Spelling Bee is extremely well done. I would also say anything at the Steppenwolf, to include Love Song- which I saw a few weeks ago.
I am not sure if the Hypocrites havs any shows at the moment (is Angels in America closed?), but its an amazing company that does thought provoking shows.
"Why do you care what people might say? Why try to fit into their design?" (Side Show)
I don't know what else to reccomend for theatre in chicago (besides wicked, spelling bee, and urinetown), but for dining in Schaumburg, I would go to Chicago Prime. Best steakhouse in the suburbs and dare I say the city of Chicago. PM if you want any more info on Schaumburg/Woodfield area.
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
"Mullen's show is too earnest. It wrings every last moment for every last gag and every last trick. In several places, it's all far too much. Moments fall into the tomb of the overplayed. The whole thing badly needs to chill out. Cast members tend to forget the audience is inches away. And the piece runs several minutes too long." http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/reviews/critics/mmx-gst27j3b7.6mar28,1,7266579.story
The Reader -
"Producer-director Tom Mullen's staging never makes the leap into giddiness because the satire isn't focused; it fails to convey the snap and scope of the intelligent, lively book and songs." http://www.chicagoreader.com/listings/static/listings.html
To mention a few. Pretty much everyone loves the show but they don't love this production. They're not completely negative, but far from excellent.