news
SqueakyFest 2026 Chicago Show Draws Crowds, Expansion Plans Emerge
The July 24 show at Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro highlights the festival's growth from 2025, leaving decisions on scaling access and new city partnerships.
Listen in English · 3 min
How we reported this
SqueakyFest delivered its Chicago edition on July 24 at Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro in partnership with Tellin’ Tales Theatre, giving audiences a night of stand-up and improv from disabled comedians.
Chicago Lineup and Format
The show featured Ben Noble, Lauren Walker, Kadeem Fuller, George Tracy and Nate Woogen on stand-up, plus improv from Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s “What’s Yours Like?” ensemble. Nate Woogen, a Chicago stand-up comedian and improviser who lives with mild ataxic cerebral palsy, was among the performers listed by The Squeaky Wheel.
Growth Since 2025
The festival, described by The Squeaky Wheel as the first-ever multi-city disability comedy festival, ran four shows across New York, Chicago and Washington, DC in 2025 and drew more than 500 attendees with more than 30 disabled comedians. For 2026 the event expanded to six shows across five cities and now features more than 40 disabled performers.
Evidence of Reach
Attendance and performer numbers from the 2025 run provide the clearest measure of audience interest so far, while the jump to six shows and more than 40 performers in 2026 shows the scale organizers have already committed to this year.
What Happens Next
With the Chicago date complete, attention turns to the remaining 2026 shows and how the festival will manage further growth. Organizers must decide how to maintain the mix of stand-up and improv while adding cities, selecting venues that work with local partners such as Tellin’ Tales Theatre, and keeping the focus on disabled performers. Details on future dates and tickets are available through The Squeaky Wheel site at https://thesqueakywheel.org/squeakyfest-26/.