Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Chicago Shakespeare Theater opened on Navy Pier in 1999 and has since added a flexible second venue, The Yard, alongside its courtyard-style main stage. The company mixes Shakespeare with musicals, family shows and touring international productions, and the 2026-27 season ranges from a Duke Ellington-scored Twelfth Night to the Tony-winning Illinoise. Parking in the pier garage is discounted to $22 for up to six hours with validation in the lobby, and several CTA buses stop at the pier. Anyone under 30 can buy $30 tickets, and the theater runs subsidized student matinees for grades 6 through 12.

What to know

• Located at the east end of Navy Pier; allow about ten minutes to walk from the pier entrance.
• CTA buses #2, #29, #65, #66 and #124 serve Navy Pier.
• $30 Under 30 ticket program.
• A seasonal water taxi serves Navy Pier roughly May through September.