The McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage (COD) in Glen Ellyn, IL, is a vibrant hub for…read morethe performing and visual arts, offering an array of professional theater, music, dance, comedy, and family-friendly performances. While the MAC hosts a wide range of cultural programming year-round, what has drawn us back time and again, now three times, are their exceptional, large-scale art exhibitions, presented every two years. The most recent of these is the 2025 exhibition Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World (on view from May 31 to September 21). This immersive experience transports visitors to the lively and refined world of 17th-century Edo-period Japan. The exhibit vividly captures a time when Edo (present-day Tokyo) thrived as the cultural and economic heart of the nation, defined by its devotion to the arts, nature, and the pleasures of daily life. A highlight of the exhibition is the U.S. debut of the Museum Galleries - Chiossone Collection, featuring a remarkable 70-piece selection of ukiyo-e masterpieces. Among these are 53 original paintings and woodblock prints by renowned artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige, alongside 17 beautifully crafted objects. Together, they offer a captivating window into Japan's "floating world." The MAC consistently excels in delivering these world-class exhibitions. The experience is not only visually stunning but also engaging and educational. The staff are welcoming, knowledgeable, and always ready to enhance your visit. Last, but not the least, there is a very nice gift shop there. We bought some cute Japanese noodles and rice bowls with the "floating world" art theme from the gift shop. Attending an art exhibition there is truly a joy, and we look forward to each new one.

We came for the Hokusai exhibit on a Friday. It was a little hard to find, the address on the flyer…read moredidn't direct us to the right area. Saw some signs near campus but not enough. Was finally able to find it by searching McAninch Arts Center (MAC). The exhibit is cool, loved the eki (train station) stamps for the passport you're given. I wasn't expecting much and it lived up to expectations. After experiencing it do I think it was worth the $27/per person admission? Not for me. But it's still cool and definitely worth a visit if you're an art enthusiast.

Nice clean, open theater for performances. The seats were decent - we at box seats to the right…read more Ticket prices were somewhat high for the type of venue and we had to get tickets through Ticketmaster so there are the extra fees involved. Called the box office and they were of no help in buying tickets for will call. We saw One Night in Memphis on Nov. 23. The performers were good, dedicated to playing their artists. The bad part of the theater? The sound - they cranked up the instruments and we could barely hear the performers sing. I felt bad for the performers trying to be heard over the drums and electric bass. Another downside was the lack of the ushers and staff with seating. It didn't seem to matter much where people sat as long as no one complains. Not sure this is good for honest people who pay for decent seats. When we got to our seats there was a couple already sitting in our seats. They claimed that the box office sent them to our seats because they got kicked out of their balcony seats. Without having an usher nearby, we had to take care of it ourselves. They begrudgingly moved to the next set of free seats in the box grumbling about how they should have stayed in their seats. The people with tickets to their relocated seats showed up and the balcony couple again claimed they were placed there by the box office because they were told to leave their balcony seats. They were finally moved by an usher. I noticed them sitting across the theater in the empty box seats, not balcony. I guess no one checks tickets. They must be pros knowing not to pay $75+ a ticket, but to pay a lot less for balcony and sit in premium seats because no one will check. Other than this irritating situation, the show was okay. Parking was easy and free which was nice. Overall, I think we'd be back only if there was a performer we must see, but we will not be paying for main or box seating prices. It's a small theater.

Clean and módem and parking lot. They sell snacks and drinks and have many typed of entertainment…read morehere like today they had the Red hot Chili Pipers ... Scottish bagpipers playing contemporary music and also music they wrotes.

Went to see the play, Baked. It was delightful. Staging was excellent. Story line was funny and…read morepoigant. The space is nicely set-up. There is a bar for drink purchases. It is a nice evening out. The only problem is that the area is parking challenged. Do come a little earlier to secure pay to park spots. The area has little free street parking. The venue itself is usually air conditioned to be on the cool side. A light jacket or layer is highly recommended for all performances.

Intimate space for some great shows. Bar staff is friendly, as well as other support staff…read more Acoustics are good. I was impressed. Nice job.

I was here with Yelp Chicago for Heartbreak Hotel. We saw the first act of the show, then after an…read moreextended intermission, they announced that due to inclement weather and flooding in the area, they were calling our show and the subsequent ones for that weekend. They made an announcement to please call the theater the following Tuesday and they would give us tickets to ANY of the remaining dates to see the conclusion of the show. I called Tuesday and they did just that! The process was very easy and a week later, I was able to the second act of Heartbreak Hotel. The theater in the round insures there are not really bad seats in the house! I have been here for everything from You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown [Theater for Young Audiences] to Big Fish to Damn Yankees to Something Rotten over the years. I am grateful to my grandparents who instilled the theater into me by bringing my young self here! I also appreciate that the Marriott Theatre works with the Chicago League of Theaters to offer accessibly priced tickets. And after viewing Catch Me If You Can, they allowed the next generation of theater viewers to have a meet and greet with JJ Neimann, who a lot of kids connected with via TikTok. Parking is free and close to the doors, the seats are comfortable, the bathrooms are clean, the box office is competent, and the productions are top notch! Not much else you can ask for!

I've been to this Marriott theater several times already to watch different shows throughout the…read moreyears. However, this most recent visit was to see heartbreak Hotel thanks to the Yelp elite event. On the night of which I came there happen to be some very severe storms that caused the play to stop at the point of intermission so that all the audience members could go home safely. The Marriott theater was so kind as to give us an option to get tickets to another scheduled show to be able to see it from start to finish and it's entirety. This was so generous and so kind of them to do. And every time they put on a show here this place is absolutely fantastic. I love being able to come here and buy tickets to come here for other shows because parking is free and there are none of these add-on fees on top of the tickets like you get for the other shows down in the city. Hear the traffic is manageable to get in and get out of it whether it's before or even after a show. So none of this craziness that you have to deal with the city. If you've never seen a show here, I highly encourage and strongly recommend that you look at the various and diverse shows and offerings and buy a ticket and support the theater.

I am an avid theater fan (and sometimes participant), yet somehow I'd never been here. This is a…read moretragic fact, as they've done a lot of shows I really love over the years. But honestly, I think a big deterrent is their ticket prices. It looks like they do student ticket prices now, which is great and makes it much more attainable -- I don't remember seeing that as an option when I was in college or my first round of grad school, but it's been awhile since I was in that situation. (It looks like they have educator discounts, which I'm hoping I may be eligible for, as it doesn't specifically state whether you have to be a K-12 educator or if college faculty are eligible). They also have discounts for theater industry professionals, which is great. Their regular prices for shows are a bit more expensive than a lot of the theaters in the city. (But also it probably balances out when you consider cost to park downtown versus here). It also looks like they have pay-what-you-can options at certain shows, which is also a nice way to make it accessible to more folks. I still haven't seen a show here, but I came to a lecture event they did a few weekends ago that is related to the themes of their current show. It was really interesting to hear both an academic perspective from a professor and the perspective of a social worker and dramaturg. They also do a pay-what-you-can storytelling night, which sounds super fun. The space is also incredible. The lecture took place in the lobby area, and it's a beautiful space. I look forward to coming to see a show here. (And will update my review once I do.)

Came here for Pearls Rollin Blues in the John Nichols theater. Wow a nice intimate space. Seats…read morewere comfortable and lots of legroom. The show was good. My only issue was it didn't seem like there was a sound engineer. The mikes were all at the same level so when Pearl was singing, some of the back up were too loud and you lost some of the words. The musicians were fabulous and the conductor/piano player was outstanding.

This was my first visit to The Second City and I can't wait to go back!…read more WHAT IS IT: This Chi town staple is a creative and fun theater that offers a rotation of improv and sketch comedy shows. The roster of well known Second City alumni includes greats like Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Amy Poehler, Chris Farley, Bill Murray and more. We saw Improv Supernova and what's great about this show is that no two performances are ever the same. WHERE IS IT: The Chicago location is in the historic Old Town neighborhood which has cute shops, cafes, and restaurants in the surrounding blocks. They also have locations in Toronto and NYC. PARKING and ACCESSIBILITY: There is a garage attached to Piper's Alley. They do not validate. There is also metered street parking which can be limited depending on the day and time. The building has elevators and escalators and the theater has wheelchair accessible seating. FOOD, DRINK, and MERCH: They offer fun cocktails, mocktails, wine, food items, and a selection of candy and snacks. You can also pick up cute merch such as mugs, glasses, shirts, sweaters, and hats.

First time at an improv show, Second City was a recommendation from a friend…read more The place is really big & well decorated. We got reasonably priced tickets and headed up to the 3rd floor. The space was small and intimate but it was great being so close to the stage. Very cute little spot and fun activity with friends or a date.

What a gem! I pass the Oil Lamp Theater all the time, but never went. Purchased tickets for The…read moreOutsider during Chicago Theater Week and so glad I did! We are excited to attend more shows. When you first walk in, you're greeted by a hostess. There's a full service bar and various seating spots you can enjoy before and after the show and during intermission. The theater is cozy with 60 seats. They are moving across the street to a larger space, former Country Cobbler. Fun fact, I used to get my shoes there when I was a child. They are currently fundraising for the transformation. Check out their website to learn more. The Outsider was hilarious. The actors really brought this play to life. During this divisive political climate we are currently in, it was a refreshing perspective of politics and government. Everyone laughed throughout the entire show. I highly recommend checking The Outsiders out!!

I have never been to the Oil Lamp Theater before, but my parents treated the entire family to a…read moreshowing of It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play to cross it off of my bucket list. The parking was a little crowded for a Sunday night so my father dropped us off at the door and parked the car while we ventured inside. We got the warmest greeting from the person behind the desk who gave us instructions on how we could write our own shout outs to be read by the cast. (Probably more relevant to the patrons of the theater than the building itself, but they were a range of hilarious, heartwarming, and professionally personal!) There were free cookies available as well as a full bar menu. I don't drink so I always scope out the non-alcoholic options and I could have gotten a can of Diet Coke for $2--not bad! I did see that they did offer a curated drink that matched the show as well. I appreciate when small details like that are accounted for! I personally did not use the bathroom, but multiple members of our party did and I did not hear any complaints. The theater itself was very small, but it made sense for the show that we were attending? I am deathly curious (Pun not intended) to see how they will pull off Dial M for Murder in that space. I saw it in Oakbrook on a sprawling stage so my brain couldn't fathom how that would work. Anyhoo! Back to what I actually DID see. Again, the set worked for the show that we did see. It had a cool foley studio like I imagine radio stations did back in the day. My favorite contraption was the one that spun with a handle to sound like wind! So cool! The seats were black, plastic, chairs which I did not mind because I have proper posture. I didn't feel uncomfortable at any point during the 2 hour show. My grandma is shorty and had a hard time seeing at times, but luckily a radio play is more about what you hear over what you see. For your reference when picking seats, the the first row of every pair is the front row of another level. So Row A and Row B share a platform if that makes sense. Overall, I had a wonderful time (Again, pun not intended) and I signed up for the mailing list in the hopes that I can support again soon!

I love their improve nights. The theatre is small and intimate and their shows are very well…read moredone. Love going to their performances!

Curtain Call Community Theatre provides a vehicle for local performing arts development,…read moreproduction, education and encourages & fosters community involvement. Curtain Call Community theater provides a space for the arts community to experience live theater in the Mokena area. I had an amazing experience here from the time I spoke with June over the phone, upon entering the theater and experiencing phenomenal service from each and every person involved. This place provides amazing productions as well as service to the community no matter who you are. They took very good care of me and my friends when we attended a production here and I was very impressed with their attentiveness. This is a great community theater and I highly recommend attending a production here!

Beautiful building, been here for several performances. Friendly staff. Usually use SpotHero to…read morefind a decent priced parking nearby. Holds about 3,500 people I believe, so the lines for drinks etc can get very crowded. The trick for entry is to use the side entrance which has 3 security lines and moves fairly quickly.

The Chicago Theater is a beautiful landmark to see a show. The inside is inspired by French…read morearchitecture with crystal chandelier, several murals and a grand staircase. 5/5 stars for the entry process! Security and bag check moved incredibly fast and were very well-organized. We had seats on the main floor and they were surprisingly roomy, and even from the side, the view of the stage was great. This is a great venue to see a show.

You can see from anywhere. The seats were comfortable! The acoustics were great! We were here for a…read moreconcert. There is campus parking for the events. If there is another event that I like in the future I will attend

Cahn is located on Northwestern University's campus, but it is available for use by outside…read moreorganizations as well. I have visited here for a performance by Music Theatre Works (at the time known as Light Opera Works), and was pleasantly surprised by my visit. Parking can be a big pain in the ass in a city like Chicago, where I've most often been a patron of various theatrical events, so let's get this out of the way early: Parking is a dream at Cahn! On the weekends, I think it is, it's free and abundant. When I was here the lot directly across the street was already filled, but then again I'm not what one would call overly early (though I'm never late for a performance!), so perhaps it would have been an option if I'd been on the earlier side. Luckily there was parking within a block or two that was easy. The theater is surprisingly large; it's about 1,000 seats and is a proscenium stage. Seats are good throughout the theatre. I think Music Theatre Works now plays out of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, but if I have the opportunity to attend an event at Cahn Auditorium again I won't hesitate because I know that the space will allow for a great experience.