Neighborhood News: Treat your Galentine/Valentine to Chicago’s Theatre Week!❤️
The Goodman. The Nederlander. Steppenwolf. Chicago’s renowned theatre scene needs no more than a single word to signify excellence! Once a year, the League of Chicago Theatres, along with Choose Chicago, sponsors the 12th Annual Chicago Theatre Week, February 8-18.
As their website notes, it’s a week when you can experience the thrill of live theatre and the awe-inspiring work of Chicago theatres for just $15 or $30 (or less!). Chicago Theatre Week features value-priced tickets to performances at theatres across the city, from musicals to improv to dramas and beyond.
Amazing Performances
For example, Emmy Award-winner Dana Delany (China Beach, Desperate Housewives) stars in Highway Patrol“part love story, part ghost story—crafted from hundreds of tweets and DMs,” at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn.
Or, Drunk Shakespeare, which asks, “To Beer…or not to Beer?” Five professional actors meet as members of The Drunk Shakespeare Society. As the website notes, one of them has 5 shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major role in a Shakespearean tragedy. Laughter ensues! See it at The Lion Theatre, 182 N. Wabash Avenue.
For something completely different…
At the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Avenue. 𝑺𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑪𝑯𝑩𝑶𝑨𝑹𝑫 is a Neo-Futurist puppetry show about the S.S. Eastland disaster. The S.S. Eastland was a passenger ship commissioned to transport Western Electric laborers and their families to a company picnic on July 24, with tragic consequences.
The wildly popular Blue Man Group performs at the Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted. Blue Man Group is comedy, theater and rock concert all rolled into one, as three bald and blue men explore our world. “Together,” promises The League of Chicago Theatres, “We’ll discover music, laughter and surprises at every turn!”
Not to be outdone, Teatro ZinZanni at the Spiegeltent – Cambria Hotel, 32 W. Randolph, presents “a spectacle of unforgettable performances, sumptuous cuisine, and premium entertainment!” Love, Chaos, & Dinner returns…maybe take your Valentine?
Comedy Tonight
The Armando Diaz Experience at iO Theater, 1501 N. Kingsbury Street, is Chicago’s longest-running Improv comedy show. Every week, a new special celebrity guest tells real-life stories about their personal life, career, and times when dreams (or nightmares) came true — then, a cast of Chicago’s most veteran improvisers perform an unscripted two-act show based on those same tales. Past special guests include: Tim Baltz, John Lutz, and Michael Patrick Thornton! This show was invented at iO in 1995 and has been running ever since.
Musicals
Porchlight Music Theatre at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street, presents the 90th anniversary production of Cole Porter’s smash-hit musical comedy, Anything Goes starring the Chicago-based Meghan Murphy as “Reno Sweeney.” Launching Porchlight’s 29th season, this legendary toe-tapping voyage across the Atlantic is filled with laughs, romance, intrigue and, of course, lots of tap dancing in this farcical and merry musical classic.
Dinner First? Or After?
Check out special dining offers during Chicago Theatre Week in partnership with Chicago Restaurant Week.
For a complete list of shows, click here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
