These are the 6 Theater Productions You Need to See in Chicago This Summer

Live theater is back and better than ever, and you don't need to travel to New York to see the best of it. Chicago has a summer lineup that will rival Broadway, with Tony award-nominated productions, plenty of music and a pre-Broadway debut. You'll laugh and cry (sometimes even in the same show!) all while reveling in the magic of Chicago's most historic theaters. Here are six shows you won't want to miss this summer.

Six the Musical

Six the Musical is a fun, intriguing and dramatic portrayal of the six wives of Henry VIII—set to an awesome pop soundtrack. See characters from your history books, like Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon, rewrite their famous stories of beheading, divorce, death and more live on stage and with a modern twist. The show has been nominated for eight Tony awards, including best musical.

Showing at CIBC Theatre through July 3.

The Devil Wears Prada

Making its world premiere in Chicago, The Devil Wears Prada is the stage adaptation of everything we loved about Lauren Weisberger's novel and movie of the same name. With music by Elton John and with Tony award winner Beth Leavel starring as ruthless Miranda Priestly, this show will transport you to the glamorous and (and not-so-glamorous) world of fashion magazines.

Showing at James M. Nederlander Theatre from July 19-August 21.

Choir Boy

The famed Steppenwolf theater always brings productions that challenge our thinking, and the Tony-nominated best play Choir Boy is no different. The coming-of-age story of a young gay black man struggling with his identity in an all-boys prep school choir is poignant and peppered with a cappella gospel songs.

Showing at Steppenwolf from June 16-July 24.

Life After

Making its Chicago debut, Life After is a musical about 16-year-old Alice's journey through grief after losing her father. Bittersweet, moving and even humorous at times, it's sure to make an impression. Plus, it's showing at Goodman Theatre, a staple in the Chicago arts scene since the 1920s.

Showing at Goodman's Albert Theatre from June 11-July 17.

It Came from Outer Space

You may not expect a show based on a 1950s sci-fi flick to play at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, but It Came From Outer Space will do just that when it premiers in June. You'll find plenty of slapstick comedy and fun music as its characters navigate what it means when a flying saucer shows up in their hometown. Fans of Ray Bradbury, aliens and UFOs won't want to miss this one. Plus, the theater lands you on Navy Pier, a Chicago landmark and home of the Shakespeare Theater.

Showing Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare from June 22-July 24.

Jesus Christ Superstar

There is a reason Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, has endured for 50 years. A new production of the classic musical takes the stage this summer in Chicago, based on an open-air version in London that won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. With fresh choreography and the songs that made the original a hit, this modern take will have you rocking in or out of your seat.

Showing at Cadillac Palace Theatre from July 19-31.