Theatre & Performing Arts
Sanctuary Circus Cabaret October 10, 2026
Chicago’s underground circus cabaret is back! Running since 2016 and regularly selling out, Sanctuary Cabaret brings together some of Chicago’s best circus artists and visiting performers from around the world for a wild night of circus, live music, comedy, and beautiful chaos inside a 114-year-old repurposed church.
There’s no theme and no larger show concept—artists take the stage on their own terms, presenting circus their way. Every show features a completely different rotating lineup, with acts ranging from aerial, tightwire, partner acrobatics, juggling, and contortion to tramp wall and things that don’t fit neatly into any category at all.
Watch aerialists fly beneath the church rafters and acrobats perform against original stained-glass windows, accompanied by live music and a hilariously unpredictable host.
Sanctuary took its particular brand of circus to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2023, earning ★★★★★ from Broadway Baby and ★★★★ from The List and The Scotsman. The List called it “dizzying and unforgettable.”
Circus, music, comedy, friends… what else could you want?
