CULTURE MUSIC & DANCE The Jay Pritzker Pavilion and The Harris Theater for Music and Dance , Chicago’s hubs for music and dance, are both found at Millennium Park . Millennium Park’s Grant Park Music Festival is the nation’s only free, summer-long classical music series. Once the city’s first public library, the stunning Chicago Cultural Center hosts free concerts, films, art exhibits, lectures, and live performances. Music fills Chicago’s beloved Symphony Center , home of the acclaimed Chicago Symphony Orchestra . Enjoy an evening of awe-inspiring opera or ballet at the Lyric Opera House , where the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Joffrey Ballet both perform. A variety of dance companies regularly present classic and modern pieces at the Auditorium Theatre . Hubbard Street Dance Chicago brings the best in contemporary dance to stages across the city. THEATRE The Goodman Theatre is acclaimed for the depth of its classic and contemporary productions, often penned by award-winning playwrights. Broadway In Chicago is a collective of impressive downtown theatres, each of them staging stellar, direct-from-Broadway productions all year long. Housed in the historic Water Tower Pumping Station, Lookingglass Theatre Company presents performances ranging from lively plays to unique acrobatic productions. Chicago Shakespeare Theater brings The Bard’s genius to Navy Pier with plays performed in three different theatres, including The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare , a unique venue with giant movable seating towers. Steppenwolf Theatre Company counts renowned actors John Malkovich and Gary Sinise as ensemble members. The Steppenwolf recently embarked on a $73 million expansion of its Lincoln Park campus. Victory Gardens Theater , located in the landmark Biograph Theater, boasts a 14-member Playwrights Ensemble that has collectively garnered six Tony awards. The Belmont Theater District in Lakeview includes 20 local theatres, including the Briar Street Theatre (home of the long-running Blue Man Group), Athenaeum Theatre , and the famed Laugh Factory . The Second City is a can’t-miss improv and sketch comedy institution, having launched the careers of comedic greats like Tina Fey and Steve Carell. The Black Ensemble Theater in Uptown is one of the most prominent African American theatre companies in the nation, known for its musicals depicting noted musicians and performers. The Court Theatre is the professional theatre company of The University of Chicago in Hyde Park, focusing on lost masterpieces and provocative modern classics. Chicago Cultural Center Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park 26 choosechicago.com ALL PHOTOS: ADAM ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY
Chicago Visitors Guide 2020: Page 26
