About the work
Loki – The End of the World Tour is a rock musical that premiered in 2026 as a world premiere at Lifeline Theatre in Chicago's Rogers Park neighbourhood. The music and lyrics are by the Jeff Award-winning composer George Howe, the book by ensemble member Christina Calvit, with direction by Heather Currie. Drawing on Norse mythology, the piece stages the apocalypse of Ragnarök as an eternal arena-rock concert. The evening is narrated and accompanied by the three Norns, who serve as the house band and are condemned to replay the destruction of the gods night after night.
Plot
"Welcome to the greatest rock 'n' roll show not on Earth!" – Loki arrives in Asgard, bringing chaos, comedy and his three monstrous (maybe) children: Hel, the wolf Fenris and the Midgard Serpent. He tangles with Odin, Thor and the mysterious Freya, each with their own agenda and their own secrets. On the way through Ragnarök, the work explores one eternal question: in an us-versus-them world, can we envision a new mythology? At its heart, the epic tale of the gods becomes a hymn to parental love – Odin's desperate effort to save his family and Asgard, and Loki's love for his 'little monsters'.
Cultural significance
Loki – The End of the World Tour was developed over many years and celebrated as a world premiere by the renowned Lifeline team of George Howe and Christina Calvit; critics ranked it among the best productions of Chicago's 2026 season. The musical weaves an ambitiously large sampling of Old Norse poems and stories together with modern moments into a cohesive, exhilarating narrative – while playing knowingly with the images of Loki from Neil Gaiman's books and the Marvel films. On the intimate storefront stage of Lifeline Theatre, with a live rock band and immersive use of the space, the myth becomes a high-energy, deeply emotional evening of theatre.