The Goodman, under artistic director Robert Falls, is the dean of legitimate theaters in Chicago. The theater produces both original productions -- such as Horton Foote's The Young Man from Atlanta before it went to Broadway -- and familiar standards, including everything from Shakespeare to musicals. Its acclaimed revival of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, starring Brian Dennehy, not only made it to the Broadway stage in 1999 but also won four Tonys -- more than any other production that year. Productions at the Goodman are always solid; you may not see anything revolutionary, but you'll get some of the best actors in the city and top-notch production values. The Goodman's custom-designed home in the North Loop is a rehab of the historic Harris and Selwyn theaters, a pair of rococo former movie houses, but the renovation retained none of the historic bric-a-brac; the new structure has a modern, minimalist feel (the side of the building glows with different colors in the evenings). The centerpiece is the 830-seat limestone-and-glass Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre. Connected to the main theater is a cylindrical, glass-walled building that houses retail operations, the 400-seat Owen Theatre, and the restaurant Petterino's. Every December, the Goodman stages a production of A Christmas Carol, which draws families from throughout the Chicago area and beyond. If you're in town then, it's great fun, but buy your tickets in advance, because many performances sell out.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Find Hotel Deals on Yahoo Travel»