Theaters Route 66

This outdoor theatre is located in Lincoln Park, a stone's throw from Lake Michigan. It presents, at affordable prices, shows as varied as musicals, one-man shows... Most events take place in the summer. The Chicago Summer Theatre is organized there and, in 2019, all performances were free. You can also dine there, all year round! The site celebrated its sixty-third season in 2015. Built in 1913 in the Prairie style, it offers a unique setting with majestic views of Lake Michigan.

More than the establishments in the Loop district, it's Steppenwolf that gives Chicago its reputation as a city of theaters. Founded in 1974 by actors Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise in a Highland Park church basement, the group has welcomed newcomers from the University of Illinois to become today a company of thirty-six actors, directors, scriptwriters and adapters. John Malkovich is one of the theater's permanent members and has directed many of the plays performed there.

Located in the Water Tower, this theater was founded by Northwestern University students, including David Schwimmer, best known for playing Ross in the cult series Friends. Looking Glass Theatre Company aims to be at the forefront of American experimental theater. The mission of this small 270-seat theater is to encourage collaboration and artistic invention among its participants. Alice in Wonderland and The Arabian Nights have been reinvented here.

This theater, in the middle of the Navy Pier, is the only theater in Chicago that offers primarily Shakespeare performances. The great classics of the British playwright, such as Macbeth, answer the call, as well as some of his lesser known works. But also plays related to his world such as Red Velvet, dedicated to Ira Aldridge who was the first African-American actor to play the role of Othello in Shakespeare's eponymous tragedy.

This temple of stand-up comedy has existedsince 1974. It grew out of the informal meeting of a group of performers two years earlier, whose sole aim was to improvise scenes, characters, songs, dialogue, monologues and dances. Today, The Groundlings combines hilarious programming with a drama school that has seen the likes of Phil Hartman and Will Ferrel come and go. We loved it!

Since it hosted its first show in 2007, the former Microsoft Theater has been the venue for numerous major events, including the Emmy Awards and the American Music Awards. With over 7,000 seats, the Peacock Theater is located in Downtown, in the vast L.A. complex. Live complex, which includes Xbox Plaza - formerly Microsoft Square - the Regal cinema, the Conga Room, the Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge bowling alley, the Grammy Museum and the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels. The area is also home to numerous restaurants.

Established in 1926, it is one of the oldest theaters in Los Angeles. It originally specialized in vaudeville - a light comedy based on situational comedy - and then turned to silent films and, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, to Oscar-winning productions. Badly affected by the 1994 earthquake, El Portal reopened in 2000. Today, it embodies the new life of the NoHo Arts District by programming a wide variety of plays, from one-man shows to musicals.