See the Favorites by Year page for general info about our yearly favorites lists, as well as links to other years.
Within each category (Favorite Shows, Favorite Readings, and Favorites “Under the Radar”), entries are listed in alphabetical order. For shows that have a write-up elsewhere on our website, click on the “more” link to check it out.
Favorite Shows
Note: The number of outstanding musicals in 2017 made our list of Favorite Shows a little longer than usual.
- At the Table by Michael Perlman: Broken Nose Theatre (more)
- BLKS by Aziza Barnes: Steppenwolf Theatre (more)
- The Columnist by David Auburn: American Blues Theater (more)
- Five Guys Named Moe by Clarke Peters: Court Theatre
- Fun Home by Tesori and Kron: Victory Gardens Theater (more)
- Ideation by Aaron Loeb: Jackalope Theatre Company
- Into the Beautiful North by Karen Zacarías: 16th Street Theater (more)
- La Havana Madrid by Sandra Delgado: Teatro Vista (more)
- An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins: Definition Theatre (more)
- Parade by Jason Robert Brown: Writers Theatre (more)
- Pass Over by Antoinette Nwandu: Steppenwolf Theatre (more)
- Ragtime by Ahrens and Flaherty: Griffin Theatre (more)
- Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson: First Folio Theatre (more)
- Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim: Paramount Theatre (more)
- The Wiz by Charlie Smalls: Kokandy Productions (more)
Favorite Readings
- How to Catch Creation by Christina Anderson: Goodman Theatre
- Jo and Liv by Evan Linder: Goodman Theatre
- Mill Girls by Lawrence and Beach: American Theatre Company (more)
- My Father’s Daughters by Chidester, Filip, Godwin, and Lawrence: Route 66
- The River Jordan by Mercedes White: Definition Theatre
Favorites “Under the Radar” (shows meriting wider notice)
- American Hwangap by Lloyd Suh: Halcyon Theatre and A-Squared
- The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel: Brown Paper Box Co.
- Blood at the Root by Dominique Morisseau: The Yard (more)
- His Greatness by Daniel MacIvor: Pride Films & Plays
- The Kid Thing by Sarah Gubbins: Nothing Without a Company
- The River Bride by Marisela Treviño Orta: Halcyon Theatre
- Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England by Madeleine George: DePaul University
- Upright Grand by Laura Schellhardt: Citadel Theatre
- Vanya (Or, ‘That’s Life!’) by Lavina Jadhwani: Rasaka Theatre
- Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee: Pulse Theatre (more)
