Top 5 Dance Productions of 2012
“Epic French Masterpieces,” Paris Opera Ballet
“Winter Fire,” Joffrey Ballet
“Spring Series,” Hubbard Street Dance
“Winter Series,” Hubbard Street Dance
Batsheva Dance Company, Auditorium Theatre
—Brian Hieggelke
Top 5 Musicals of 2012
“Eastland: A New Musical,” Lookingglass
“Fela!” Broadway In Chicago
“Show Boat,” Lyric Opera
“James Joyce’s The Dead,” Court Theatre
“Sunday in the Park with George,” Chicago Shakespeare
—Brian Hieggelke
Top 5 Plays of 2012
“Metamorphoses,” Lookingglass
“Good People,” Steppenwolf
“Invisible Man,” Court Theatre
“Skylight,” American Players Theatre
“Angels in America,” Court Theatre
—Brian Hieggelke
Top 5 Shows of 2012
“Honeybuns,” Collaboraction
“The Iceman Cometh,” Goodman Theatre
“6 Characters In Search of An Author,” The Hypocrites
“Mike Daisey: American Utopias,” Museum of Contemporary Art
“Oedipus el Rey,” Victory Gardens Theater
—Johnny Oleksinski
Top 5 Musicals of 2012
“The Mikado,” The Hypocrites
“A Little Night Music,” Writers’ Theatre
“Beauty and the Beast,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“The Other Cinderella,” Black Ensemble Theater
“James Joyce’s ‘The Dead,'” Court Theatre
—Johnny Oleksinski
Top 5 Shows for Twentysomethings in 2012
“The Mikado,” The Hypocrites
“La Soirée,” Riverfront Theatre
“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“We Are Proud To Present A Presentation…,” Victory Gardens Theater
“44 Plays for 44 Presidents,” The Neo-Futurists
—Johnny Oleksinski
Top 5 Operas of 2012
“Elektra,” Lyric Opera
“Teseo,” Chicago Opera Theater
“Don Pasquale,” Lyric Opera
“The Magic Flute,” Chicago Opera Theater
“The Mikado,” The Hypocrites
—Dennis Polkow
Top 5 Musicals of 2012
“Show Boat,” Lyric Opera
“Kinky Boots,” Broadway in Chicago
“Moscow Cheryomushki,” Chicago Opera Theater
“Sister Act,” Broadway in Chicago
“Light in the Piazza,” Theo Ubique
—Dennis Polkow
Top 5 Horror Shows of 2012
“Anna, in the Darkness,” Dream Theatre Company
“Pontypool,” Strawdog Theatre Company
“The Gacy Play,” Sideshow Theatre Company
“Kill Me,” WildClaw Theatre
“Boobs of the Dead: A Walking Dead Burlesque,” Gorilla Tango Burlesque
—Zach Freeman
Top 5 Show Ensembles of 2012
“Black Watch,” The National Theatre of Scotland and Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“Metamorphoses,” Lookingglass Theatre Company
“Death and Harry Houdini,” The House Theatre of Chicago
“We’re All In This Room Together,” Second City e.t.c.
“The Butcher of Baraboo,” A Red Orchid Theatre
—Zach Freeman
Top 5 Most Imaginative Revivals of 2012
“Rent,” American Theater Co.
“Camino Real,” Goodman Theatre
“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Bailiwick Chicago
“Metamorphoses,” Lookingglass
“Sweet Bird of Youth,” Goodman Theatre
—John J. Accrocco
Top 5 Most Talked-About Productions of 2012
“The Iceman Cometh,” Goodman Theatre
“Angels in America,” Court Theatre
“Sunday in the Park with George,” Chicago Shakespeare
“A Little Night Music,” Writers’ Theatre
“Good People,” Steppenwolf Theatre
—John J. Accrocco
Top 5 Performances by an Actress in 2012
Mariann Mayberry, “Good People,” Steppenwolf Theatre
Dael Orlandersmith, “Black N Blue Boys/Broken Men,” Goodman Theatre
Hollis Resnik, “Angels In America,” Court Theatre
Tiffany Scott, “A Little Night Music,” Writers’ Theatre
Kate Harris, “Sweet and Sad,” Profiles Theatre
—Johnny Oleksinski
Top 5 Performances by an Actor in 2012
Dean Evans, “Honeybuns,” Collaboraction
André De Shields, “Camino Real,” Goodman Theatre
Larry Yando, “Hamlet” Writers’ Theatre
Manny Buckley, “Hit The Wall,” The Inconvenience
Ron Wells, “The Quality of Life,” The Den Theatre
—Johnny Oleksinski
Top 5 New Plays of 2012
“Hit The Wall,” The Inconvenience
“We Are Proud To Present A Presentation…,” Victory Gardens Theater
“Dirty,” The Gift Theatre
“Black N Blue Boys/Broken Men,” Goodman Theatre
“Pink Milk,” Chicago Fringe Festival
—Johnny Oleksinski
Top 5 Directors of 2012
Halena Kays, “6 Characters in Search of An Author,” The Hypocrites
Robert Falls, “The Iceman Cometh,” Goodman Theatre
Sean Graney, “The Mikado,” The Hypocrites
Chay Yew, “Oedipus el Rey,” Victory Gardens Theater
Eric Hoff, “Hit The Wall,” The Inconvenience
—Johnny Oleksinski
Top 5 Places to Take a Dance Class in 2012
American Rhythm Center
Old Town School of Folk Music
Joel Hall Dance Center
Lou Conte Dance Studio
Joffrey Ballet School
—Sharon Hoyer
Top 5 Shakespeare Productions of 2012
“Being Shakespeare,” Simon Callow, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“Timon of Athens,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“Hamlet,” Writers’ Theatre
“Merchant of Venice,” First Folio
—Dennis Polkow