Play List 2009: In A Bah Year, So Much Great Theatre

Are you sick of year-end round-up lists yet? You can't be, not until TheatreInChicago.com puts in their two pence. Hopefully it will put you back into a warm, fuzzy, vaguely inebriated feeling of year-is-over happiness, because whatever sideshow you were watching (economy, politics, weather, Cubs, Sox, Bears...), you must be sick of the year 2009 by now. Which, now that we think of it, was actually advantageous for theatre in Chicago, because what better way to run away from all the crappiness that was 2009 than to go see an amazing play or two or twenty? TheatreInChicago.com certainly can't think of one. Which is why we are offering up as a year-end list the, yes, twenty top-rated plays that ran in Chicago in 2009. The nice thing about this list is that, since it's based solely on critics' reactions, it's pretty objective. There is no possible way for TheatreInChicago.com to play favorites, accept bribes, or in any way spoil the objectivity of the list. Even better, there's no possible way for you, the reader, to disagree with the list because we didn't choose it. So ha! Twitter that.

Anyway, a look back over the past year shows that clearly, hands down, without a doubt, no question about it, the Number One theatrical spectacle of 2009 was Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Critical reaction to this new work was so strong* (not the same as "good") that it must be singled out for special attention.

Confining ourselves to Chicago, specifically theatre in Chicago (oh, that's where the name...) we find that, in terms of critics' ratings, Timeline Theatre's Midwest Premiere production of The History Boys ranks as the best play of 2009. Also a major commercial hit, it ran so long that it forced the next play in Timeline's planned season to be staged in another venue.

That next play was All My Sons, another show that makes our Top Twenty list, giving Timeline a very good year. Add to that Death of A Salesman at Raven and The Pillowman at Redtwist, and both Arthur Miller and Kimberly Senior (director of All My Sons and Pillowman) had pretty good years themselves.

Other producing entities with more than one show on the list include Marriott in Lincolnshire with Hairspray and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Drury Lane Oakbrook with Miss Saigon and Cabaret, and Victory Gardens with Blackbird and The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. In addition to these larger companies, the ever-vibrant storefront theatre scene was particularly vibrant this year, with productions from Strawdog, Provision, Theatre Oobleck, and the aforementioned Raven and Redtwist theatres all making Top Twenty appearances.

The full list appears, as always, below this article, along with the critics' ratings, just in case you're inclined to quibble. If you saw one or more of these plays this year, pat yourself artistically on the back. If not, then perhaps another viewing of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on Blu-ray will fill that gnawing, empty hole in your soul.

Top 20 Plays of 2009

The History Boys
TimeLine Theatre Company

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Wall Street Journal- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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All My Sons
TimeLine Theatre Company at The Greenhouse Theater Center

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Edge- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Death of a Salesman
Raven Theatre

Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Chicagoist- Highly Recommended
Edge- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Don't Dress for Dinner
British Stage Company at Royal George Theatre

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
EpochTimes- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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An Apology For the Course and Outcome of Certain Events Delivered by Doctor John Faustus on This His Final Evening
Theater Oobleck at Chopin Theatre

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Gapers Block- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended

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Hairspray
Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
EpochTimes- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Edge- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Blackbird
Victory Gardens Theater - Biograph

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Miss Saigon
Drury Lane- Oakbrook

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
EpochTimes- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Victory Gardens Theater - Biograph

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Edge- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Somewhat Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Somewhat Recommended
EpochTimes- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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The Arabian Nights
Lookingglass Theatre

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Recommended

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The Pillowman
Redtwist Theatre

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
Edge- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Writers' Theatre

Chicago Tribune- Somewhat Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Chicagoist- Highly Recommended
Edge- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Cotton Patch Gospel
Provision Theater Company

Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Red Noses
Strawdog Theatre

Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Somewhat Recommended

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The Little Foxes
Shattered Globe Theatre at The Greenhouse Theater Center

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Somewhat Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Edge- Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended

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Cabaret
Drury Lane- Oakbrook

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Somewhat Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Somewhat Recommended
Edge- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

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Arms and the Man
Oak Park Festival Theatre

Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Pioneer Press- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Wednesday Journal- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended

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Playing with Fire (after Frankenstein)
Bohemian Theatre Ensemble at BoHo Theatre @ Heartland Studio

Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Recommended

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The Ruby Sunrise
The Gift Theatre

Chicago Sun Times- Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Free Press- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended

Luke Heiden
Contributing Writer