"Being Harold Pinter"/Photo: Aleksandr Paskannoi

Top 5 Plays of 2011
“Being Harold Pinter,” Belarus Free Theatre
“Clybourne Park,” Steppenwolf
“Yellow Face,” Silk Road Theatre Project
“The Original Grease,” American Theater Company
“Stage Kiss,” Goodman Theatre
—Brian Hieggelke

Top 5 Musicals of 2011
“The Original Grease,” American Theater Company
“Follies,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“West Side Story,” Broadway in Chicago
“Next to Normal” Broadway in Chicago
“Working,” Broadway Playhouse
—Brian Hieggelke

Top 5 Shows
“Black Watch,” The National Theatre of Scotland and Chicago Shakespeare Theater
“The Real Thing,” Writers’ Theatre
“Church & Pullman, WA,” Red Tape Theatre
“The Hot L Baltimore,” Steppenwolf Theatre
“Cyrano,” The House Theatre
—Neal Ryan Shaw

Top 5 Shows with the Most LOL Moments
“Funk It Up About Nothin’,” Chicago Shakespeare
“The Earl,” The Inconvenience
“The Mandrake,” A Red Orchid Theatre
“Colin Quinn: Long Story Short,” Broadway in Chicago
“K.C. Redheart: Process,” The Playground Theater
—Zach Freeman

Top 5 Shows Containing Nudity (or Partial Nudity)
“Red Light Winter,” Mary-Arrchie Theatre
“The Living Canvas,” National Pastime Theater
“Boobs and Goombas: A Super Mario Burlesque,” Gorilla Tango Theatre
“The Hot L Baltimore,” Steppenwolf Theatre
“Fellowship of the Boobs: An LOTR, WoW, D&D, RPG Burlesque,” Gorilla Tango Theatre
>—Zach Freeman

Top 5 Dance Shows by Chicago Companies
Lucky Plush, “The Better Half”
Khecari Dance Theatre, “Whence”
Hubbard Street Dance, Summer Series
Mad Shak, “Sharks Before Drowning”
Luna Negra Dance Theater, Spring Program
—Sharon Hoyer

Top 5 Plays Seen This Year
“Chinglish,” Goodman Theatre
“Merchant of Venice,” Broadway in Chicago
“West Side Story,” Broadway in Chicago
“Yellow Face,” Silk Road Theatre Project
“Madness of George III,” Chicago Shakespeare Theater
—Dennis Polkow

Top 5 New Musicals
“9 to 5: The Musical,” Broadway in Chicago
“Spring Awakening,” Broadway in Chicago
“A Christmas Story,” Chicago Theatre
“Next to Normal,” Broadway in Chicago
“Memphis,” Broadway in Chicago
 —Dennis Polkow

Top 5 Musical Revivals
“Monty Python’s Spamalot,” Drury Lane
“Guys & Dolls,” Marriott
“Working,” Broadway Playhouse
“Sweeney Todd,” Drury Lane
“The Original Grease!” American Theater Company
 —Dennis Polkow

Top 5 Operas
“Death and the Powers,” Chicago Opera Theater
“Otello,” Riccardo Muti/Chicago Symphony Orchestra
“Lohengrin,” Lyric Opera
“Orlando,” Nicholas McGegan/Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Ravinia
“The Magic Flute,” Lyric Opera
 —Dennis Polkow