Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
261
Cadillac Palace and the awkwardly named Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental
Theater. Both book major touring sho ws and ar e well worth a visit for ar ts buffs. The
Oriental's fantastical Asian look includes elaborate carvings almost everywhere you look;
dragons, elephants, and griffins peer do wn at the audience fr om the gilded ceiling. The
Palace features a profusion of Italian marble surfaces and columns, gold-leaf accents a la
Versailles, huge decorative mirrors, and cr ystal chandeliers. If you'd like to get a look at
these historic theaters for a fraction of the ticket price, guided tours of the O riental and
the Cadillac Palace Theaters start at 11am Saturday and cost $10 per person; meet in the
Oriental lobby. For show schedules at the Ford, Cadillac, and LaSalle Bank theaters, call
&
312/977-1700,
or visit www .broadwayinchicago.com.
Oriental Theater: 24 W. R an-
dolph St.
&
312/977-1700.
Cadillac Palace Theater: 151 W. Randolph St.
&
312/384-1510.
Subway/
El: Brown Line to Randolph.
Goodman Theatre
Chicago kids (and their par ents) come back y ear after y ear for
the Goodman's annual pr oduction of
A Christmas C arol,
a Chicago holiday tradition.
The show runs from mid-November to the end of December. Book well in advance; the
run always sells out. I t's a gr eat way for families to experience the G oodman's state-of-
the-art theater complex in the hear t of Chicago's revitalized downtown theater district.
The project was a total gut r ehab of the historic H arris and S elwyn theaters, a pair of
former r ococo mo vie houses. N one of the historic bric-a-brac was r etained; the ne w
building has a very modern, minimalist feel (the side of the building glows with different
colors in the evenings). The centerpiece—the 830-seat Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre—is
a brand-ne w limestone-and-glass str ucture. Connected to the main theater is another
addition, a cylindrical, glass-walled building housing shops, the 400-seat Owen Theatre,
and I talian r estaurant Petterino's. The G oodman is the dean of legitimate theaters in
Chicago, producing both original pr oductions and familiar standar ds, including ev ery-
thing from Shakespeare to musicals. Productions at the G oodman are always solid; y ou
may not see anything revolutionary, but you'll get some of the best actors in the city.
170
N. Dearborn St.
&
312/443-3800.
w ww.goodman-theatre.org. Tickets $30-$50 main stage ,
$10-$30 studio. Subway/El: Red Line to Washington/State or Lake/State; Brown or Orange Line
to Clark/Lake.
LaSalle Bank Theatre
Built in 1906 as a home for v audeville, the LaS alle B ank
Theatre (formerly the Shubert) books mostly big-name musicals and sometimes comedy
performers. A lot of the musicals are great family fare, so you may well find yourself here.
If you get balcony seats, be aware that you are going to be way, way up. The view is still
good, but if y ou have any fear of heights (or want to see expr essions on the per formers'
faces), you might want to try for tickets on the main floo.
22 W. Monroe St.
&
312/977-1700.
Subway/El: Red Line to Washington.
10
Tips
Finding a Better Seat
Most of Chicago's grand old theaters have balconies that go way, way up toward
the ceiling—and if you're stuck in the cheap seats, you'll be straining to see
what's happening onstage. Although theaters are very strict about checking tick-
ets when you arrive, the ushers relax during intermission. So scope out empty
seats during the first act, and then move down to better (and much pricier) spots
for the rest of the show.
