Where Chicago Theatre is Second to None! Welcome to Steadstyle Chicago!  Chicago has long been renowned for its innovations in the arts and architecture.  While it has earned its nickname as the Second City, within the past two decades it has also become one of the most vital and important theatre cities in America.  According to a 2009 report from the League of Chicago Theatres, "Each season, Chicago boasts more than 200 producing theater companies, a total 115 performance venues with 5 million tickets sold annually and an average ticket price of only $23."  Our downtown Loop is bustling with over a dozen major venues hosting a wide array of live theatre and performing arts.  Broadway in Chicago brings the cream of Broadway plays and musicals to beautiful and historic venues, including the Auditorium, Cadillac Palace, Bank of America and Ford Center Oriental Theatres.  Chicago now hosts four Tony Award winning regional companies.  The Goodman, Steppenwolf and Victory Gardens Theatres all specialize in top quality, nationally recognized work, while the internationally acclaimed Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier draws an eclectic audience to its beautiful courtyard style theatre and superb mountings of Shakespeare and family friendly fare.  Suburban enterprises such as the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook, and Light Opera Works specialize in presenting the best musicals in the Chicagoland area.  And, of course, the lifeblood of Chicago theatre is the Off Loop storefront companies that constantly introduce the gutsiest, most provocative and edgy work any serious theatre devotee could wish to see.  Read about them all at Steadstyle Chicago, and please visit Theatre in Chicago for complete listings, news, auditions, review round-up and restaurant recommendations.  This site is intended to be both functional and aesthetically appealing.  You can now click on any photo on the site to get more information on the show.  Information and links to all Chicago productions can be found online at ChicagoPlays.com.  Half-priced tickets are always available online at HotTix.org and at the Hot Tix booth locations, 72 E. Randolph and 163 E. Pearson in downtown Chicago. Reviews Chicagoland Marquees Archives Contact Richard Eisenhardt Reviews Theatre in Chicago Chicago Theatre News & Events February 8, 2010 It's All for One and One for All as DePaul University brings its new version of "The Three Musketeers" to Chicago audiences.  Keep up to date on many upcoming shows here. February 1, 2010 Three late, great rock and roll icons, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper are reunited in John Mueller's Winter Dance Party, plus more theatre news.  January 28, 2010 Grove Players is planning a theatrical "strike" with Steven Dietz's comedy "More Fun than Bowling".  Read more about the play and the 74-year-old community theatre. January 26, 2010 The most successful show in Chicago theatre history, "Wicked" makes its return to the Windy City in December.  Broadway in Chicago hosts the blockbuster musical. January 25, 2010 Redmoon brings back one of its most popular works, "The Cabinet".  Get the latest news on Filament Theatre, The Dramatists Guild, "Million Dollar Quartet" and lots more. January 18, 2010 Faith, Family and laughter collide in the hit comedy "Over the Tavern," presented by Noble Fool Theatricals.  Also news from Steppenwolf, Dream Theatre and more.   What's in a Rating? Steadstyle Chicago evaluates every production we cover on a scale of 1 to 4.  The rating serves as a way of measuring the artistic accomplishment of each show as well as advising our readers whether or not to spend your hard earned money for a ticket.  Recognizing that art and theatre are subjective, not everyone will agree on the merits of every show.  These ratings therefore are the critical impression of our reviewers.  We have assigned a unique rating to each production reviewed on this site.  Four drama masks are an indication of outstanding achievement and are highly recommended.  Three masks indicate a producton with many worthy attributes and is recommended.  Two masks indicate a mix of pro's and con's and is somewhat recommended.  One mask indicates a very disappointing production that we do not recommend to our readers.