The Oregon Trail NYC Reviews and Tickets

75%

(56 Ratings)

Positive

72%

Mixed

23%

Negative

Members say

Funny, Clever, Quirky, Entertaining, Great acting

About the Show

Fault Line Theatre presents a play that contrasts the trials of an adolescent girl growing up in the late '90s with her 19th-century video game counterpart.

It’s 1997. Alone in her computer lab, 13-year-old Jane escapes from the awkward throes of puberty by virtually jumping in a covered wagon headed west on "The Oregon Trail." Under the guidance of the all-powerful Voice of the Game, we watch "Then Jane" navigate the perils of 1850s frontier life, while '90s Jane navigates the different but all-too-real dangers of high school, college, and, eventually, adulthood. Jane soon finds herself in her 20s, unemployed and battling an undefinable lifelong sadness she cannot name, even as “Then Jane” continues to face the tribulations of the trail. With nearly two centuries between them, both Janes face hardships that seem impossible to overcome—until they find one another.

Show-Score Member Reviews (56)

Clever, Slow, Ambitious

See it if it has closed but partner says 85. I found it too ambitious and fantasy like.

Don't see it if comp.of an 85 and a 70

Ambitious, Cliched, Funny, Quirky, Slow

See it if you're a Bekah Brubaker fan, enjoy stories of women empowering themselves and finding their purpose, like plays set in 2 time periods

Don't see it if you expect realism and are not a fan of whimsy, unwilling to look beneath a character's outward actions, not a fan of subtle, quirky comedy

Great acting, Enchanting, Entertaining

See it if you like a sweet story with some light messaging

Don't see it if you want a serious drama -

Funny, Entertaining, Resonant, Impactful

See it if you want to see a well-crafted coming of age dramedy. Or if you're an older millennial looking for a nostalgic theatrical experience

Don't see it if you're looking for something more high-brow or existential. This is a plot-driven, accessible show.

Clever, Funny, Resonant, Quirky

See it if You like shows that play with time; you enjoy plays about contemporary life; you played the Oregon Trail computer game

Don't see it if You're not interested in stories about young women; you're expecting something grand in scope; you need high stakes Read more

Entertaining, Funny, Quirky, Slow

See it if You enjoyed the game as a child, or were a youth in the 90's- a nice bit of flashback to the era and the age of awkwardness

Don't see it if You did not enjoy the game, or plays with dual story lines- two separate stories a couple hundred years apart

Cliched, Funny, Quirky

See it if you have suffered from depression and grew up in the 90s. You like plays that stage multiple timelines simultaneously (e.g., Indian Ink).

Don't see it if you don't care about a whiny teenager's pseudo-problems or dysentery. Read more

Great staging

See it if You like small ensemble shows dealing with relationships, mental health, and life choices.

Don't see it if you want something as good as The Dudleys!, this doesn't quite hit the mark.

Critic Reviews (6)

Trailer

Creative team