Wherein I attempt to rank every show I’ve seen this year, a running list as the year unfolds, regardless of genre (theater, music, dance). Note, the company I keep is not a factor, though it often redeems the lesser of such evenings. If I’ve written about them, links are provided. If I published a review, it is linked.

Previous Years: 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Company/Broadway in Chicago/November 1

West Side Story/Lyric Opera/June 2

Bruce Springsteen/Fiserv Forum/March 7

1776/Broadway in Chicago/March 1

The Who’s Tommy/Goodman Theatre/June 26

Frankenstein/Joffrey Ballet/October 12

Don’t Quit Your Daydream/The Second City/June 7

Candide/Skylight Music Theatre/October 29

A Wonderful World/Broadway in Chicago/October 13

Another Marriage/Steppenwolf/July 18

The Lehman Trilogy/Broadway Playhouse/September 27 

POTUS/Steppenwolf/November 5

Joffrey For All/Pritzker Pavilion/June 25

A Christmas Carol/Goodman Theatre/November 26

The October Storm/Raven Theatre/June 1

The Cherry Orchard/Goodman Theatre/April 10

Proximity/Lyric Opera/March 26