Theater in Chicago - Page 2

[Hey, Zelda!]

Posted: 4/29/23 at 12:42pm

The musical London Road is making its stateside debut through Shattered Globe.

Updated On: 4/29/23 at 12:42 PM

[Hyde Park Hildy]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 12:25am

There's been some outstanding stuff here lately, including The Cherry Orchard at the Goodman and the dark Stalin-era Russian farce Dying for It at the Artistic Home. But unfortunately those productions just closed. 

For May, I've got my eye on a revival of the musical The Gospel at Colonus at the Court Theatre and a new play from Poland, Bowie in Warsaw, at the Trap Door Theatre. The Trap Door is an outstanding storefront theater troop that specializes in experimental and avant-garde works.

 

[Hyde Park Hildy]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 10:48am

Another upcoming production I forgot to mention above that looks interesting is the revival of Big River at the Mercury Theater.

[jbm2]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 4:21pm

Hyde Park Hildy said: "There's been some outstanding stuff here lately, including The Cherry Orchard at the Goodman and the dark Stalin-era Russian farce Dying for It at the Artistic Home. But unfortunately those productions just closed.

For May, I've got my eye on a revival of the musical The Gospel at Colonus at the Court Theatre and a new play from Poland, Bowie in Warsaw, at the Trap Door Theatre. The Trap Door is an outstanding storefront theater troop that specializes in experimental and avant-garde works.

"

The Gospel of Colonus looks great- has anyone seen that yet?? 
I’ve never seen anything at The Court before.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 5:11pm

Gospel doesn't start until 5/12. The Court is often tremendous. This is a great creative team and a terrific leading cast. This is a difficult show but everything is pointing towards a big success. 

All that said... The Court is sort of difficult to get to without a car. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 5:23pm

The Court is a beautiful spot and it's near several bus lines. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 6:57pm

Kind of off topic, but does anyone know when Chicago Shakespeare Theatre plans on announcing their next season? This years season was already announced by this time last year, I’m wondering if they may be waiting to announce until they have new Executive and Artistic Directors signed on.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 7:15pm

"The Court is a beautiful spot and it's near several bus lines."

Yes and no. The only bus you'd be able to take on the weekend or after an evening performance is the 55.  It's possible but I wouldn't recommend it to people not familiar with the area.

As most of the buses in that area service University students they don't run when there aren't classes (and even fewer during the summer).

The Court IS worth some effort and there's free, available, and close parking.  

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 7:55pm

Sutton Ross said: "The Court is a beautiful spot and it's near several bus lines."

It’s not in a great location at all. For me, I’m about 15min from the Loop/downtown but by public transit it would take me over an hour to get to the Court and afterwards when nothing is running even longer or a very expensive Uber. I wanted to see one of their other shows but it seemed like such a hassle. 

[jbm2]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 8:16pm

RippedMan said: "Sutton Ross said: "The Court is a beautiful spot and it's near several bus lines."

It’s not in a great location at all. For me, I’m about 15min from the Loop/downtown but by public transit it would take me over an hour to get to the Court and afterwards when nothing is running even longer or a very expensive Uber. I wanted to see one of their other shows but it seemed like such a hassle."

Is the theater not in the city? 
I am staying near the loop- not planning on taking buses/ was planning on an Uber. I assumed it was in the city. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 8:22pm

Yes, taking a taxi or an Uber is perfectly fine, it is in the city and there is public transit available as well. If you look at a map, it's not the hugely inconvenient place people are making it out to be. 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 5/3/23 at 9:07pm

I’ve only been to the Court Theatre once. It was in 2015 to see a rich production of THE SECRET GARDEN.

Though the University of Chicago is a wonderful area, getting there on public transit is dicey, especially if you’re alone - even during the day.

The Red Line from the Loop to 55th Street is often filled with smokers and drifters, even during busy rush periods.

“I don’t need a job,” one passenger bellowed today, “cause I steal for a living.”

Court gets a great audience of southsiders, students, Hyde Parkers, and adventurous souls.

After the show, you could take the 55 bus back to the northbound Green or Red Line. It’s free to board the train - the attendants do not stop any of the numerous fare evaders who jump the turnstile or waltz through the handicapped entrances.

Lyft and Uber are better options from the Loop to 55th Street.

 

 

[Hyde Park Hildy]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 11:33am

Some of you sound like your impressions of Chicago come from Fox News.

As a long-time resident, I can assure you that Hyde Park, the neighborhood where I live and where the Court is located, is reasonably safe. I mean, *obviously* excercise all the caution you normally would in any urban neighborhood. But Hyde Park is the location of a posh, elite university (the University of Chicago), and the university has a vested interest in maintaining safety here--if only because they want to continue to attract the rich kid population that makes up most of its student body.

Another thing: it is really not *that* difficult to get from Hyde Park from the Loop. You can take the red or green CTA trains and then connect to the 55 bus, which will bring you a half-block away from the theater.

Another option is the metra (a train that's separate from the CTA trains). You can board the Metra Electric line in the Loop and get off at the 55th Street stop in Hyde Park. From there, you can take the 55 bus or even walk (the walk is ~15 minutes). In my experience the metra is more reliable than the CTA trains or buses, not to mention quicker (from Millennium Station in the Loop to the 55th Street stop is a 15-minute ride). The metra is also cheap: fare for the Metra Electric line is 2 bucks (though there are no free transfers to CTA buses and trains).

If you prefer to take an Uber, it's not all that expensive--around 20 bucks from the Loop, unless there's surge pricing.

Honestly, if you want to do Chicago theater right, you need to get out of the Loop. The Loop has the Goodman,the Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare, and the touring Broadway shows. But the other theaters worth visiting (and there are many of them) will require trips to other parts of the city.

The Court is a gem--consistently one of the best theater companies in the city, and well worth a visit.  

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 2:39pm

"Some of you sound like your impressions of Chicago come from Fox News."

Nope. Chicago Tribune for this general neighborhood.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-university-of-chicago-hyde-park-violence-solutions-20211122-7nkgl4x655hrnmvmu7antkrxjq-story.html

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-15-arrested-after-teens-shot-loop-20230417-hrqpc3gzazelnathjp57bdfw6i-story.html

But as others have noted, areas of Chicago are generally as safe as what you would find in most major cities.

Use common sense and if you are going to use transit you're not familiar with, do a little online sleuthing to get some visual cues you can rely on to get to your destination reliably.
 

Updated On: 5/4/23 at 02:39 PM

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 5/4/23 at 2:47pm

Hyde Park isn't any more dangerous than most other safe areas of Chicago  (or New York for that matter). It is an adventurous commute on the CTA tho. That's all. Not dangerous. Adventurous and long and perhaps somewhat confusing the first time you navigate it. And an uber will be about $40 both ways. 

At no point did I mean to discourage, just make sure you know what you're getting into. If you're confident it won't be a problem. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 1:56pm

Hyde Park Hildy said: "Honestly, if you want to do Chicago theater right, you need to get out of the Loop. The Loop has the Goodman,the Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare, and the touring Broadway shows. But the other theaters worth visiting (and there are many of them) will require trips to other parts of the city."

I know it’s semantics, but two out of the four theatres you mention are not in the “Loop.”
 

Also… on the topic of CST, does anyone have any updates on its next season? Could they be presenting the full production premiere of the Sufjan Steven’s “Illinois” musical?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 2:23pm

"Some of you sound like your impressions of Chicago come from Fox News."

Nope. Chicago Tribune for this general neighborhood.

LOLZ. Yeah, Im going to go ahead and trust the long time resident of the actual neighborhood we are talking about rather than a person who obviously doesn't live in Chicago and gets all his impressions of a certain area off media. Jesus Christ. 

Thank you Hildy for the actual knowledge.

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 4:35pm

Meanwhile, we have booked Galileo's Daughter for 12 May. Will report back.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 8:48pm

Sutton Ross said: ""Some of you sound like your impressions of Chicago come from Fox News."

Nope. Chicago Tribune for this general neighborhood.

LOLZ. Yeah, Im going to go ahead and trust the long time resident of the actual neighborhood we are talking about rather than a person who obviously doesn't live in Chicago and gets all his impressions of a certain area off media. Jesus Christ.

Thank you Hildy for the actual knowledge.

"

Mamma you don't even live here, you don't get an opinion. 

And it is far. And yes it can be dicey. That's all anyone is saying. It's not as easy as seeing something at The Goodman. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 9:14pm

Haha. You have opinions about every single new show on Broadway despite not seeing them so take several seats.

And I can have an opinion about any city on earth, especially one in which I spent four years of my life in. Thanks so much.

Everyone enjoy Chicago theater, it's great this year!

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 10:08pm

Lived in Wicker Park for 20+ years, but thanks Sutton Ross for proving once again that setting you to Ignore Message User is one of the best things to do for a more pleasant message board experience even if periodically I can still see your rude and inaccurate replies when someone else quotes you.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:14am

JasonC3 said: "Lived in Wicker Park for 20+ years, but thanks Sutton Ross for proving once again that setting you to Ignore Message User is one of the best things to do for a more pleasant message board experience even if periodically I can still see your rude and inaccurate replies when someone else quotes you."

The worst on the board. But I do hope to make it down to see something at the Court. Bummed I didn't see the recent Churchill cause that looked really interesting. 

[Hyde Park Hildy]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 5:03am

I know it’s semantics, but two out of the four theatres you mention are not in the “Loop.” Correct. I was using "the Loop" as shorthand for the downtown, touristy part of Chicago.

Bummed I didn't see the recent Churchill cause that looked really interesting. It was! Churchill's Fen is a brilliant play--a socialist feminist masterpiece. Even though the Court's production was flawed (performances were uneven and actors didn't even attempt to authentic accents), it managed to be a riveting evening at the theater.

Other recent Court productions I loved were their pitch-perfect revivals of Athol Fugard's The Island and August Wilson's Two Trains Running.

Updated On: 5/6/23 at 05:03 AM

[jbm2]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 12:56am

In Chicago for one night this weekend- what should I see? 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 5/18/23 at 5:44am

If you like contemporary dance, I would recommend Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

https://www.hubbardstreetdance.com/season-45/summer-series-facets/

And lots of shows up on Chicago Hot Tix:

https://hottix.org/shows/?before_date=May%2021%2C%202023&after_date=May%2019%2C%202023

Updated On: 5/18/23 at 05:44 AM