Displaying items by tag: Eelpout

A strong Chicago theatre weekend starts with choosing your flavor, and this one offers a full flight. Whether you’re in the mood for something scrappy and strange, bright and nostalgic, or mythic and mischievous, the city’s stages have you covered. Three wildly different productions are running right now, and each one makes a compelling case for your time.

Shattered Globe’s Eelpout at Theater Wit is the pick for anyone who wants a show that feels distinctly Chicago - intimate, odd, and quietly daring. It’s the kind of storefront piece that rewards audiences who like their theatre a little off-center, with sharp writing and performances that dig into the emotional grit beneath the humor. If you’re craving something unexpected and handcrafted, Eelpout is the weekend’s sleeper hit.

If your week has been long and you want pure joy, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre’s The Wedding Singer is the fizzy, feel-good option. It’s big-hearted, neon-soaked, and built for audiences who want to laugh, tap their feet, and leave humming. Metropolis knows how to deliver a crowd-pleasing musical, and this one leans all the way into its ‘80s nostalgia and goofy charm.

And for something bold, clever, and completely its own, Lifeline Theatre’s Loki - The End of the World Tour offers a mythological comedy with cosmic stakes and storefront ingenuity. It’s fast, funny, and packed with the ensemble-driven inventiveness Lifeline is known for. If you want a show that feels like nothing else onstage right now, Loki’s your ticket.

Three shows, three distinct worlds - quirky storefront storytelling, musical escapism, and mythic mayhem. Whichever direction you choose, you’re in for a memorable night out.

Chicago’s Shattered Globe Theatre presents the hilarious and surreal fantasia on Midwestern masculinity you’ve all been waiting for: the World Premiere of Eelpout! by Paul W. Kruse, directed by Jeremy Ohringer, April 17-May 30, 2026.

Meet Sven Svensen and Ole Olsen, best buds since kindergarten. When they gather to celebrate Ole’s wedding to Lena with an ice-fishing bachelor party, an unexpected confession begins to crack their plans wide open. As the beer flows and temperatures drop, Sven and Ole hook into deeper truths, along with a talking fish.

Cast your rod and catch Eelpout!, both a bottom-feeding fish native to the upper Midwest AND Chicago’s must-see world premiere comedy this spring. Previews start April 17. Performances run through May 30 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Tickets are $20-$60. For tickets and information, visit sgtheatre.org. 

“I am grateful to direct at Shattered Globe for the first time with this world premiere that epitomizes why I love theater: it’s wild, wondrous, and makes me laugh until it hurts,” said director Jeremy Ohringer. “The play also interrogates the fragility of masculinity and invites us to ask, ‘what must we shed in order to live authentically?’ I cannot wait to share Paul’s incredible play! I bet audiences fall for it hook, line, and sinker.”

Shattered Globe Theatre’s cast for Eelpout! features SGT Ensemble Member Rebecca Jordan (she/her) as Holly with Jesús Barajas (he/they) as Eelpout, Dinah Berkeley (they/them) as Lars, Carl Hallberg (he/they) as Ole, Taigé Lauren (she/her) as Heidi, Lydia Moss (she/her) as Lena, and Jeff Rodriguez (she/her) as Sven.

The production team is Paul W. Kruse (playwright), Jeremy Ohringer (director), Eleanor Kahn (set), Delena Bradley (costume designer), Sierra Walker (lighting designer), Saskia Bakker (props designer), Christopher Kriz (original music and sound designer), Kristina Fluty (intimacy director), Benjamin Murphy (assistant director), Tina Jach (stage manager) and Alexa Berkowitz (production manager).

Ticket information for Eelpout!

The first preview of Eelpout! on Friday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. is Pay-What-You-Can. Previews continue Saturday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m., and Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run through May 30: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. No show Friday, April 24. There’s an added 3 p.m. matinee on closing day, Saturday, May 30. Run time is 90 minutes with no intermission.

For tickets and information, visit sgtheatre.org, call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150, or purchase in person at Theater Wit. Take advantage of early-bird discounts. Otherwise, previews are $25. Performances are $20-$60 ($20 for students, veterans, active military, teachers, and under 30; $40 general admission; $60 for those who want to support accessible theater). For group discounts, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (773) 770-0333.

Visit SGTheatre.org for more show information, including photos and video clips, news of special events, accessible and waived ticket programs and show content warnings. For the latest updates, follow @shatteredglobe on Facebook and Instagram.

Access Services

Audio Description and a Touch Tour for patrons who are blind or have low vision will be offered on Friday, May 22. The Touch Tour begins at 6:15 p.m. Show at 7:30 p.m. 

Shattered Globe will offer a captioned performance on Sunday, May 24 at
3 p.m. for patrons with hearing loss. Assisted Listening Devices are available for all performances.

Theater Wit is wheelchair accessible. All patrons with disability needs are invited to purchase $20 access tickets with the code “ACCESS20” at Theater Wit’s checkout page. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to ensure the theater can reserve the right seat for your needs.