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: 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
Doris Salcedo/MCA/May 24
The Herd/Steppenwolf/April 14
An Evening with Kurt Elling/Grant Park Music Festival/August 12
The Secret Garden/Court Theatre/May 30
Grupo Corpo/Auditorium Theatre/February 28
This is Modern Art (Based on True Events)/Steppenwolf for Young Adults/February 28
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical/Broadway In Chicago/December 2
On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan/Broadway In Chicago/June 17
Pilgrim’s Progress/A Red Orchid Theatre/November 19
Paradox of Place: Contemporary Korean Art/Seattle Asian Art Museum/December 23
A Streetcar Named Desire/American Players Theatre/July 17
Soul Brother Where Art Thou?/Second City e.t.c./April 23
A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder/Broadway In Chicago/September 30
Carousel/Lyric Opera/April 11
Buster Keaton Goes to Bollywood/CIMMfest/April 18
The Mecca Tales/Chicago Dramatists/March 13
Never the Sinner/Victory Gardens/November 13
The Island/American Players Theatre/July 18
Summer Series/Hubbard Street Dance Chicago/June 11
Spring Series/Hubbard Street Dance Chicago/March 12
Mother Road/Goodman New Stages/November 14
New Works/Joffrey Ballet/April 22
Domesticated/Steppenwolf/December 12
Pippin/Broadway In Chicago/July 29
East of Eden/Steppenwolf/September 29
Stop. Reset./Goodman Theatre/June 1
Fool Me Twice, Deja Vu/Second City/December 30
The Upstairs Concierge/Goodman Theatre/April 5
Rapture, Blister, Burn/Goodman Theatre/January 25
The BlackWhite Love Play (The Story of Chaz & Roger Ebert)/Black Ensemble Theater/October 4
First Wives Club/Broadway In Chicago/March 11
Gotta Dance/Broadway In Chicago/December 28
Unspeakable: A Dramatic Fantasia/Broadway Playhouse/October 13