Lookingglass Theatre Company — Attraction in Chicago

Came into town to see 20,000 Leagues with our granddaughter and her boyfriend. The Lookingglass is an imaginative use of precious and historic space along the Miracle Mile. It's a small space, but that constriction prodded the production into employing their resources in some truly inspired ways - the "underwater" sequences were nothing short of ballet and the moveable center stage delightfully evoked Nemo's Nautilus. Substantial discounts for both parking and dining at several nearby restaurants helped significantly in compensating for the sticker shock of the ticket prices. While the special effects and action sequences were helped rather than hindered by the constrictions of a small space, I think those same constraints actually worked against the highly expository nature of most of the second half. A great small theater...

We saw Circus Quixote while visiting Chicago. The venue is perfect for theater. The writing/story was top tier. Acting was excellent. Music and singing was excellent. Set design and stage production was well done. The performance was so funny that we were still laughing hours later when someone would bring up moments from the play. The only negative is that if someone went to the show for the mind blowing spectacle of a circus act, they will be disappointed. When I think of circus, I immediately think of Cirque du Soleil. This is not that. The circus portion of the performance felt a bit forced and underwhelming. The show was beautifully executed. There were always little moments happening throughout each scene. My teenage daughter, a difficult critic, said that she would absolutely...

I love this theater! They consistently have amazing set designs and a good mix of inventive adaptations and original plays. Acting is top notch with some great company members. Favorite play so far has been The Little Prince with 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas a close second. It's not a big theater and they sometimes change the seating layout to accommodate sets, but you're guaranteed to feel close to what you're watching. They make sure it's always accessible. Bar serves drinks and snacks (including hot coffee/tea). Location can't be beat either, as it's literally in the old water tower on...