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