Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to celebrate its 25th year, marking a quarter-century of bringing world-class theatre to the heart of Chicago. This celebration not only highlights the incredible journey of growth and achievement but also underscores the pivotal role Broadway In Chicago has played in shaping the City's vibrant cultural scene and enlivening it with over 25 million theatregoers.

In July 2000, Broadway In Chicago was established through a landmark partnership led by the Nederlander Organization, marking a significant milestone in Chicago's theatrical history. This collaboration aimed to bring the magic of Broadway to Chicago, enriching its cultural landscape with pre-Broadway and long-run productions.

Broadway In Chicago transformed the Downtown Theatre District. The Loop Business District went from going to sleep after 5 p.m. each night to having up to 1.7 million Broadway theatregoers filling and lighting up the Loop annually. Both in 2000 and coming out of a pandemic shutdown, Broadway In Chicago led the way to enliven the Loop. Today it continues to thrive with more pre-Broadway productions and long-run engagements than ever before...

Reflecting on this milestone, Lou Raizin, President & CEO of Broadway In Chicago, expressed his gratitude: "Chicago has always been a city that embraces the arts and culture with open arms. We are deeply thankful to Chicago whose unwavering support has made these 25 years possible. Together, we have shared countless unforgettable moments and look forward to many more."

Broadway In Chicago's Highlights from the Past 25 Years

July 2000

Broadway In Chicago is formed as a partnership between the Nederlander Organization and SFX Entertainment

November 2000

Pre-Broadway run of Kathleen Turner in Tallulah

February 2001

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Producers: The New Mel Brooks Musical

May 2001

Pre-Broadway run of Mamma Mia!

June 2001

Pre-Broadway run of Tom Selleck in A Thousand Clowns

December 2001

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of John Lithgow in Sweet Smell Of Success

June 2002

Broadway In Chicago's first free concert in Grant Park – "Broadway Rocks Chicago"

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Billy Joel & Twyla Tharp's Movin' Out

November 2002

Disney's The Lion King goes on sale with record-breaking 18-Hour Event

April 2003

Disney's The Lion King begins nine-month run

December 2004

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Monty Python's Spamalot  

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of All Shook Up

February 2005

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity

March 2005

Chicago's fastest-selling musical, Wicked, announces Broadway In Chicago's first sit-down, long-run production to begin in June 2005

November 2005

Record-breaking run of Billy Crystal in 700 Sundays

May 2006

Shubert Theatre Restoration complete - opens as LaSalle Bank Theatre; inaugurated with performance by Michael Crawford

June 2006

Over 365 Witches celebrate Wicked's official First Anniversary in Water Tower Park

October 2006

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Pirate Queen

January 2007

BIC Economic Impact Press Conference with Mayor Daley

«   Annual economic impact of nearly $750 million

«   Total annual attendance: 1.7 million theater patrons

«   Over 42% of audiences travel to Chicago from out of state

«   Approximately 88% of long-run show attendees surveyed cite a Broadway In Chicago show as the primary purpose for their visit

«   Broadway In Chicago theatre patrons occupy over 640,000 hotel room nights per year; that is 7% of the occupied hotel room nights in Chicago annually

«   Broadway In Chicago patrons spend approximately $90 million at local restaurants while visiting the area

«   Broadway In Chicago productions support more than 9,200 jobs in the city of Chicago

April 2007

Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple National Tour Launch with Oprah Winfrey in attendance

May 2007

League of Chicago Theatres awards Broadway In Chicago with the League's 2007 Leadership Award

League of Chicago Theatres announces The House Theatre of Chicago as the first recipient of the newly created "Broadway In Chicago Emerging Theatre Award"

June 2007

Over 365 Witches celebrate Wicked's Second Anniversary in Water Tower Park

July 2007

Then-Senator Barack Obama attends Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple

August 2007

Michelle Obama and family attend a performance of High School Musical

October 2007

Jersey Boys sit-down production opens for two-year long run

November 2007

Wicked reaches 1,000 performances

June 2008

Over 365 Witches celebrate Wicked's Third Anniversary in Millennium Park

October 2008

Jersey Boys First Anniversary celebrated with city-wide pizza party

January 2009

Wicked closes after 3 ½ years and 1500 performances

March 2009

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh present Mary Poppins launches National Tour at the Cadillac Palace Theatre

June 2009

Jersey Boys welcomes 1,000,000th patron

October 2009

Jersey Boys celebrates Second Anniversary with Mayor Daley and Chicagoland mayors

Over 1,000 guests sport green ears during the special sneak peek of Shrek The Musical at the Cadillac Palace Theatre

December 2009

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Addams Family starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth

January 2010

Final Jersey Boys Performance after over two years and 1.3 million patrons

April 2010

Broadway In Chicago announces Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place

Billy Elliot: The Musical National Tour Premiere – star-studded opening night with Elton John & Oprah Winfrey in attendance

June 2010

Broadway In Chicago's eighth free Concert in Grant Park celebrates 10 years of Broadway In Chicago

July 2010

Broadway In Chicago's official 10-Year Anniversary

Shrek The Musical National Tour Premiere

September 2010

Broadway Playhouse opens with An Evening with Sutton Foster

January 2011

Dolly Parton visits Broadway In Chicago with 9 to 5 the Musical

February 2011

Working revival, based on Studs Terkel's book composed by Stephen Schwartz, opens at the Broadway Playhouse

Broadway In Chicago hosts final Chicago mayoral debate between Rahm Emanuel, Gery Chico, Carol Moseley Braun and Miguel Del Valle at Oriental Theatre

November 2011

Pre-Broadway Engagement of Ann – The Ann Richards Play starring Holland Taylor

March 2012

Pre-Broadway run of Bring It On: The Musical

May 2012

Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards created

October 2012

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Kinky Boots starring Billy Porter (Tony Award Winner for Kinky Boots – Best Leading Actor in a Musical)

December 2012

The Book of Mormon National Tour Premiere starring Ben Platt and Nic Rouleau. The Second National Tour kicked off in Chicago and ran for 43 weeks.

April 2013

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Big Fish starring Norbert Leo Butz and Kate Baldwin

April 2014

Motown the Musical National Tour Premiere

May 2014

Buyer & Cellar, starring Michael Urie, plays the Broadway Playhouse for six weeks

June 2014

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Last Ship with music and lyrics by Sting

October 2014

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Amazing Grace

November 2014

World Premiere of Dee Snider's Rock & Roll Christmas Tale starring Dee Snider

June 2015

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan with the songs of Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine

December 2015

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - 12-week long-run engagement

World Premiere of Gotta Dance starring André De Shields, Georgia Engel, Stefanie Powers and Lillias White

June 2016

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The SpongeBob Musical

September 2016

Hamilton – Chicago's sit-down, long run engagement is first outside of NYC. Lin-Manuel Miranda attends opening night in September 2016. The 3+ year engagement ends January 2020.

April 2017

Aladdin National Tour launches at the Cadillac Palace and runs for 22 weeks

November 2017

Pre-Broadway tour of Escape To Margaritaville featuring Jimmy Buffett songs

«   Full Cast of Escape To Margaritaville performs live on Michigan Avenue for the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival

«   Lin-Manuel Miranda attends Escape To Margaritaville and performs with Jimmy Buffett

March 2018

Pre-Broadway World Premiere Pretty Woman the Musical

June 2018

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Cher Show starring Stephanie J. Block (Tony Award winner for The Cher Show – Best Actress in a Musical)

«   Cher attends The Cher Show

September 2018

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Tootsie starring Santino Fontana (Tony Award winner for Tootsie – Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical)

February 2019

Dear Evan Hansen inaugurates the newly dedicated James M. Nederlander Theatre, renamed from the Oriental Theatre

July 2019

Broadway In Chicago introduces a new theatrical venue, Spiegeltent ZaZou, in the Theatre District for Teatro ZinZanni 

September 2019

Oslo – TimeLine Theatre Company Regional Theatre Premiere at the Broadway Playhouse

March 2020 – September 2021

COVID 19 closure for 18 months

«   Shows that Closed: What The Constitution Means To Me

«   Shows that we Missed:

The Bachelor Live, Keane, The Choir Of Man, Once Upon A One More Time (Pre-Broadway World Premiere), The Office: A Musical Parody, Waitress, The Crown Live!, Goshen Deeply Rooted, Lisa Lampanelli's Losin' It!, Dear Evan Hansen, Some Like It Hot (Pre-Broadway World Premiere)

October 2021

Post-COVID – Broadway In Chicago re-opens theatres with sold-out engagement of RENT at the CIBC Theatre beginning October 5, 2021

November 2021

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Paradise Square starring Joaquina Kalukango (Tony Award winner for Paradise Square – Best Actress in a Musical)

Disney's Frozen – Nine-week long-run engagement

December 2021

The Play That Goes Wrong – Sit-down, long run production at the Broadway Playhouse

March 2022

Moulin Rouge! The Musical National Tour Premiere

Six National Tour Premiere

July 2022

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of The Devil Wears Prada

«   Elton John attends The Devil Wears Prada

October 2022

The Twenty-Sided Tavern - New work based on Dungeons & Dragons plays the Broadway Playhouse for 11 weeks

April 2023

Into the Woods starring Montego Glover, Stephanie J. Block, Sebastian Arcelus, and Gavin Creel.

August 2023

MJ National Tour Premiere

October 2023

Pre-Broadway Engagement of A Wonderful World starring James Monroe Iglehart

November 2023

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Boop! The Betty Boop Musical introducing Jasmine Amy Rogers

Pre-Broadway Engagement of The Wiz

Boop! The Musical and Hamilton perform on top of the Wrigley Building for the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, broadcast nationwide

April 2024

Pre-Broadway World Premiere of Death Becomes Her starring Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber and Michelle Williams

How I Learned What I Learned starring Harry Lennix – Congo Square Theatre's regional premiere at the Broadway Playhouse

May 2024

Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA) celebrates 13 years of programs, with 80 schools participating and impacting over 6500 students and eight Alumni of the program on Broadway

June 2024

Pride Parade - Broadway In Chicago participates in more than 10 years of Pride Parades

August 2024

21 Free Summer Concerts, attracting nearly 20,000 people each year to Millennium Park. The 2024 Concert will kick off Broadway In Chicago's 25th year

September 2024

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child North American Tour Premiere

April 2025

Titanique – Porchlight Music Theatre regional premiere at the Broadway Playhouse

Pre-Broadway World Premiere Ali the Musical

July 2025

Disney's Beauty and the Beast launches 30th Anniversary Tour at the Cadillac Palace Theatre

Broadway In Chicago:

The largest Broadway Theatre Market outside of NYC

Entertaining over 25 Million People

In 25 years:

«   Over 35 Pre-Broadway engagements

«   Over 565 productions

«   Over 2500 weeks of entertainment

«   56 Long Runs (8 weeks or more)

«   Presenting 10 tours of Mamma Mia! and over seven engagements each of Rent, Chicago, Les Miz, Rain: A Tribune to the Beatles, Stomp