A lot of bigger productions go up at The Goodman before moving on to the bright lights of New York, and unless you get rush tickets, you will probably pay accordingly. Running now is an adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey. This theater was once the Shakespeare Repertory on Dearborn. With a new theater and a new season, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre is another pricey venture. This season will feature The Two Gentlemen of Verona and King Lear.
Court theater has the added edge of rush tickets for eight dollars before each show.
The Invention of Love is running right now, so if you've never before seen a play by Tom Stoppard, grab one of your neighbors and go before the midterm grind sets in. Most notable is the Free Associates, with some of the best improv comedy in the city. Hellcab, a black comedy about a taxi driver, has an open run at the Ivanhoe. And Neither Have I Wings to Fly, is just such a show. Set in 1950s Ireland, this heart-wrenching play has been making its way up through amateur circuits, and will hopefully continue to climb.