Latest from Chicago Critic

Chicago’s downtown theatre scene is concentrated in and around the Loop, where historic venues host Broadway tours, pre-Broadway engagements, concerts, comedy, dance, opera and other major productions. Broadway In Chicago operates several of the best-known downtown houses, while venues such as the Chicago Theatre and Lyric Opera House add to the area’s broader performing-arts landscape. … Read more

Chicago has appeared in a surprising number of Christmas movies, but there is an important distinction: some films are genuinely set and filmed in Chicagoland, while others only use Chicago as the story setting and were actually shot somewhere else. This guide focuses on that difference. Below you’ll find Christmas and holiday films connected to … Read more

Updated for 2026–27. Originally published October 15, 2022. The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) is a nonprofit professional organization for film critics whose work has a Chicago presence. Its members work across print, online, broadcast and other media, and the association oversees the annual Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, the Chicago Critics Film Festival, critic … Read more

Most Chicago theatres do not have a formal dress code. Casual clothes are generally fine, including jeans and clean sneakers. Some people dress up more for downtown Broadway productions, opening nights, special events or a dinner-and-theatre date, but formalwear is rarely necessary unless the event specifically requests it. The best approach is to dress for … Read more

Theater and theatre generally mean the same thing. Theater is the standard spelling in American English, while theatre is preferred in British English and many other varieties of English. In the United States, however, many performing-arts organizations and venues intentionally use theatre in their official names. So which should you use? For ordinary American writing, … Read more

Updated for 2026. Originally published October 4, 2022. Chicago has played almost every role on screen: a story setting, a production location, a stand-in for Gotham City and, in some films, a character in its own right. This guide focuses on memorable movies with a meaningful Chicago connection while distinguishing between films set in Chicago, … Read more

Originally published September 29, 2022. Chicago has been the setting for major comedies, crime dramas, documentaries and television series—and it has also doubled for other cities on screen. This guide focuses on movies and TV shows that are set in Chicago, substantially filmed in Chicago, or strongly connected to the Chicago area, with current Netflix … Read more

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