This was my first time at Lifeline Theater. I went with a friend to see their production of Frankenstein. Very interesting adaptation of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein". While the adaptation itself featured Victoria instead of Victor, the play remained faithful to the book. Ann Sonneville as Victoria was very good and convincing. The staging was imaginative and I loved the sets. The most impressive part of the production was The Monster....it was a puppet! Chris Hainsworth (Victoria's father), is literally turned into The Monster puppet onstage, with a helping hand from other cast members. As The Monster murders each one, they become a part of the puppet handling team. Well done. The theater itself was clean and very nice. Plenty of street parking on Morse (metered), although there is free parking several blocks away at a Sullivan High School. Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood and Sullivan High School is at 6631 N Bosworth Ave, so they offer a free shuttle service before and after the show for folks that want to park there for fee. We parked on the street, so no idea on how the shuttle was. If you don't want to drive, you are right by the Morse Street El station. What I loved about this theater was that it was cool in temperature. Usually small venues get hot due to the stage lights, but it seemed like they had the air on. Nice thing about that was that each seat had a blanket on the back of the chair in the event you got chilled during the performance. It was fun getting under the covers to watch a play, like watching live TV in bed. At the end of the performance, I got to meet Ann and some of the cast members as the friend I went with use to be her roommate and is also an actress. I got to meet Trent Davis (William). He was very good and very much a kid. He seemed happy that I recognized him from Chi-raq. I am going to keep my eye on this theater. As a small venture, they do it right and very professional. Interested to see what other productions they can roll out. Also nice that they are located around a couple of good bars and restaurants, so you can do dinner before the show or drinks afterwards. Definitely work keeping an eye out for future endeavors. read more

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Excellent shows are produced by this Theatre Company. The space is intimate with character. The free shuttle service to free parking is a plus, as well. I only wish that the concession stand offered coffee, my preference. But...this is not a coffee house and the art offered is definitely worth the trip! read more

I saw Middle Passage on Friday evening. The performance was well acted, choreographed, and staged. Really splendid. The staff was so helpful to me, especially Erica - the operations manager - who drives the convenient shuttle from the free parking. I saw a preview but I think I may take a group of friends from my senior group to see it again. read more

I may have finally found my favorite Chicago storefront/small-scale theater. Lifeline specializes in literary adaptations, so as a book lover, their shows are doubly attractive to me. In the last five months, I have seen them present two of my favorite books--Watership Down and The Count of Monte Cristo. Both shows were emotionally compelling as well as superficially enjoyable. That is quite high praise coming from someone with a fervent, decades-long admiration of the source novels. In both cases, the playwrights made significant structural and/or thematic changes, but I have to admit that the adjustments made sense even if I happen to prefer the original works. The acting is consistently strong. Chris Hainsworth as the eponymous Count was a standout in the recent show. I found the lead character Hazel in Watership to be moderately miscast, but it didn't significantly diminish my appreciation of the play. The company also seems to excel at set design, making both cleverly utilitarian and richly evocative use of the small space and central-aisle staircase entrance. I'm very sorry to arrive so late to the Lifeline party. I lived barely a mile away for almost a decade and just look at what I've missed: Neverwhere, Sirens of Titan, Mrs Caliban, Far From the Madding Crowd, The Killer Angels, Treasure Island, all three Lord of the Rings volumes, and--best of all--Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (look it up if your childhood was so sadly deprived). I will be paying VERY close attention to their season schedules from now on. read more

Just came back from seeing Neverwhere in preview. First, the theater. It's a typical small Chicago converted warehouse place in a neighborhood that is, while not truly bad, you're a bit unsure about leaving your car unattended. However, the theater has a free shuttle lot about 6 blocks away and a comfortable shuttle van to bring you back and forth. Our driver was a friendly young man who also works on props. Next door is Dukes bar which has its own Yelp reviews. We stopped in for a pre-show drink and it's everything the Yelpers claimed. Neverwhere is an excellent adaptation of the Gaiman book (and BBC mini-series). We were amazed that they managed to get in all the major plot points and characters (who were all well-realized) into 2 1/2 hours. Since hubby and I had read the book we had no trouble following. I was worried those who had not read it might have trouble, but the people we rode back on the shuttle with said they enjoyed it and had no trouble following it. They said they now planned to read the book. The acting is really good, the staging is excellent and the script is great. Go see it! read more

I have been to Lifeline Theater twice as part of the Dorothy Sayers Series. It is part of a 4 part series Lifeline is putting on. Rather than plays, they are concert readings. I have really enjoyed the first two parts so far. The concert readings are quiet entertaining. It's surprisingly fun to see the actors reactions to the actors on stage. I have never seen concert readings before, but I would go see more. The staff here is really great. The actors/writers are outstanding and put on a great show. But the theater staff are also really nice and helpful. The theater has a parking lot that is about a mile away. I have only been here in the winter, so I definitely did not walk. The theater provides a shuttle, but it can take a while to get into the shuttle after the show. read more

This place does a LOT with the space they have! We saw Neverwhere, and the set was fantastic. I booked by phone and it was easy and the tickets were at will call. The parking is at a nearby school and there is a shuttle, this was super convenient. Everyone there was friendly, kind and outgoing. They have snacks and drinks for purchase, you cannot bring the food into the theatre. I thought the adaptation of Neverwhere was great and so was the cast. The seating is not very comfortable, the seats are very tight (I'm an average size person) and when the person in front of me moved around and leaned forward, I had trouble seeing. I felt like I had to wriggle around the entire time. I will definitely go back, sit in F6 and F7! read more

I visited Lifeline Theater on a gorgeous Sunday to see a preview performance of Busman's Honeymoon. I'll admit that I was already regretting deciding to see a play because I'd rather have been playing outside, but I did not enjoy this performance at all. I'm all for dry humor, but this play was tremendously boring and at 2 and 1/2 hours, over long. I actually debated leaving at the intermission, which I've never done before. I will say the performance was well acted and aside from a minor snafu with my seat assignment the theater itself was quite nice. It was easy to find free parking on a side street for this matinee. I'll definitely give Lifeline another shot - based on the other reviews it seems they put on quality productions - but unless they significantly overhaul Busman's Honeymoon I'd give this particular play a miss. read more

We just saw their production of Thumbelina and, as I've come to expect from Lifeline's kids' shows, it was magical. Also, I had some special needs re my tickets and the box office was fantastic and easy to work with. read more

Watched "Watership Down" and I was a bit skeptical at first. Its a 300 page book about rabbits, their history and so much more. However, this troop did an amazing job! Great use of stage, sound, and physical expressions. Surprisingly enough, they stayed very true to the book. The theater itself is snuggled into a side street off Morse (a couple blocks from the red line). We ordered our tickets online and they were available when we got there - front row! Yes! The staff were pleasant, professional, and friendly. They also have a (FREE) mini shuttle service where you can park your car about 5 blocks away, and there is a van that takes you to and from (both before and after the show). Inside, you see the amazing work these guys have done over the years. Some small snacks are drinks are available (no alcohol which disappointed me but not enough to drop them a star) at very reasonable prices (I think $1 each). They also do a series of productions geared for children. I am not sure if they use child actors or not but if you have kids, its something worth looking into. Feedback from the audience about the theater and experience is requested via surveys (nice that they care what their patrons think). I am anxiously waiting their next performance (yup - now on the mailing list). If you have a chance to catch "Watership Down" before it closes - DO IT! otherwise, give this gem a glance next time you are in the area! read more

I love this place! Close quarters cozy feel, all seats are great, blankets provided on every seat, staff is incredibly friendly, the cast is always talented, nice location, reasonably priced shows, and the plays rotate frequently. There are plenty of dinner options available after the show at all of the local eateries and bars scattered throughout the area. Very safe as well, and you are able to find parking close or nearby read more

We have been going here for years and love the caliber of talent and the inventive stagesetting. They offer a great variety of productions for adults and kids. One standout was "The Sirens of Titan" a few years ago - amazing! Being small, the theater gives a lovely sense of closeness to the story. Clean, welcoming, and professional - and we love the shuttle from the parking lot! read more

I absolutely loved my experience at the Lifeline Theatre, and I can't wait to go back. We drove in from the burbs and paid for city street parking which worked, though my husband had to feed the meter at intermission. They do have their own lot with a shuttle, but I have not tried that out. This theatre is also very close to a red line stop, so if you do public transportation in the city, that would be the best bet. This theatre was small, but the seating was comfortable, and the staff were wonderful. We came for a performance of Neverwhere, and I loved it. The acting was excellent, and because the theatre is small, you feel like you are up close to the action. This theatre does specialize in book to stage adaptations and appears to have an excellent theater program for children as well (they are doing one of my favorite childhood stories- Bunnicula-next year). They do season tickets here as well, which includes 3 shows. I can't wait to go back- I loved everything about my experience at Lifeline! read more

I just went here for the first time to see The Island of Dr. Moreau and was very impressed. It was scarier than the movie! Will definitely be checking out all their performances. Really nice theatre, and especially convenient since it's in my hood. I walked there but I noticed they had an attendant out front telling people about parking which is great since it's often a struggle in Rogers Park. read more

Intimate theatre that performs literary works. Well-selected pieces that are performed by terrifically talented actors, many of whom are regular performers at the theatre. BookClub saw the Picture of Dorian Gray, and we were amazed at the caliber of talent. At that moment we vowed to see more small theatre in Chicago and not just Steppenwolf. There are so many talented performers in this city. We went to the hippie Heartland cafe afterwards. Cheap drinks. Patchouli. Earthly Fun. I believe Lifeline also does children's productions as well. read more

This theatre lists the dimensions of the seats on their website. I really appreciate this so much! It's inconvenient and embarrassing to go to a play only to find you can't fit in the seat! read more

Our first time at this theater and saw Frankenstein. All the actors did excellent work. Ann Sonneville not only paid particular attention to slight acting details, but memorized 90 minutes of lead script dialed in from the 19th century vernacular. In a venue that small, I wish the audience could meet the actors and express their thanks. On that note, there were no bad seats....it was a bit chilly at times. We easily found parking on a side street. read more

On a recent visit, I happened to see Marietta in Ecstacy at this theater. Initially, I was shocked at the small stage; however, the set and how they utilized the space created an unexpected depth. Not only was the play really good but I loved the intimate vibe! read more

We prefer small local theaters over big stage places and we just love to enjoy nice play or musical in private setting. Such places have their unique charm. When we have purchased tickets for Northganger Abby play we were not sure what to expect. The performance was outstanding and it has exceeded our expectation. The actors connected very well with the audience and the over all experience was phenomenal. read more

We have been subscribers for the regular plays and the kids series for over 10 years. The excellent writers and book adaptors prepare scripts that really catch the excitement. The many fine cast members that show up at Lifeline are from all over with tons of professional experience. When a fine actor comes to Chicago they would do well to come to Lifeline to create a character. Monstrous Regiment, a novel from fantasy writer Terry Pratchett's Discworld is now playing, and the adaptation may easily become popular around the world..... Lifeline is the essence of Chicago theater. Get a subscription and start taking your whole family, especially the kids who will thrill to be in such close quarters with REAL actors. You could pay 4 times as much and get much less fun else where. read more

What a cool idea: adapt popular/famous/great books that everyone likes into plays. We saw China Meiville's superb "City in the City", which to anyone who has read it is totally bizarre and sounds impossible to adapt. But they did it, quite well, too. The space is very intimate, they give blankets to every seat, and really the experience is just all around very nice. read more

A small black-boxish theatre. I also saw Dorian Gray and was blown away by how good it was. An excellent little theatre in the super duper north Chicago. read more

I love local theater and this one is particularly awesome. The theater is tucked away on Glenwood Ave. right next to the red line tracks. The interior has a real industrial vibe with exposed ducts and pipes. One of the employees said it was formerly a ComEd substation. The space inside is very dark, moody and shadowy, yet colorful at the same time. You get the feeling that whatever production you're seeing something creative is happening. I actually came today for a children's production called, The One and Only Ivan. I could go on about how they tenderly and smartly adapted a weighty and sad story, and made it child-friendly without diluting the message. The acting was engaging and the show alternated between sadness and comic relief. The theater seats around 100 people. There's quite a high slope to the stadium style seats so even in the back row there's a clear view of the stage. Afterward the actors greeted guests and signed autographs for little theater goers. The entire staff person made us feel right at home. Can't wait to see what's next at Lifeline Theater. read more

Lifeline Theatre - The lobby is dark an moody yet colorful - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here to see The Picture of Dorian Gray the weekend before last. What an excellent performance for the price at this tiny little theater! The house was packed. The actors were talented and the set design was lovely. Here is one small theater I will know not to avoid :) read more

Great theater. So excited to see The Man Who was Thursday which is based on the book of the same name by G. K. Chesterton. I love the fact that they have a parking lot. They are also very accommodating to people with disabilities. I looked at their site, and it had a good amount of info about accessibility, even the size of the seats. read more

So I'm somewhat biased because I work here from time to time, but for my money Lifeline produces some of the best small house theater in Chicago. They specialize in original stage adaptations of literary works and run two sets of shows each season - one for young audiences during the mornings and one for adults in the evening. The kids shows are great because they don't talk down to kids; they just tell excellent stories in 60 minutes or less. The adult shows are a fascinating range of works from small, character driven dramas to large scale adventures and mysteries. Their hallmarks include inventive use of their small (and slightly odd) space and great performances by actors tapped to play multiple roles in each show. read more

Hands down one of the best theatres I've ever been to. I've never been disappointed by a single performnce I've seen from this company.

Lifeline is a smaller theatre that puts on great productions while having more of a personal experience. The actors and such you can meet after the performance and they are very friendly and you can tell they love what they do. With the smaller theatre there is no bad seat in the house. I've gone to a few of their shows and will definitely go to many more. Their productions and actors are top notch. read more

A few months ago, it's my first time to watch a show at lifeline in Chicago with my husband. The show was Jane Eyre, very impressive acting. Yesterday we went there again for "one came home" and enjoyed it very much! It's a very small theater with small stage, but seems to be managed very well, and the actors are amazing! Will go back for more shows for sure:) read more

Arnie the Doughnut was a great family experience for my 4 y.o. son, his parents and his grandparents. THANKYOU live theatre!!!

Saw "Monstrous Regiment" here, and it was fantastic. Show was wonderful, staff were kind and funny, and I love that the theater supports youth programs. Small place, but great experience -- definitely worth the trip up to Rogers Park. read more

What a find Lifeline was for us! Unbelievable acting and production quality- better than what we have seen at twice the price and scope at other theater companies in the US. We saw A Tale of Two Cities and it was brilliant. The ambiance and staff and well, everything was picture perfect. We are coming back here again and again. read more

Still love this place after years. The fact that every play they perform is a play that a member of their company WROTE, based on a novel, is so cool, and the fact that the plays are staged, costumed, acted and sung--when there is music--SO WELL is a total joy. I have seen MANY plays here over the years. Once every few years they don't hit a home run, but mostly this is a sure thing. The recent Northanger Abbey production (now extended) is charming, hilarious and musically beautiful. And to be a subscriber (which is a great bargain) is to be treated very well. Their operations team is helpful and kind and thoughtful. Just be sure to read their website about parking (which is sometimes challenging) and allow time if you want to use their shuttle. read more

we are season subscribers. However, "Midnight Cowboy" was just more graphic than was acceptable. I have read the book and am sure there must have been better ways to convey sex scenes than what we saw during the performance. read more

Just saw Miss Holmes, and the play and the actors are splendid! This is one of the best small theaters in Chicago. Fine, fine actors look forward to work here, and the audience is loyal. The children's program of plays made from well loved children's books is also a must see. The price is right, go and enjoy a lovely evening out. read more

I went to see The Island of Dr. Moreau. A little pricey, but nice adaptation.