Though the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted in 2008 that employment in the performing arts would not grow significantly in the next 10 years, it forecast 15 percent growth in “water transportation services” over the same period, due in part to “increasing tourism” worldwide and the addition of new U.S. cruise lines to Hawaii.

2009 was a year of shake-ups and shake-outs for Chicago theatre, which burnished its reputation as the best theatre town in America while simultaneously shedding its skin to regenerate. This didn't come without growing pains, as Joan Mazzonelli or Kristine Thatcher or anybody involved with—or who knows someone in—the American Theater Company neé American Blues neé American Theater Company ensemble can attest. But sometimes it's just graceful, as it was when David Zak stepped aside from the company he cofounded and ran for 27 years, leading the way for new ideas and a new Bailiwick.

For us, 2009 was a year of change, too. You are reading this Year in Review issue online, and close to year end; not in a printed paper in the middle of December. Giving up the print edition was hard, but way overdue. And we are working hard to take advantage of the immediacy of online. In the new year, you will see more changes—including searchable listings and audition notices.

In the stories below, four Chicago critics—Kerry Reid, Jonathan Abarbanel, Nina Metz and Kelly Kleiman—will give their takes on the year 2009 in Chicago theatre. I won't take up more space here, except to say we at PerformInk are profoundly grateful to our readers, writers, advertisers and support people. I'd personally like to mention Gonzo Schexnayder and Benton Bullwinkle (yes, their real names) for the work they did on this new site. I'd especially like to thank Kerry Reid, who has shouldered a great deal of the writing work as I've been overseeing this transition. PerformInk Online would not have been a success without her.

Meanwhile, let's look back at 2009. And may 2010 be just as noteworthy for Chicago theatre.