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Newcity’s Top 5 of Everything 2015: Stage

by Kevin Greene | December 17, 2015

by Kevin Greene
December 17, 2015June 16, 2016Filed under:
  • Theater
  • Top 5 Lists

Top 5 Dramas of 2015

“Moby Dick,” Lookingglass Theatre Company
“Marjorie Prime,” Writers Theatre 
“Brilliant Adventures,” Steep Theatre Company
“How The World Began,” Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
“Love and Human Remains,” Cor Theatre
—Kevin Greene

Top 5 Comedies of 2015
“The Upstairs Concierge,” Goodman Theatre
“Lunacy!,” Jackalope Theatre
“Samsara,” Victory Gardens 
“With Love and a Major Organ,” Strawdog Theatre Company
“The Walk Across America For Mother Earth,” Red Tape Theatre 
—Kevin Greene

Top 5 Operas of 2015
“Thérèse Raquin,” Chicago Opera Theater
“A Coffin in Egypt,” Chicago Opera Theater
“The Property,” Lyric Unlimited, Lyric Opera of Chicago
“Trouble in Tahiti,” Chicago Fringe Opera
“Sumeida’s Song,” Third Eye Theatre Ensemble
—Aaron Hunt

Top 5 Musicals of 2015
“City of Angels,” Marriott Theatre
“Sense and Sensibility,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“Blood Brothers,” Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” Broadway in Chicago
“The Secret Garden,” Court Theatre
—Aaron Hunt

Top 5 Short-Run Comedy Shows of 2015
“Cook County Social Club,” The Mission Theater at iO
“Sand,” The Annoyance Theatre
“Splatter Theater,” The Annoyance Theatre
“The Thanksgiving Circumcision,” MCL Chicago
“Tribulation: The Musical,” The Mission Theater at iO
—Zach Freeman

Top 5 Stand-Up Shows of 2015
Amy Schumer at Laugh Factory Chicago
Aziz Ansari at Zanies Chicago
Hannibal Buress at Zanies Chicago
Kevin Hart at United Center
Louis CK at Chicago Theatre
—Zach Freeman

Top 5 Game-Changing Dance Makers in 2015
Ben Wardell
Jonathan Meyer
Hema Rajagopalan
Honey Pot Performance
Erica Mott
—Sharon Hoyer

Top 5 Queer/Trans Dance Performances of 2015
“Poonie’s Cabaret: Post-Q Part II” at Links Hall
Darling Squire at the SWOP Chicago Benefit
Sofia Moreno, “Tropical Winter” at David Weinberg
Joe Varisco, “Queer, Ill & Okay,” Storefront Theater
Lyra Hill, “Moon Moods” at MCA Stage
—Michael Workman

Top 5 Emerging Dancer Performances  of 2015
Victoria Bradford, “Neighborhood Dances”
Rose Hernandez and Efron Arcoiris, “Burning Orchid”
Mitsu Salmon, “Tsuchi”
Hope Goldman, “Pussy Willow”
Adam Rose, Antibody Corporation, “Against Being”
—Michael Workman

Top 5 Operas of 2015
“The Passenger,” Lyric Opera of Chicago
“Wozzeck,” Lyric Opera of Chicago
“Amadigi di Gaula,” Haymarket Opera Company
“Thérèse Raquin,” Chicago Opera Theater   
“Tannhäuser,” Lyric Opera of Chicago 
—Dennis Polkow

Top 5 Musicals of 2015
“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” Broadway in Chicago  
“The Merry Widow,” Lyric Opera of Chicago
“The Fantasticks,” Light Opera Works  
“On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan,” Broadway in Chicago  
“Carousel,” Lyric Opera of Chicago
—Dennis Polkow

Top 5 Shows You Might Have Missed in 2015
“On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan,” Broadway In Chicago
“Feast,” Albany Park Theater Project
“Between You, Me and the Lampshade,” Teatro Vista
“August Wilson Celebration,” Goodman Theatre
“This Is Modern Art,” Steppenwolf Theatre Company
—Mary Kroeck

Top 5 Reasons to Go Off-Loop in 2015
Steep Theatre Company
Jackalope Theatre 
The Hypocrites
Profiles Theatre
Sideshow Theatre Company
—Kevin Greene

Top 5 on the Rise in 2015
The Inconvenience
Cor Theatre
Red Theater of Chicago
The Ruckus
Definition Theatre Company
—Kevin Greene

Top 5 Most Anticipated Shows of 2016
“Hamilton,” Broadway in Chicago
“The Flick,” Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“2666,” Goodman Theatre
“Richard III,” The Gift Theatre
“Tug of War,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
—Kevin Greene

Tagged:
  • Albany Park Theater Project
  • Amy Schumer
  • Aziz Ansari
  • Broadway In Chicago
  • Chicago Fringe Opera
  • Chicago Opera Theater
  • Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
  • Chicago Theatre
  • Cor Theatre
  • Court Theatre
  • Definition Theatre Company
  • Goodman Theatre
  • Hannibal Buress
  • Haymarket Opera Company
  • Jackalope Theatre
  • Kevin Hart
  • Laugh Factory Chicago
  • Light Opera Works
  • Lookingglass Theatre Company
  • Louis CK
  • Lyric Opera of Chicago
  • Marriott Theatre
  • MCL Chicago
  • Profiles Theatre
  • Red Tape Theatre
  • Red Theater
  • Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
  • Sideshow Theatre Company
  • Steep Theatre Company
  • Steppenwolf Theatre Company
  • Strawdog Theatre Company
  • Teatro Vista
  • The Annoyance Theatre
  • The Gift Theatre
  • The Hypocrites
  • The Inconvenience
  • The Mission Theater
  • The Ruckus
  • Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
  • Third Eye Theatre Ensemble
  • United Center
  • Victory Gardens
  • Writers Theatre
  • Zanies Chicago

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