One of the most impassioned debates in the Chicago theater community is over the continued viability of the season subscription.
Some troupes — especially those that appeal to a younger audience — argue against the subscription concept. They prefer to offer one show at a time, which leaves playgoers free to attend only the shows they like and leaves theaters free to mount works that appeal to more than one sort of audience.
But there are still a large number of traditional subscription seasons on sale from Chicago theaters, including some that are new this year. Because planning and paying in advance means that you usually snag a major price break (not to mention a variety of other discounts and perks), here is the annual subjective Friday section guide to subscription offerings.
Almost every theater on our list offers their subscribers exchange privileges, prime seating, additional discounts for students and/or seniors and the first chance to buy single tickets. Most provide newsletters (they vary in quality and interest). We’ve included any special perks that might influence your decision. This is not a complete list of every subscription season out there, but we think it contains something for everyone.
THE ESTABLISHMENT BIG SHOTS: If you were hoping to wear black and mingle with the beautiful yuppies at the Steppenwolf Theatre, you’ve already missed your chance. Subscriptions to this year’s mainstage season are sold out (although Steppenwolf’s ticket office will be happy to discuss the list of TBAs for the 2000-2001 season). If you choose the Steppenwolf Studio season, be aware that two of the three shows are by other companies (Redmoon Theater and the Lookingglass Theatre Company).
But there are plenty of mainstage subscription seats available at the larger Goodman Theatre, where the season includes the pre-Broadway incarnation of Eugene O’Neill’s “A Moon for the Misbegotten,” and an untitled new work from Rebecca Gilman. This year’s Goodman studio season is very much in the planning process but does include “Millennium Mambo,” the latest ambitious project from Regina Taylor.
Hyde Park’s classy Court Theatre offers lots of subscriber perks along with a season that is heavy on the classics. The highlight of the Court year is a new production of “Desire Under the Elms” (with an interracial cast), produced in collaboration with Philadelphia’s Freedom Repertory Theatre.
Lastly, there’s the ambitious Northlight Theatre, which is carving out a niche as the place to see much of the challenging work coming out of New York. Northlight’s highlight of the year is “Side Show,” the provocative Broadway musical about Siamese twins that fared much better with the New York critics than it did with New York audiences.
Goodman Theatre, 200 S. Columbus Drive. “The Odyssey,” “A Moon for the Misbegotten,” an untitled play by Rebecca Gilman, “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Zoot Suit.” Subscriptions range from $116 to $210 Studio Season: “Millennium Mambo” and a show to be announced. Subscriptions range from $29 to $56. Special perks for both seasons: Goodman Membership Card, chance to buy preferential seating to “Aida” at the Palace Theatre, discounts at a variety of hotels and retail outlets. 312-443-3800.
Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. “Side Man,” “Hysteria,” “Closer,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next” and “Valparaiso.” Subscriptions are sold out. Steppenwolf Studio: a new play by David Caitlin, “The Infidel” and “Hunchback.” Subscriptions range from $36 to $55. 312-335-1650.
Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis St. “Life’s A Dream,” “The Real Thing,” “Desire Under the Elms,” “The Learned Ladies” and “Fair Ladies at a Game of Poem Cards.” Subscriptions range from $60 to $155. Special perks: postshow discussions, opportunities to meet the artists, restaurant packages. 773-753-4472.
Northlight Theatre, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. “Visiting Mr. Green,” “Dinah Was,” “As Bees in Honey Drown,” “God’s Man in Texas” and “Side Show.” Subscriptions range from $75 to $126. Special perks: Considerably lower prices than last year, discounts on educational programs for seniors and children. 847-673-6300.
TOURING BROADWAY: Last year, there was a choice of two seasons: the longtime slate at the Shubert Theatre (run by the Nederlander Organization) and a new season run by Jam Theatricals at the Chicago Theatre. This year, Jam is too busy co-producing off-Loop projects to offer a subscription season. The Rosemont and the Auditorium Theatres also are not offering subscription packages of legitimate theater.
Bear in mind that there will be several Broadway shows in early 2000 at the Palace Theatre (“Jekyll and Hyde” among others), but there are no subscriptions being offered as yet. To fill this gap, the Shubert has split its offerings. Although many shows are on both Shubert subscription seasons — “The Best of Broadway Series” and “The Mad About Music Series” — you can buy according to your tastes. The highlight is probably the new production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which stops only in Chicago before moving to Broadway.
Shubert Theatre, 22 W. Monroe St. “Spirit,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Footloose,” “The Sound of Music,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Annie Get Your Gun.” Subscriptions range from $78.50 to $360. Special perks: receptions and parties, ability to buy single tickets to non-series shows before general public. 312-977-1717.
BEST SEATS AT BRAND NEW HOMES: Subscription sales tend to rise when a theater moves to a new home. As one might expect, the splendiferous new Navy Pier home of The Chicago Shakespeare Theater is getting most of the attention. And based on a recent walk-through of the almost completed space last week, this will be a truly opulent theater with fantastic sightlines, a rich ambience and a very pliable shape.
Thanks to a new location, the Organic Theater will be looking to build its subscriber base from Evanston and the North Shore. And let’s not forget the plucky Illinois Theater Center, which opens its brand new home in Park Forest later this month with a great slate of plays.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand St. “Antony and Cleopatra,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “All’s Well That Ends Well” and “Romeo and Juliet.” Subscriptions range from $60 to $195. Special perks: restaurant discounts, exclusive events. 312-642-2273.
Illinois Theatre Center, 400a Lakewood Blvd.,Park Forest. “A View From the Bridge,” “Bunny Bunny,” “A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine” “Easter,” “Fires in the Mirror,” “Everybody, Smile” and “Blood Brothers.” Subscriptions range from $80 to $95. 708-481-3510.
Organic Theater Company, 1420 Maple Ave., Evanston. “The Old Settler,” “The Food Chain,” “Goodnight Children Everywhere.” Subscriptions range from $39 to $100. Special perks: Evanston dining discounts. 847-475-2800.
THE CITADELS OF NEW WRITING: Theaters that specialize in new plays need support from subscribers perhaps more than those that do not because they don’t have the kinds of already hot titles that will sell single tickets on their own. Victory Gardens is offering a celebrity-kissed season of interesting fare, while ETA has its usual eclectic mixture of celebratory and humanistic writings from African-American playwrights.
Victory Gardens Theatre, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. “Bluff,” “Door to Door,” “Knock Me a Kiss,” ” Voice of Good Hope” and “Cahoots.” Subscriptions range from $43 to $120. Special perks: three-play or five-play option, special deals for educators, receptions, open rehearsal invitations, postshow discussions, discounts for other companies renting at Victory Gardens. Exceptional price breaks for people with special needs. 773-871-3000.
ETA Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. South Chicago Ave. “In the Wine Time,” “Get Ready,” “Dream of Ophelia,” “Checkmates,” “Fable of the Grandmama Tree” and “This Far by Faith.” Subscriptions are $50. Special perks: theater membership, “Playwrights Speak” program (open only to subscribers). 773-752-3955.
EMERGING BIG NAMES: Savvy subscribers like to get on the books at theaters that are on their way to becoming sold-out ventures. The Writers Theatre Chicago in Glencoe has been attracting bigger and bigger audiences (no more general admission this year, and subscriptions are almost sold out). And with a new home at the Victory Gardens, the Shattered Globe Theatre is in expansionist mode. Its first show of the season, “A Real Classy Affair,” was a great start. Once Lookingglass Theatre gets settled in its new home, it’s likely to make major creative waves. In the meantime, you’ll just have to trust Lookingglass about what they will be doing with your subscription money next season.
Writer’s Theatre of Chicago, 664 Vernon Ave., Glencoe. “Incident at Vichy,” “Fallen Angels,” “Nixon’s Nixon” and “Loot.” Subscriptions range from $60 to $90. Special perks: postshow discussions on Fridays, discount card for use at local businesses. 847-835-5398.
Shattered Globe Theatre at Victory Gardens, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. “A Real Classy Affair,” “Escape From Happiness” and “The Lower Depths.” Subscriptions range from $48 to $96. Special perks: Flex-pass allows any combination of performance dates and number of admissions. 773-404-1237.
Lookingglass Theatre Company, 2936 N. Southport St. “Her Name Was Danger.” The remainder of the season is yet to be announced. Subscription prices range from $65 to $140. Special perks: discount admission to readings and on merchandise.773-477-8088.
THE MUSICAL HOUSES: Many of the musical houses (like the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace or Evergreen Park and the Black Ensemble Theatre) base their seasons around the calendar year and are currently in the midst of subscription packages. Here’s a list of some seasons that are heavy on musicals and are currently beginning their year.
Stage Right Dinner Theatre, 276 E. Irving Park Rd., Wood Dale. “Guys and Dolls,” “Jerry’s Girls,” “She Loves Me” and “Breaking Legs.” Subscriptions range from $115 to $125 (all packages include dinner or brunch). 630-595-2044.
Theater at the Center, 1040 Ridge Rd., Munster, Ind. “Pump Boys and Dinettes,” “Moon Over Buffalo,” “Gigi,” “Proposals” and “Miracle on 34th Street.” Subscriptions range from $72 to $90. 219-836-3255.
Porchlight Theatre at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport St. “Colette Collage,” “A New Brain” and “Kurt Weill.” Subscriptions range from $35 to $45. 773-325-9884.
FINDING YOUR OWN GEM: Here’s an eclectic list of some of the best subscription offerings from around the metropolitan area. With the highly regarded “R&J” as the first show, Highland Park’s Apple Tree Theatre is offering what promises to be an especially impressive season.
Chicago Theatre Company, 500 E. 67th St. “The Journal of Ordinary Thought,” “Having Our Say” and “Love Talk.” Subscriptions range from $39 to $51. 773-493-5360.
American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St. “The Skin of Our Teeth,” “American Buffalo,” “Medea” and “The Mineola Twins.” Subscriptions range from $35 to $100. Special perks: dining discounts, newsletter. 773-929-1031.
Pegasus Players, 1145 W. Wilson Ave. “The State of Mississippi vs. Emmett Till,” “Shlemiel the First,” “14th Annual Young Playwrights Festival” and “Grand View,” “Sunday in the Park With George.” Subscriptions range from $90 to $100. Special perks: backstage events, dining discounts, tickets to dress rehearsals. 773-878-9761.
Next Theatre, Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston. “Stonewall Jackson’s House,” “The Boarding House,” “Tiny Island” and “Among the Thugs.” Subscriptions range from $45 to $82. 847-475-1875.
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Only space has prevented us from listing a number of other seasons, including the ambitious new slate at the Piven Theatre Workshop, which opens with “Never in my Lifetime.”
But for a full taste of Chicago theater you have to be willing to buy single tickets; otherwise you’ll miss out on the work of troupes like the Free Associates, Live Bait, Famous Door and Remy Bummpo Productions. A subscription or two is, however, a great base for theater going, and it’s about the only way to avoid missing the sold-out attractions that are becoming increasingly common in Chicago.
