Dance for Life is an inspiring event that merges talent and philanthropy into one spectacular evening. It brings together the best Chicago dance companies and all proceeds go toward the Chicago Dance Health Fund; a resource which provides financial assistance to professional dancers in their time of need, including covering medical expenses. It is one of the many ways our vibrant dance community joins forces to care for its own.

As dance enthusiasts entered the Auditorium Theatre this year, one could immediately feel the infectious joy that carried through the evening with each performance. The joy and support from the audience radiated to the dancers who in turn delivered a magical evening filled with grace, beauty, precision, and undeniable talent.

This infectious energy carried on to the after party at Venue SIX10. It’s a sophisticated affair with an impeccable ambiance thanks to the decor executed by Kehoe Designs and Black Oak Technical Productions with lead caterer J&L Catering. 

See the full program here.

Below you will find a photo with the title of the performances along with information for upcoming shows by the dance companies that participated in this year’s Dance for Life.

Deeply Rooted Dance Theater – Sacred Spaces
Next Performance: TBD

The Joffrey Ballet – Andante

September 18-28 – Carmen

Trinity Irish Dance Company – A New Dawn

September 20 – Chicago Live – 7:30pm

Movement Revolution Dance Crew – Devastating Stereo Bots

September 20 – Chicago Live – 4pm

October 5^th – Sundays on State

Giordano Dance Chicago – Red & Black (Excerpt)

September 26-27 – Harvest Festival

South Chicago Dance Theatre – Temporal Trance – (See Cover Photo)

September 20 – Chicago Live

December 6-7 – Lamentations for Peace

Aerial Dance Chicago – Arc of Heart

September 20 – Chicago Live

September 26-27 – Harvest Festival

Chicago Tap Allstars – Ninjas in Tutus

Next Performance: TBD

Visceral Dance Chicago – Pearl

September 11 – Kickoff Fundraiser

September 20 – Chicago Live – 6pm

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – “ROM” – Excerpt of Blue Soup

November 14-23 – Fall Series at Steppenwolf

Quinn Delaney

The film version of Amélie was released in 2001. It was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and has an impressive 8.3 rating making it the #111th top rated movie of all time. The musical first premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2015 and on Broadway in 2017. And now, in October of 2025, it opens at the Chopin Theatre in Chicago. 

Amélie is a waitress at a cafe in Paris. She spends her time finding joy for others, instead of for herself. Her friends eventually guide her to find love. It’s a very quirky, French, and light-hearted romantic comedy. 

The entire cast is impressive as they act, play instruments, and sing. Aurora Penepacker is very sweet and kind as Amélie. Joe Giovannetti (A Chorus Line, Sunset Boulevard) is very charming as Nino. Mizha Lee Overn is great in her many roles. 

Get tickets now for Amélie through September 28th!

Cost of a ticket: $50

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Quinn Delaney

A Great Big World are a musical duo from New York. Tonight, Chad King is not on stage due to some personal issues. So, Ian Axel has brought along a guitarist instead. 

They open with “Can We Go Back Home” from their 2021 album, Particles. It’s an absolutely beautiful song. After finishing, Ian jokes “Please don’t go home”.  

Later on, they cover Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus. Instead of singing, “I’ve got two tickets to Iron Maiden, baby”, he swaps in Matchbox 20, in a nod to the headliner of the night. Kate Peytavin also covered this song earlier in the year at the Salt Shed. 

The guitarist leaves the stage and then Ian plays “Say Something” solo from their 2014 album “Is There Anybody Out There?”. This is their most popular song on Spotify with a whopping 1.1 billion streams! This song was featured in South Park Season 19, Episode 6 “Tweek x Craig”. In this satirical animation and live tonight, the song strikes an emotional chord. The audience is on their feet singing along. 

They close with the title track from their 2018 album, Younger. “Butterflies in my chest when I asked for your number / You smiled and said, “you’re funny” / Two words and I was gone / You wrote it on my arm / I swear, we set off the alarm”. It’s such a fun song about looking back at your childhood. 

At just 25 minutes, this was just a quick taste of A Great Big World. Hopefully they’ll be back soon to play a full set.  

Check out our review of Genevieve, who opened for them at Lincoln Hall in 2016. 

See the full setlist here. 

Cost of a ticket: $37

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Quinn Delaney

The press release below does an excellent job introducing the characters and the story: 

The cast includes Michael D. Graham, a 2025 Jeff Award winner for his direction of the play LIGHT SWITCH with Open Space Arts, as the real-life New York lawyer and powerbroker, Roy Cohn, a closeted gay man who disavows other gays and cares only about amassing clout. Cohn becomes a bad influence on Joe Pitt, a Mormon, Republican lawyer struggling with his own sexual identity. Pitt is played by Joe Bushell (Thank God It’s Monday, Rooftop Theatre), seen this past season in DAMES AT SEA with Citadel Theatre. Cast as Prior Walter, a young man who has contracted AIDS, is Ryan Hake (SEVEN MINUTES TO LIVE, Chicago Dramatists). Playing Louis Ironson, an anxious and verbose man who, at the start of the play, breaks off his relationship with Prior out of fear of Prior’s infection, is Grant Carriker, seen earlier this year in Tony Kushner’s A BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY with Blank Theatre Company.

The nurse Belize, who cares for both Prior Walter and Roy Cohn when they are hospitalized for AIDS, will be Miguel Long. Long appeared in MEDEA MATERIAL with Trap Door Theatre last fall. Joe Pitt’s wife, Harper, will be played by Anne Trodden, seen last year as the ambitious TV executive Diana Christensen in Invictus’s Network. Joe Pitt’s mother Hannah, a devout Mormon who moves to New York from Utah when she learns of her son’s marital trouble, will be portrayed by Renae Stone, of Invictus’s THREE SISTERS. Nicki Rossi (MADAM AND STEVE at Greenhouse Theatre Center) will appear as The Angel, an imposing, terrifying, divine presence who descends from Heaven to bestow prophecy on Prior. 

Get tickets now for Angels in America through September 6th! 

Cost of a ticket: $41 (For each part)

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Quinn Delaney

Dirty Honey quickly shows why they are a great choice to open tonight. They have a great stage presence and put on a high energy performance. Towards the end of their set, they play “When I’m Gone” from their self-titled debut. It’s their most popular song on Spotify with over 25 million streams. The influence of Led Zeppelin is clearly heard on this rocker. They will surely be back in Chicago soon, possibly headlining at the Vic Theatre. 

See their full setlist here. 

As soon as The Struts take the stage, it’s clear this is no ordinary band. It’s a full on glam rock band in the vein of The Darkness about to put on one hell of a show.

This is the 10^th Anniversary tour of their debut album, Everybody Wants. They are playing the entire album. The second song is “Could Have Been Me”. The song sounds strong and fresh and yet still similar to classic rock songs. It’s the sign of a fantastically written track that is timeless. The crowd sings along “Don’t wanna waste one line / I wanna live better days / Never look back and say / Could have been me”. 

This is immediately followed by “Kiss This”. This song completely rocks and the audience dances along to Luke singing. “I did all I could / So kiss this one more time / ‘Cause I’m gone for good”. 

In their encore, they play the title track from their latest album, Pretty Vicious. This track has a darker and more ominous sound that sounds excellent. It’s a great sign that the band will be able innovate with their new music. 

The combination of their over-sized stage presence and excellent songs continues to skyrocket their well-deserved popularity. Catch them on tour now in middle sized venues now while you still can!

See their full setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $50
PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Exceptional Value –
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Quinn Delaney

Parade premiered on Broadway in December 1998. It won the Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Original Score. In 2023, it was revived and won Best Revival of a Musical. And now, in August of 2025, it opens at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago. 

In 1913, a 14-year-old girl is murdered in a pencil factory during the Memorial Day parade. There are only two suspects, the night watchman and the superintendent, who is Jewish. There isn’t any physical evidence, so all they have to go on is testimonies from witnesses. The prosecutor pressures the witnesses to say what he wants them to say. 

Alfred Uhry (book), Jason Robert Brown (music and lyrics), and Harold Prince (co-conceived) have written a thrilling true crime legal drama. The audience is at the edge of their seat waiting to see what will happen next. 

This production is full of great singing by the entire cast. Max Chernin is excellent as the superintendent. He expertly transforms in scenes where he is acting out how the witnesses portray him. Talia Suskauer is superb as his wife, who is his greatest advocate and support during this very difficult time. 

Cost of a ticket: $98 (Orchestra)

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Get tickets now for Parade through August 17th! 

Quinn Delaney

It’s the 19th century in Italy. Giorgio is in love with Clara. She is married and doesn’t want to get a divorce, but she is still very upset when he has to leave town for a military contract. Fosca meets Giorgio in the new town, and quickly falls in love with him. However, he doesn’t feel the same way. 

https://open.spotify.com/track/099ObRaTHJISGUkJLOWQVj

The music is very typical of Stephen Sonheim’s style and the singing matches the high level you would expect.

At 105 minutes, it is quite long and complex to not have an intermission. There are plenty of scene changes where it could be easily added.  Join the Pro-Intermission movement here. 

Brittney Brown does a great job as Fosca, who is a very difficult character to play with everyone saying she is ugly and unworthy of love. Rachel Guth is superb as Clara, the married woman having an affair. Evan Bradford is solid as Giorgio, the object of both of their affections. 

Cost of a ticket: $41

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Get tickets now for Passion through August 10th! 

Quinn Delaney