From Brianna Wellen’s introduction, “Losses and gains: Best of Chicago 2020”:
Some business to get out of the way: the reader poll results were determined by you, the readers! If you’re angry about the results, you only have yourselves to blame! Let this be a reminder to keep a close eye on when voting begins next year so you can campaign for your favorites to get the top spot. Or better yet, share your own losses and gains on social media and tag us @Chicago_Reader with the hashtags #bestofchi and #BoC2020. Tell us what made your year worthwhile, shine a light on the people, places, and things that helped you survive, and we’ll share with our followers. I should also acknowledge that a lot of writers’ picks skew to the north side, in part because we weren’t leaving our homes and that’s where many of us live. It’s something we recognize and are always working on changing—I hope this encourages all folks reading this to look beyond those borders.
Review the closed ballot to see all the finalists.
Best choreographer
Joel Hall
Runner-up: Dawn Xiana Moon
Best comics illustrator
Megan Kirby
Runner-up: Madeline Horwath
Best comics writer
Megan Kirby
Runner-up: Caroline Cash
Best dance troupe
The Fly Honeys
Runner-up: M.A.D.D. Rhythms
Best dancer
Starinah “Star” Dixon
Runner-up: Dawn Xiana Moon
Best digital sketch/improv show
Cigarette Sandwich: Power Hour
Runner-up: Quarantine: The Game Show
Best drag performer
Lucy Stoole
Runner-up: Coco Sho-Nell
Best drive-in movie programming
Music Box Theatre
Runner-up: Davis Theater
Best established theater company
Steppenwolf
Runner-up: Lookingglass
Best film programming
Music Box Theatre
Runner-up: Gene Siskel Film Center
Best filmmaker
Steve James
Runner-up: Caitlin Ryan
Best independent book publisher
Haymarket Books
Runner-up: Belt Publishing
Best live lit series
The First Time (CHIRP Radio)
Runner-up: Write Club
Best long-running play
The Fly Honey Show
Runner-up: The Infinite Wrench
Best mural
Black and Brown Unity Wall by the Mural Movement
Runner-up: I Am a Man by Darius Dennis
Best musical
Hamilton
Runner-up: Six
Best new local opera production
Chicago Fringe Opera’s Corsair
Runner-up: Chicago Opera Theater’s The Transformation of Jane Doe
Best new nonfiction book by a Chicagoan
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
Runner-up: Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby
Best new novel by a Chicagoan
The Taste of Sugar by Marisel Vera
Runner-up: You and Me and Us by Alison Hammer
Best new play
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Isaac Gómez
Runner-up: 45 Plays for America’s First Ladies by the Neo-Futurists
Best new poetry collection by a Chicagoan
Finna by Nate Marshall
Runner-up: Big Dark Bright Futures by Growing Concerns Poetry Collective
Best new theater company
The Story Theatre
Runner-up: Newport Theater
Best nonfiction writer
Eve Ewing
Runner-up: Natalie Moore
Best novelist
Rebecca Makkai
Runner-up: Michael Zapata
Best off-Loop theater company
Raven Theatre
Runner-up: Steep Theatre
Best opera company
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Runner-up: Chicago Opera Theater
Best original digital content (Dance)
The Fly Honey Show
Runner-up: Chicago Dance History Project
Best original digital content (Theater)
Chicago Magic Lounge
Runner-up: The Infinite Wrench
Best performing arts festival
Chicago Musical Theatre Festival
Runner-up: Pivot Arts Festival
Best photographer
The Kid From Pilsen, aka William Guerrero
Runner-up: Mercedes Zapata
Best playwright
Tracy Letts
Runner-up: Ike Holter
Best poet
Eve Ewing
Runner-up: Growing Concerns Poetry Collective
Best poetry organization
Young Chicago Authors
Runner-up: Poetry Foundation
Best sketch/improv troupe
Neo-Futurists
Runner-up: Cigarette Sandwich
Best stage director
Lili-Anne Brown
Runner-up: Laura Alcalá Baker
Best stage performer
Dawn Xiana Moon
Runner-up: Sydney Charles
Best stand-up comic
Sarah Perry
Runner-up: Paul Farahvar
Best street artist
Hebru Brantley
Runner-up: JC Rivera
Best theater designer (sets, light, sound, etc)
Claire Chrzan
Runner-up: Sydney Lynne Design
Best virtual film festival
Chicago International Film Festival
Runner-up: Black Harvest Film Festival
Best virtual open mike
Cole’s Bar
Runner-up: The Slam Open Mic Poetry Club
Best virtual play
The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral
Runner-up: The Big Lebowski 2
Best virtual salon
Salonathon
Runner-up: Raks Geek
Best virtual storytelling series
2nd Story
Runner-up: Louder Than a Mom
Best visual artist
Nick Cave
Runner-up: The Kid From Pilsen, aka William Guerrero
Best zine
Shit I’ve Cried About by Sarah Meyer
Runner-up: Radical Visibility by Rebirth Garments
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