Reviews: The Magnolia Ballet at About Face Theatre
Chicago Tribune - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“…If you follow new American works, try and see this show before it exits The Den, although I suspect (and hope) a larger theater will restage this production, perhaps as soon as this summer.”
Chicago Reader - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“…One of the enduring successes of About Face Theatre, I’ve found, is the company’s consistency in bucking that trend by producing work that feels current and raw and relevant across the broad spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community. The Magnolia Ballet is another step forward in that tradition, one that had me thoroughly enchanted by its spell.”
NewCity Chicago - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“…And that script? It alone is proof that Guest is a playwright who is going to change how we encounter theater…Rarely do you get such rich storytelling in just over ninety minutes.”
Windy City Times - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“…The unfaltering guidance provided by director Mikael Burke, his shape-shifting cast, intriguing scenery, Brian Grimm's evocative musical score and Jen Freeman's shadowy movement design only leave us wanting to contemplate its mysteries further.”
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“…THE MAGNOLIA BALLET's spellbinding message is provocatively candid and exhilaratingly refreshing. It not only opens the doors to the truth of our hatred but reminds us it's still alive and needs to be eradicated through understanding and love.”
Buzznews.net - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“…The Magnolia Ballet is an exceptional show - perfect in performances, direction (Mikael Burke), staging. And then there's the script, by Terry Guest, who also plays the lead as Ezekiel "Z" Mitchell IV. While this show merits a Jeff without doubt, I believe it's Pulitzer material, at least in my book.”
Chicago on Stage - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
“…There is an inevitability to all of it that comes out in Terry Guest’s writing and anguished performance, both of which (whether in comic or serious mode) highlight opportunities missed or lost. That Guest sets his play in the present forces the audience to see the revolving patterns, even as we wonder if things in our own world will ever change.”
