There are two great theater road trips to consider:

The Goodman Theatre in Chicago, widely considered to be the nation's best regional theater, is celebrating Edward Albee's 75th birthday with a month-long festival anchored by his Tony Award-winning The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?

There will be one-acts, panel discussions and an appearance by the playwright. Call (312) 443-3800 or visit online at www.goodman-theatre.org.

Also on view in Chicago, Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog at Steppenwolf, Rose Rage: Henry IV, parts 1, 2 and 3 at Chicago Shakespeare Festival, and Mary Zimmerman has a production of The Secret in the Wings, a fantastic retelling of four charged but unfamiliar fairytales for Lookingglass Theatre.

The Stratford Festival in Ontario is enjoying a strong season. Playing into early November are an exotic take on The Adventures of Pericles (on the schedule of Cincinnati Shakespeare this season), a delightful Love's Labour's Lost and Brian Bedford continuing in Noel Coward's deliriously satisfying Present Laughter.

With the summer season over, lots of performances carry steep discounts, and you'll have your choice of accommodations. Information: (800) 567-1600 or www.stratfordfestival.ca.