Featured In
The Right of Way
"This real-life story struck director Thomas Murray. He is working on a masters degree in directing and public dialogue at Virginia Tech's School of Performing Arts. The major is the only one of its kind in the country. So, his play runs by the rules of documentarians everywhere: In-depth interviews from several sources, research, writing and fact checking. What's different about it is that it's staged for a live theater performance. Murray says he wrote this play as a way to start conversations in communities around the country." (Robbie Harris, WVTF Public Radio)
EL Stories
"I found that the company's Christmas-themed show a couple of months back captured a texture so true and universal about our city — in true documentary theater fashion, the ensemble re-creates the accents and speech patterns of those they portray — I'm surprised someone hadn't come up with the idea sooner. As late-night offerings go, few are this well-conceived." (Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune)
"It is easy to enjoy 'El Stories' even if you’ve never ridden the CTA, though the real pleasure is in commiserating with its tellers. Sharing these experiences allows the act of mass transit to transcend mere necessity and move haltingly, stuffily and fragrantly onto the platform of art." (Kevin Greene, NewCity)
Best of Chicago's Fringe Theatre Scene in 2011! "As a regular rider of the CTA, I was a sucker for the latest installment of this series, which is as uncomplicated as it sounds: brief vignettes depicting the absurdities and random encounters that define any trip on public transportation." (Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune)
"The 11 Comedies to See in Chicago This December" (Catey Sullivan, Chicago Magazine)
Over My Dead Body
"The 10-member ensemble, who also created the script, shift into their multiple roles with minimal fuss under the nimble direction of Thomas Murray during the show's 90 minutes. It's an intelligent, heartfelt and earnest-in-all-the-right-ways endeavor that will almost certainly make you ponder your own postmortem plans." (Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune)
"The empathy they engender puts a human face on the conflict between reverence for the dead and progress for the living." (Mary Shen Barnidge, Windy City Times)
BODY/Courage
Reader Recommended! "It's a tremendous feat of acting: each character [in Danielle Pinnock's one woman show] behaves, speaks, and even looks different." (Aimee Levitt, Chicago Reader)
the space between
"The idea isn’t for audience members to watch from a distance, but to wander at their own pace among the performers spread out across Henderson Lawn, pausing by whichever ones they choose, to hear what’s being said.
In essence, the play creates a living memorial garden. Each actor sings and speaks about the person they have been assigned. At times, the actors all fall silent at once, or speak in unison. Overall, the monologues are meant to represent the perspective of someone who wishes they could have known the person who was lost." (Mike Allen, The Roanoke Times)