See it if You care about the earth, immigration policy, like strong female characters, want to be pulled into an alternate reality for awhile.
Don't see it if You don't like good writing or genuine, heartfelt art.
See it if You don't mind shows that wander for a while before getting to a point
Don't see it if You are looking for a thought-provoking, tight production Read more
See it if you want to be moved by a piece that is so relevant to the current state of various cultural issues affecting the U.S.
Don't see it if you hate life, or can't stay seated / still for more than an hour at a time.
See it if You enjoy plays that grapple with current issues in a thoughtful and insightful way.
Don't see it if You only like big productions, musicals, or light material. Read more
See it if You want to see some of the city's best actors beautifully take on a new work (that feels especially timely) in a really cool downtown space
Don't see it if n/a
See it if You are not from the Midwest or have never been, and enjoy depictions of the Midwest as racist, uneducated, and ridden with substance abuse
Don't see it if You're from the Midwest, or don't buy into the false narrative of left-wing politics
See it if You like plays with relevant political themes about real people, passionately acted.
Don't see it if You're looking for elaborate costumes, sets, and a fancy production. The set is minimalist but evocative.
See it if you're up for a clever blend of OUR TOWN and THE CHERRY ORCHARD while speaking directly to the social climate of the day
Don't see it if You're looking for an over-the-top spectacle - though the stagecraft is inventive
"Smart, complex but overloaded...It’s an ambitious play with an impressive cast, but the choppily edited text needs the kinds of clarifying that the pared-down yet occasionally clunky staging doesn’t provide...What’s largely, sorely missing is the sound of that place. Not missing from Kamps’s script...but missing from Quinn’s production. In a play that’s as much about home and belonging as this one, what people sound like matters."
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"Overloaded though engaging examination of the American heartland...Kamps tenderly delineates his eight characters with biographical details, strong character traits and lots of conflict...Expressive dialogue...Less successful in crafting a compelling plot...All quite Chekhovian but lacking in finesse. The didactic elements and the personal revelations aren't well integrated...Nevertheless Quinn’s work with the cast results in a true sense of an ensemble with everyone connected and believable."
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"Ambitiously monumental in its scope...The entire ensemble is simply incredible. The ease with which the members of the cast connect, and the nuanced portrayal of each of their characters, charges this family saga with electrifying truth...Quinn tries his best to make his actors move and change the axis of the action throughout each scene, but the staging requires further polishing. The imperfections of it, however, don't obscure the overall quality of this timely play."
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"What makes the Chekhovian element so useful to Kamps is its tendency not to polarize good and evil or weakness and strength...Director Ryan Quinn has mounted the play imaginatively, on a deep, narrow, largely bare stage surrounded by audience on three sides. The cast is young and energetic. Not all the players are the ideal age for their characters, but they work well together and are, by and large, a talented lot."
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"Fascinating...An unblinking spontaneous combustion of drama...A searing, no-holds-barred saga of life in the real 'real America'...The violent plot twist may seem heavy handed...The performances of this young, energetic cast are superb...By the conclusion of Kamps' play–which is no less than stunning–we really care about what happens to these residents of Goose Creek, Wisconsin...More than a slice of life, consider this should-be classic play to be a slice of the new American pie."
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