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, art). 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: 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Constellations/Steppenwolf/June 1

Hamilton/Broadway In Chicago/October 19

The Nutcracker/Joffrey Ballet/December 10

Fall Series/Hubbard Street Dance Chicago/November 17

Das Rheingold/Lyric Opera/October 1

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time/Broadway In Chicago/December 7

Me, My Mom and Sharmila/Steppenwolf LookOut/September 24

Caetano Veloso/Symphony Center/October 16

Carlyle/Goodman Theatre/April 11

The Christians/Steppenwolf/December 8

Fun Home/Broadway In Chicago/November 3

Mary Page Marlowe/Steppenwolf/April 12

Visiting Edna/Steppenwolf/September 24

Romeo & Juliet/Joffrey Ballet/October 13

The Magic Play/Goodman/November 1

Soups, Stews, and Casseroles: 1976/Goodman Theatre/May 31

Spring Series/Hubbard Street Dance/March 17

Le Switch/About Face/January 22

If/Then/Broadway In Chicago/February 24

Between Riverside and Crazy/Steppenwolf/July 12

In the Time of the Butterflies/Teatro Vista/May 15

Anton Bruckner, Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat, “Romantic”/Grant Park Music Festival/July 16

Cabaret/Broadway In Chicago/February 10

War Paint/Goodman Theatre/July 18

The Flick/Steppenwolf/February 11

Bernarda Alba and her House/Poetry Is Productions/January 2

Sketchbook Festival 15: Life/Collaboraction/January 14

The Fundamentals/Steppenwolf/November 19

Another Word for Beauty/Goodman Theatre/January 25

The King and I/Lyric Opera/April 30