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TheatreInChicago presents its annual list of the top-rated plays that were produced in the Chicago area for 2010. The list was compiled objectively from critics' reviews, based on the Highly Recommended to Not Recommended scale. A few things to note...
There are 25 shows on the list, produced by 19 different theatre companies. There were four repeats: Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire shows up three times, as does Steppenwolf. Writers Theatre in Glencoe and Court Theatre each appear twice. All of these are established Equity companies, but the Non-Equity side is well represented by the likes of Redmoon, The House Theatre, Raven Theatre, Caffeine Theatre, and others.
Among the top ten, no company appears more than once, and the genres range from classics (To Kill A Mockingbird) to musicals (The Music Man) to Expressionist puppet shows (The Cabinet) to hipster Christmas cheer (The Nutcracker). Again, that's just in the top ten. This is good for The Scene. It means that not only do we have high-quality work being done by a lot of different companies, but the different types of theatre being offered are just as richly and rewardingly varied. Chicago has a long-cultivated reputation as a gritty, kitchen-sink drama town, but this list shows that that's only half, or a third, or perhaps even a quarter of the story. There is something for everyone, but more importantly, there is something for everyone that is good.
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.
A last note: the list has one repeat playwright, Tennessee Williams, who scores twice with Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire. So way to go, T-Dubs. Finally some recognition.
Top Plays of 2010
A Streetcar Named Desire
Writers' Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Hughie/Krapp's Last Tape
Goodman Theatre
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
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Music Man
Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Awake and Sing
Northlight Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Cabinet
Redmoon Central
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Journal- Highly Recommended
Speed-the-Plow
American Theatre Company
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
To Kill a Mockingbird
Steppenwolf Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Other Cinderella
Black Ensemble Theater
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
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Killer Joe
Profiles Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Wall Street Journal- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Recommended
Examiner- 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
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
The Onion- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Nutcracker
The House Theatre of Chicago at Chopin Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Reviews You Can Iews- Highly Recommended
The Ring Cycle
The Building Stage
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Steppenwolf Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Drowsy Chaperone
Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ShowBizChicago- Highly Recommended
7DAYS- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Hephaestus: A Greek Mythology Circus Tale
Lookingglass Theatre Company at Goodman Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Somewhat Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Oh Coward!
Writers' Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Sizwe Banzi is Dead
Court Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Wicked
Cadillac Palace Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Recommended
Daily Herald- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Illusion
Court Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Brother/Sister Plays
Steppenwolf Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Recommended
Abigail's Party
A Red Orchid Theatre
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Raven Theatre
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Boojum! Nonsense, Truth, and Lewis Carroll
Caffeine Theatre and Chicago Opera Vanguar at Storefront Theater
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Recommended
Chicago Stage Review- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Reviews You Can Iews- Highly Recommended
To Master the Art
TimeLine Theatre Company
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
Copley News Service- Recommended
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
ShowBizChicago- Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
The Importance Of Being Earnest
Remy Bumppo Theatre at The Greenhouse Theater Center
Chicago Tribune- Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
Examiner- Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Highly Recommended
Windy City Times- Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Highly Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
A Chorus Line
Marriott Theatre In Lincolnshire
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
Chicago Reader- Recommended
Examiner- Highly Recommended
NewCity Chicago- Somewhat Recommended
Copley News Service- Highly Recommended
Centerstage- Highly Recommended
ShowBizChicago- Highly Recommended
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
Chicago Theater Blog- Highly Recommended
Steadstyle Chicago- Recommended
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
Luke Heiden
Contributing Writer