Ada Grey's 10 Favorite Plays, 5 Favorite Musicals, and 3 Favorite Alices

This year I have seen a lot of theater, and I loved most of it. My first rough cut of this had 30 shows! This year has been an amazing year of reviewing for me because I love seeing theater and I love writing about theater. When I see a good play it just makes me so happy!

10 Favorite Plays

All Our Tragic (The Hypocrites)

"People who would like this show are people who like turtles, spear brides, and death by pickle."

The American Revolution (Theater Unspeakable at Adventure Stage Chicago)

"People who would like this show are people who like cute little girls slamming doors in people's faces, flexible kings, and Philadelphia."

Bat-Hamlet (Corn Productions)

"People who would like this show are people who like mind-blowing transformations, awesome fights, and a jar made out of ice with a king cobra inside with a grenade it its mouth."

Buyer & Cellar (Broadway Playhouse)

"People who would like this show are people who like bubble-blowing dolls, hilarious tragic backstories, and laughing your face off."

Haymaker (Neo-Futurists)

"People who would like this show are people who like hilarious Nazis, silent star-throwing ninjas, and unexpected roaring."

The Humans (American Theater Company)

"People who would like this show are people who like family, Thanksgiving, and peppermint pigs."

Monstrous Regiment (Lifeline Theatre)

"People who would like this show are people who like trolls, women, and coffee."

The Seafarer (Seanachai Theatre Company)

"People who would like this show are people who like card games, forgiveness, and disintegrated toast."

Stupid F##king Bird (Sideshow Theatre Company)

"People who would like this show are people who like good direct address, live depressing-ish and funny music, and putting vodka in your health drink."

The Tempest (Suitcase Shakespeare Company)

"People who would like this show are people who like scary Caliban masks, drunken butlers, and Ferdi-nerds!"

5 Favorite Musicals

Coraline (Black Button Eyes Productions)

"People who would like this show are people who like creepy glowing baby-doll heads, chocolate, and cats."

Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale (Broadway Playhouse)

"People who would like this show are people who like metal Christmases, Dee Snider, and rocking inflatable snowmen."

Peter and the Starcatcher (Broadway in Chicago)

"People who would like this show are people who like awesome feminist girls, bloomer sails, and valley-girl pirates."

Sweeney Todd (Porchlight Music Theatre)

"People who would like this show are people who like horror, pies, and facial hair."

Titanic (Griffin Theatre)

"People who would like this show are people who like excitement, cute Irish couples, and telegraph machines."

3 Favorite Alices

Alice (Upended Productions)

"People who would like this show are people who like bunnies, insanity, and lollipops."

Alice in Lincoln Park (Nothing Without a Company)

"People who would like this show are people who like little pink houses, mad love, and cute rabbit boys."

Lookingglass Alice (Lookingglass Theatre)

"People who would like this show are people who like awesome ball dance sequences, sdrawkcab gniga sneeuq, and egg grammar professors."


Photos: Kelsey Jorissen / Cole Simon / Jennifer Sampson