Theatre entertainment in Great Lakes
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Redmoon Theater
The interaction of humans and puppets is key to the magical, haunting adaptations of classic works like Moby Dick and new commissions like The Princess Club, a fairly twisted look at children’s fairy tales. The innovative nonprofit troupe, headed up by performance artists Blair Thomas and Jim Lasko, never fails to mesmerize. Be ready – the puppets can get downright creepy.
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Victory Gardens Theater
Long established and playwright-friendly, Victory Gardens specializes in world premieres of plays by Chicago authors. The Wall St Journal called it ‘one of the most important playwright theaters in the US.’ It’s located in the historic Biograph Theater, where bank robber John Dillinger – aka Public Enemy Number One – was shot in 1934.
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Trap Door Theatre
This ragtag operation once had to hold a fundraiser to purchase a bathroom for its tiny theater, but it is starting to draw bigger audiences for its consistently great productions of European avant-garde plays and originals. A recent production of The Bitter Tears of Petra Van Kant won three illustrious local After Dark awards.
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American Theater Company
ATC has been around for more than a quarter century, putting on both new and established works by American playwrights. To give a sampling: the 2010 season included Speed the Plow by David Mamet, a new R-rated version of the musical Grease and a world premiere by Dan LeFranc titled The Big Meal.
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Chicago Dramatists
For a visit to the heart of Chicago’s dramatic scene, step into this small, functional theater space, a testing ground for Chicago’s new playwrights and plays. It’s no surprise that this embracing environment has earned stunning results; current resident playwrights are Emmy nominee Susan Lieberman and Nambi E Kelly.
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Court Theatre
A classical company hosted by the University of Chicago, the Court focuses on great works from the Greeks to Shakespeare, and various international plays not often performed in the USA. The 2010 season saw Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women and Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess among the lineup.
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Royal George Theatre
The Royal George is actually three theaters in one building. The cabaret venue stages long-running mainstream productions such as Late Nite Catechism, a nun-centered comedy. The main stage presents works with big-name stars, and the gallery hosts various improv and small-troupe works.
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Black Ensemble Theater
This well-established group saw its fledgling production of The Jackie Wilson Story attract wide attention and national tours. The focus here has long been on original productions about the African American experience through mostly historical, biographical scripts.
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Prop Thtr
This long-running troupe presents fresh stage adaptations of literary works by serious writers, from Nabokov to William Burroughs. The well-executed productions are typically dark in theme. Prop Thtr is a big part of the buzzed-about annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival.
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Bailiwick Arts Center
This facility boasts two stages seeing a constant stream of productions of all walks from the resident Bailiwick Repertory. The high quality of performances have won many civic honors, including an induction to Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
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Factory Theater
This company has been staging ridiculous (Poppin’ and Lockdown 2: Dance the Right Thing) and marginally serious plays for over 15 years. It still maintains a nervy, irreverent edge that makes its schedule a must for Chicago theater and comedy fans.
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Next Theatre Company
Like many of Chicago’s most exciting companies, Next was founded in the ’80s and has grown into one of the region’s most dynamic, celebrated performance spaces, encouraging local premieres.
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