This group's relatively new home is a visually stunning, state-of-the-art jewel. The centerpiece of the glass-box complex, which rises seven stories, is a 525-seat courtyard-style theater patterned loosely after the Swan Theater in Stratford-upon-Avon. The complex also houses a 180-seat studio theater, an English-style pub, and lobbies with commanding views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. But what keeps subscribers coming back is the talented company of actors, including some of the finest Shakespeare performers in the country.

The main theater presents three plays a year -- almost always by the Bard -- with founder and artistic director Barbara Gaines usually directing one of the shows. Chicago Shakespeare also hosts special short-run performances, such as a recent production of Hamlet by acclaimed British director Peter Brook and a lecture by British actor Derek Jacobi. We Shakespeare Theatre subscribers are a very loyal lot, so snagging tickets can be a challenge; reserve well in advance, if possible. If you have a choice of seats, avoid the upper balcony -- the tall chairs are fairly uncomfortable and you have to lean way over the railing to see all the action on stage -- definitely not recommended for anyone with a fear of heights.