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Theatre In Chicago presents its annual list of the top-rated plays that were produced in the Chicago area for 2012. The list was compiled objectively from critics' reviews, based on the Highly Recommended to Not Recommended scale.
There are 20 shows on the list, produced by 14 different theatre companies. There were five repeats: Chicago Shakespeare Theater shows up four times, and Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Lookingglass Theatre, Writers' Theatre and Theo Ubique each appear twice.
A caveat, however: only those productions that garnered at least seven reviews from recognized publications or blogs were eligible to be on this list. So a play that had only three reviews, for instance, even if all of those reviews were Highly Recommended, would not be included. This was done to ensure that the list could not be compromised by shows whose small number of reviews give each one undue weight.
Top Plays of 2012
Sunday in the Park with George
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theatre Addict- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style
- Highly Recommended
Death and Harry Houdini
The House Theatre of Chicago at Chopin Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Beat- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
A Little Night Music
Writers' Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
Chicago Critic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Beauty And The Beast
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Critic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Arouynd The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Hairspray
Drury Lane- Oakbrook
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Pirates Of Penznace
Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Letters
Writers' Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
ShowBizChicago- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
The Iceman Cometh
Goodman Theatre
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
Chicago Critic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Good People
Steppenwolf Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theatre Addict- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
Chicago Critic- Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Book Of Mormon
Bank of America Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ShowBizChicago- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Freud's Last Session
Mercury Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Black Watch
Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Broadway Armory
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
ShowBizChicago- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Jersey Boys
Bank Of America Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Cripple of Inishmaan
Redtwist Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
Chicago Critic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Beat- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Smokey Joe's Cafe
Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre at No Exit Cafe
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Around The Town- Highly Recommended
Metamorphoses
Lookingglass Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
SteadstyleStage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Eastland: A New Musical
Lookingglass Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Jitney
Court Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
Chicago Critic- Highly Recommended
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Tribune- Somewhat Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago On The Aisle- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Chicago Theater Beat- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Light In The Piazza
Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre at No Exit Cafe
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Now- Somewhat Recommended
Chicago Stage Style- Highly Recommended
Aroud The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended