"'Play Like a Winner' is the kind of musical comedy that sucks you in whether it’s your cup of tea or not...With book and lyrics by Erik Johnke and music by David Wolfson, this is a well-polished, occasionally foul-mouthed caricature of suburban soccer-mom life, aimed squarely at that demographic...The fine cast is led by Jessica Tyler Wright...Toward the end it’s a little like playing 'Clue,' where you know the victim and the murder weapon and you’re waiting to find out whodunit."
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"The subject lends itself well to dark satire...But Erik Johnke (book and lyrics) and David Wolfson (music) have not yet struck the comic tone that, like good satire does, unearths buried truths beneath the surface of the material. As of now, 'Play Like a Winner' leans on simple melodies and crude shock value that make you uncomfortable without the payoff of satisfying insight. It's a play that might win a few laughs, but that's not enough of a winning strategy."
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"The book and lyrics are not clever enough to produce the undercurrents of a true satire but rather remain on the surface with a loutish book and relying on vulgar lyrics to produce laughs...The music is unobtrusive and produces some pleasant melodies but at times does not support the intent of the song. The cast is remarkable and does what they can to elevate the material...It may provide a bit of raunchy fun but needs to revamp and find its target audience."
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“The cast is blessed with powerful voices and sound terrific on David Wolfson's score. They also managed to create moments of hilarity from the script and lyrics by Erik Johnke…What’s lacking is strong comedic choices and a devilish sense of humor. The show needs to blindside you with a unique twist. Right now, it’s a little crude and not that amusing. The songs, though tuneful, don’t stand out. In the end, the game has been played, but it’s more like a tied score.”
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