American Hero presented by First Floor Theater at The Den Theatre

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Lacking internal logic, unlikely developments come across as off-putting rather than exhilarating. Although Cody Estle's staging for First Floor Theater doesn't supply what's missing, it does offer one consolation: Saraí Rodriguez's droll performance as sleepy, surprising sub-maker Sheri."

Time Out Chicago - Recommended

"...Wohl provides each of her three characters with a motivation to care about keeping those doors open, even as it becomes clear than neither Bob nor the unreachable corporate HQ nor their increasingly irate customers can sympathize. Yet I'm not convinced Wohl does, either. It's one thing to satirize a corporate culture so regimented it divides sandwich-artistry into the three distinct stations of "baser," "finisher" and "wrapper." It's another to make fun of workers so desperate for a system to cling to that they'd take purchasing and payroll into their own hands. First Floor Theater's cast goes a long way toward bridging the disconnect, though, particularly Rodriguez as the sleep-deprived Sheri, working two mall jobs to pay her dad's medical bills. Cody Estle's staging is a bit broad at its base, but it finishes strong and wraps up handsomely."

The Fourth Walsh - Somewhat Recommended

"...Although the overarching story is on the light side, Estle orders up plenty of personality in his sandwich making. They might be out of prime rib but the tuna salad is pretty good. AMERICAN HERO entertains as a day-in-the-life-of-the-working-poor. It illustrates the challenges of staying employed in a dead end job."

Picture This Post - Recommended

"...The four members of the cast are what elevate this story from a mundane tale to the triumph of the working class hero. We start with manager Bob played by Brian McKnight. He's a strict by the book kind of guy (example: all sandwiches must be made in 20 seconds or less and you best believe he pulls out the stopwatch to make sure!)."

NewCity Chicago - Recommended

"...“American Hero” is not subtle; it wears both its heart and its ideas on its sleeve like pieces of company-mandated flair. But the generosity and affection the play has for its characters is downright infectious. If it were a more dour affair, its forthrightness would be much more grating. Estle’s production is a bit too over-broad at the start but once things start going wrong for the characters and the stakes swell to fit the size of the performances, the show finds its sweet spot. Meanwhile, the forced cheeriness of the shop’s bright red color scheme (set by Jeffery D. Kmiec) and the throwback “Morning in America” synths of the show’s score (Eric Backus) both wonderfully express the show’s underlying themes: namely that you’re never fully a cog in the wastoid throes of a dying capitalist system without a smile."