The Year of Magical Thinking (info), by Joan Didion – Court Theatre | |
| Jan 15 | Lost in Yonkers (info), by Neil Simon – Village Players |
| Jan 16 | The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs (info) – Emerald City Theatre |
| Jan 17 | Mary’s Wedding (info), by Stephen Massicotte – Rivendell Theatre |
| Jan 19 | Dreamgirls (info), by Henry Krieger/Tom Eyen – Broadway in Chicago |
| Mamma Mia! (info), by Catherine Johnson/Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus – Broadway in Chicago (at Rosemont Theatre) |
|
| Jan 21 | The Brother/Sister Play (info), by Tarell Alvin McCraney – Steppenwolf |
| Awake & Sing! (info), by Clifford Odets – Northlight Theatre | |
| Savage in Limbo (info), by John Patrick Shanley – Village Players | |
| Jan 23 | ‘Master Harold’…and the Boys (info), by Athol Fugard – Timeline Theatre |
| Short Shakespeare! The Comedy of Errors (info), adapted by David H. Bell – Chicago Shakespeare Theatre |
|
| The Elixir of Love (info), by Gaetano Donizetti – Lyric Opera | |
| Jan 27 | Taming of The Shrew (info), by William Shakespeare – Provision Theater |
| The Island (info), by Athol Fugard – Remy Bumppo | |
| Jan 29 | The American Pilot (info), by David Greig – Northwestern Univ. |
| Jan 30 | MacBeth (info), by William Shakespeare – Guthrie Theater |
| That Face (info), by Polly Stenham – Redtwist Theatre | |
| Feb 2 | The Old Settler (info), by John Henry Redwood – Writers’ Theatre |
| August: Osage County (info), by Tracy Letts – Broadway in Chicago | |
| Feb 3 | What Once We Felt (info), by Ann Marie Healy – About Face Theatre |
| Feb 4 | Wilson Wants It All (info) – House Theatre |
| Return to Haifa (info), by Ibrahim Miari – Next Theatre | |
| Feb 5 | Mrs. Caliban (info), by Rachel Ingalls – Lifeline Theatre |
| Abigail’s Party,(info), by Mike Leigh - A Red Orchid Theatre | |
| Feb 6 | The Philanderer (info), by George Bernard Shaw – ShawChicago Theater |
| Feb 10 | The Wild Party (info), by Lachiusa and Wolfe – Columbia College |
| Feb 11 | Brief Encounter (info) by Noel Coward/E. Rice – Guthrie/KneehighTheatre |
| The Gimmick (info), by Dael Orlandersmith – Pegasus Players | |
| Feb 16 | Twelve Angry Men (info), by Reginald Rose – Raven Theatre |
| The 101 Dalmatians (info), by B.T. McNicholl/Dennis DeYoung – BIC | |
| Feb 17 | Fiddler on the Roof (info), by Bock/Harnick/Stein – Marriott Theatre |
| Feb 18 | The Who’s Tommy (info), by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff – Northwestern University |
| Feb 19 | Noises Off (info), by Michael Frayn – Theatre at the Center |
| A Night of One-Act Chekhov Comedies (info), by Anton Chekhov – Saint Sebastian Players |
|
| Feb 20 | The Damnation of Faust (info), by Hector Berlioz – Lyric Opera |
| Feb 21 | Uncle Vanya (info), by Anton Chekov – Strawdog Theatre Company |
| Feb 23 | A Separate Peace (info), by John Knowles – Steppenwolf Theatre |
| Feb 28 | The Marriage of Figaro (info), by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Lyric Opera |
| Mar 2 | An Evening with Patti Lupone & Mandy Patinkin (info) – BIC |
| Mar 4 | The DNA Trail (info), conceived by Jamil Khoury – Silk Road Theatre |
| Mar 5 | The Handmaid’s Tale (info), by Margaret Atwood and Catherine M. Hardy – Northwestern University |
| Mar 8 | Number of People (info), by Emilie Beck – Piven Theatre |
| Chess the Musical (info), by Rice/Alvaeus/Andersson – Theo Ubique | |
| Mar 11 | The Illusion (info), by Tony Kushner – Court Theatre |
| AjaxAntigone (info), by Sophocles – State Theatre | |
| Mar 15 | Chorus Line (info), by Kirkwood/Dante/Kleban/Hamlisch – Village Players |
| Mar 17 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses (info), by C. Hampton – Remy Bumppo |
| Uncle Vanya (info), by Anton Chekhov – Chicago Shakespeare Theatre | |
| Mar 18 | A Life (info), by Hugh Leonard – Northlight Theatre |
| Billy Elliot the Musical (info), by Elton John/Lee Hall – Broadway in Chicago | |
| Mar 26 | Mud (info), by Maria Irene Fornes – Village Players |
| The Shipment (info), by Young Jean Lee – MCA Stage | |
| Mar 27 | Equus (info), by Peter Shaffer – Redtwist Theatre |
| Apr 1 | Endgame (info), by Samuel Beckett – Steppenwolf Theatre |
| Apr 7 | The Hiding Place (info), by Tim Gregory – Provision Theater |
| The Taming of the Shrew (info), by William Shakespeare – Chicago Shakes | |
| Apr 8 | Girls vs. Boys (info), by C. Mathews, J. Minton, N. Allen – House Theatre |
| Apr 9 | Into the Woods (info), by Lapine/Sondheim – Porchlight Music Theatre |
| Air Guitar High (info), by Laura Schellhardt – Northwestern University | |
| Apr 10 | Hello Again (info), – Boho Theatre |
| Apr 14 | An Ideal Husband (info), by Oscar Wilde – Columbia College |
| Apr 15 | Cabaret (info), by Masteroff / Kander & Ebb – The Hypocrites |
| War With the Newts (info), by Jason Loewith/Justin Palmer – Next Theatre | |
| Apr 17 | The Farnsworth Invention (info), by Aaron Sorkin – Timeline Theatre |
| M. Butterfly (info), by David Henry Hwang – Guthrie Theater | |
| The Doctor’s Dilemma (info), by George Bernard Shaw – ShawChicago | |
| Mose in Egitto (info), by Gioachino Rossini – Chicago Opera Theater | |
| Apr 19 | Annie (info), by C. Strouse/M. Charnin/T. Meehan – Broadway in Chicago |
| Apr 22 | I Do! I Do! (info), by Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt – Theatre at the Center |
| Jade Heart (info), by Will Cooper – Chicago Dramatists | |
| Apr 24 | The Good Soul of Szechuan (info), by Bertolt Brecht – Strawdog Theatre |
| Giasone (info), by Francesco Cavalli – Chicago Opera Theater | |
| Apr 28 | The Drowsy Chaperone (info), by Martin/McKellar/Lambert/Morrison – Marriott Theatre |
| Apr 29 | Sweet Tea (info), by E. Patrick Johnson – About Face Theatre |
| Apr 30 | Neverwhere (info), by Neil Gaiman – Lifeline Theatre |
| Nunsense (info), by Dan Goggin – Saint Sebastian Players | |
| May 3 | Love of the Nightingale (info), by Timberlake Wertenbaker – Red Tape |
| May 4 | A Streetcar Named Desire (info), by Tennessee Williams – Writers’ Theatre |
| May 6 | The Musical of Musicals (info), by Rockwell / Bogart – Pegasus Players |
| May 8 | Three Decembers (info), by Jake Heggie – Chicago Opera Theater |
| May 13 | Chaste (info), by Ken Prestininzi – Trap Door Theatre |
| Linear A. (info), by Ryan Dolley – Ruckus Theater | |
| Sizwe Banzi Is Dead (info), by Athol Fugard/Kani/Ntshona – Court Theatre | |
| May 14 | The Marriage of Bette and Boo (info), by C. Durang – Village Players |
| May 18 | The Odd Couple (info), by Neil Simon – Raven Theatre |
| May 19 | The 39 Steps (info), by Alfred Hitchcock – Broadway in Chicago |
| May 21 | A Midsummer Night’s Dream (info), by W. Shakespeare – Northwestern Univ. |
| May 22 | Dollhouse (info), by Rebecca Gilman / Henrik Ibsen – Guthrie Theater |
| May 23 | Beauty and the Beast (info), by Menken/Ashman/Rice/Woolverton – BIC |
| May 27 | Low Down Dirty Blues (info), by Myler and Wheetman – Northlight Theatre |
| June 5 | Misery (info), by Simon Moore – Redtwist Theatre |
| June 10 | Polaroid Stories (info), by Naomi IIizuka – Village Players |
| June 18 | Ghosts (info), – Boho Theatre |
| June 30 | Once On This Island (info), by Ahrens and Flaherty – Marriott Theatre |
| July 1 | A Parallelogram (info), by Bruce Norris – Steppenwolf Theatre |
| July 8 | Jesus Christ Superstar! (info), by Rice and Weber – Theatre at the Center |
| July 13 | She Stoops to Conquer (info), by Oliver Goldsmith – Guthrie Theater |
| Shrek the Musical (info), by Tesori/Lindsay-Abaire – Broadway in Chicago | |
| July 19 | Late: A Cowboy Song (info), by Sarah Ruhl – Piven Theater |
| July 24 | Incident at Vichy (info), by Arthur Miller – Redtwist Theatre |
NOTE: This schedule is a work-in-progress, and will be added to as upcoming productions become known. In the meantime, thanks for your patience. Please send any corrections or additions my way: scotty@whimzee.net. Regarding additions, the more info you can supply, including links to the director, playwrights, productions, etc., the faster I can post your show(s). Also – very important – this page will only list those shows running 2 weekends or more. Due to space issues, I have decided it best not to list those shows being performed only once or for one weekend (i.e., not an extended run). Thanks.
Will Mama Mia be playing this summer in Chicago? 2010 that is!
Will anything similar be in Chicago from May – Oct