There’s no better time to experience Chicago’s fearless theatre scene than Chicago Theatre Week. This highly anticipated event, now in its 11th year, offers theatregoers a chance to catch shows all around Chicago for a steep discount — just $15 or $30 a ticket.
This year’s event runs from Feb. 16 – 26, 2023, featuring exciting productions that represent the extraordinary range of the city’s theatre scene. Need help narrowing it down? Check out some of our must-see shows for Chicago Theatre Week and get your tickets today.
Must-see shows during Chicago Theatre Week 2023:
Broadway in Chicago
Les Miserables; photo by ohan Persson
Les Misérables at Cadillac Palace Theatre
A timeless tale of redemption, passion, and the dynamic human spirit, this long-running spectacle set in 19th-century France has rightfully earned its many accolades, including Tony Awards for best musical and best original score. Get tickets
Cats at James M. Nederlander Theatre
Revel in the magic of the Jellicle Ball with all-new choreography plus reimagined lighting and sound design in this beloved, award-winning megamusical. Get tickets
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus LIVE! at Broadway Playhouse
Inspired by the titular bestselling book, this lighthearted off-Broadway comedy returns to the stage thanks to popular demand. Look forward to a fast-paced show packed with saucy humor and vignettes about romance, marriage, and the facts of life. Get tickets
Dramas
Cintas de Seda at Aguijón Theater
Cintas de Seda at Aguijón Theater
Sharp, insightful dialogue takes center stage in this captivating production presented in Spanish with English supertitles. Confined in a dreary church, two women — based on artist Frida Kahlo and poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz — muse about thought-provoking topics like machismo culture, existence, and death. Get tickets
Queens of the Policy at Broadway in Bronzeville/Harold Washington Cultural Center
Embark on a grand historical journey inspired by the lives of real trailblazers. With 1940s Chicago as its backdrop, Queens of the Policy follows four women who forge their own path in the male-dominated field of policy, all while championing justice for the Black community. Get tickets
Fen at Court Theatre
This haunting play examines class, gender, and happiness through the lens of leading lady Val, a field laborer in 1980s England who tries to escape poverty and familial expectations through a new relationship. Get tickets
The Kelly Girls at The Factory Theater
Moral dilemmas abound in this engrossing political drama. Set in Northern Ireland’s capital in the 1960s, two sisters join the revolution to defend — and, at the same time, destroy — their homeland with ruthless acts of terrorism. Get tickets
Toni Stone at Goodman Theatre
Catch this uplifting original play about how real-life sports legend Toni Stone knocked away discriminatory barriers to become the first female pro baseball player on a big-league team. Get tickets
Comedy and improv
The Second City
The Second City’s Great Altercations at e.t.c. Theater
Riffing on life’s little inconveniences like gas prices and politics, The Second City presents a whimsical improv show to encourage us all to get along and seize the moment. Get tickets
Drunk Shakespeare at The Lion Theatre
Classically trained actors attempt to perform a Shakespearean play — after five shots of whiskey. This raucous show is performed in a hidden venue. Get tickets
Nuns4Fun’s Late Nite Catechism at Greenhouse Theater Center
Overflowing with satire and general hilarity, this Nuns4Fun interactive play imagines a classroom setting where the audience can earn fun prizes — like glow-in-the-dark rosaries — for being well-informed students. Get tickets
Musicals, dance, and cabaret
Anna Karenina The Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House, photo by Cheryl Mann
Luminaire at Cabaret ZaZou
This over-the-top extravaganza is filled with live music, interactive comedy, and gravity-defying cirque acts performed by highly acclaimed international entertainers. Get tickets
Wuthering Heights at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
With imaginative puppetry and breathtaking dance numbers, the musical adaptation of Emily Brontë’s masterwork transforms a classic literary tragedy into an epic theatrical production. Get tickets
The Glass Menagerie at Harris Theater for Music and Dance
Celebrating his 50th and final season with Hamburg Ballet, chief choreographer and artistic director John Neumeier bids farewell to the dance company with a dazzling ballet based on Tennessee Williams’s renowned play. Get tickets
Joffrey Ballet’s Anna Karenina at Lyric Opera House
Become immersed in the world of 19th-century Russia with Joffrey Ballet’s sensational rendition of Leo Tolstoy’s seminal novel, featuring stunning sets and costumes by Emmy-winning designer Tom Pye. Get tickets
one in two at PrideArts
Depicting a realistic portrayal of the Black LGBTQ+ community, this autobiographical off-Broadway show leverages humor and finesse to shine a light on the struggles of living with an HIV diagnosis. Get tickets
Family
Chlorine Sky at Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Experience the world premiere of this poignant coming-of-age story about two best friends who grow apart, adapted from an acclaimed young adult novel. Get tickets
Big Fish at Marriott Theatre
Based on the namesake book and Tim Burton film, this feel-good musical chronicles the fantastical adventures of Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman whose courage knows no bounds. Get tickets
Blue Man Group at Briar Street Theatre
Using new instruments and surprising props, the wildly popular Blue Men entertain and delight audiences of all ages with exhilarating music and playful performance art. Get tickets
Chicago Theatre Week FAQs
When is Chicago Theatre Week?
Chicago Theatre Week performances take place from Feb. 16 – 26, 2023. The value-priced tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. CST on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.
Be sure to subscribe to the Theatre Week email newsletter or follow @ChicagoPlays on Twitter for the latest updates and announcements.
What is Chicago Theatre Week?
Chicago Theatre Week offers discounted tickets to more than 100 different productions throughout the city. Tickets are available for $15 or $30 (or less!).
Wuthering Heights
This annual event will celebrate the city’s vibrant theatre community and help make the theatrical arts more accessible to all audiences.
Chicago Theatre Week allows both visitors and residents to sample the extraordinary range of theatre in Chicago, from Broadway in Chicago shows to avant-garde storefront productions.
How do I get Chicago Theatre Week tickets?
Chicago Theatre Week 2023 tickets are now on sale!
Tickets are first come, first served. It’s a good idea to grab Theatre Week tickets in advance, since many shows sell out quickly. But don’t worry — there are plenty to choose from.
Cadillac Palace Theatre
The full line-up of shows participating in Chicago Theatre Week will be available in January. The exciting roster of productions includes comedies, dramas, musicals, improv, family theatre, and more.
This year’s schedule is sure to put a spotlight on stages large and small. In previous years, venues have included Tony Award-winning stages, comedy clubs, the downtown Theater District, suburban theatres, and everywhere in between.
What shows can I see?
More than 100 theatre productions are expected to participate throughout Chicago’s neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs.
The full line-up of shows is now available, including these exciting productions:
A Chorus Line – Drury Lane Theatre
Andy Warhol in Iran – Northlight Theatre at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie
Anna Karenina – The Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House
Big Fish – Marriott Theatre
Cats – Broadway in Chicago at the James M. Nederlander Theatre
Cabaret Zazou Presents Luminaire – Cabaret ZaZou at the Spiegeltent Cambria Hotel
Fen – Court Theatre
Lady Day at Emersons Bar and Grill – Mercury Theater
Les Misérables – Broadway in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre
Toni Stone – Goodman Theatre
Vilette – Lookingglass Theatre
What are the COVID-19 policies?
Each theatre venue will have their own protocols and policies. Policies will be included on each event page on the Chicago Theatre Week website. We encourage you to take note of the theatre’s vaccination and mask policy before buying tickets.
What about the rest of the year?
Theatre plays an essential role in Chicago’s cultural fabric all year long. On any given night, there are a diverse array of live shows playing on the 200+ stages throughout the city. From award-winning plays in historic theatres to cutting-edge works at neighborhood storefronts, there’s a seat waiting for you in Chicago.
Can’t wait till February? Check out HotTix.org for half-price tickets to hundreds of Chicago theatres year-round.
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