9 Best Performing Arts in Chicago, Illinois

Telling imaginative, almost magical stories is Redmoon Theater's specialty. The company's “spectacles” take a number of forms but can best be described as madcap theater with a twist—imagine a mix of live music, puppetry, pageantry, and visual art. Some are staged outdoors, others inside a converted Pilsen warehouse called Spectacle Hall.

New and classical material is staged at various locations throughout the city by Bailiwick Chicago.

For IMAX and OMNIMAX theaters, go to Navy Pier or the Museum of Science and Industry.

The holiday season officially starts with the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, a weekend-long event at the end of November with tons of family-friendly activities including musical performances, ice-carving contests, and stage shows. The fanfare culminates in a parade and the illumination of more than 1 million lights along Michigan Avenue.

For a change of scenery, you can watch current and classic films in neighborhood parks courtesy of the Chicago Park District's Movies in the Parks program; flicks run on various evenings June through September.

Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago showcases dynamic interpretations of contemporary and traditional African and African American dance. Artistic director Amaniyea Payne travels to Africa to learn traditional dances and adapts them for the stage. Performances take place at various venues across the city.

This storefront theater, operated by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is an intimate, black-box venue for a diverse array of performances by local theater ensembles.

Founded long before Riverdance, the Trinity Irish Dance Company promotes traditional and progressive Irish dancing. Shows take place at various venues in the city and suburbs. In addition to the world-champion professional group, you can also catch performances by younger dancers enrolled in the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance.

At the weeklong World Music Festival in September, international artists play traditional and contemporary music at venues across the city.