Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...This intimate musical, which debuted at New York’s Second Stage Theatre in 2012, and is now receiving its Chicago premiere by BoHo Theatre, features a fervent (at times Sondheim-inflected) score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Peter Duchan based on Bob Comfort’s screenplay for the 1991 film of the same name. And while it takes the show some time to find its footing, it ultimately makes its way straight to the heart."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...Based on a 1991 movie starring River Phoenix and Lili Taylor, this 2012 musical features a deeply compassionate book by Peter Duchan and a tuneful, aching score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Thanks to Peter Marston Sullivan’s clearheaded direction, Stephen Schellhardt’s boisterous choreography, and the sensitive performances of the cast, BoHo Theatre’s stirring production captures the exuberance of youth as well as its heart-piercing vulnerability to war, cruelty, and time."
Windy City Times - Somewhat Recommended
"...It might be inevitable that Boho Theatre's production should suffer ambivalence toward its material. Despite locating details like the vintage trapeze dress worn by Boland's escort, a 90-second jungle firefight and a score of period incidental music not including "For What It's Worth" ( kudos to Theresa Ham, Tony Churchill and Amanda Hosking, respectively ), the actors still appear reluctant to embrace the uglier aspects of their milieu-actual USMC haircuts, say, or fluency in gruntspeak. For any but the fuzziest memories of the era under scrutiny, the resulting Hollywood romance-in-uniform propaganda emerges as too nebulous to convey the emotions its authors strive to evoke."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...Pasek and Paul do an admirable job of making both lead characters feel fully human, even as most of those around them are more like lightly sketched caricatures. But at the show's culmination, book writer Peter Duchan abandons Rose as he makes the show a statement about the Vietnam War—one that ultimately shuts Rose out of agency. The final moments, which define the formerly central character solely in relation to the returning soldier, negate too much of what's come before."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...BoHo’s rocky romance charts very familiar territory and the songs are sweetly serviceable at best. But, no question, with wizard casting, useful projections (by Tony Churchill) and very natural storytelling, Peter Marston Sullivan’s staging at Theater Wit finds good in everything it mirrors. It’s not easy to bring anything noble out of the Vietnam War (and in any case 1963 was way too early for these Marines to be heading out en masse). Like the Iraq invasion, happy endings here can only be unintended consequences, like a dogfight where everyone wins. But musicals spin silk from dross: That’s why we need them."
ChicagoCritic - Somewhat Recommended
"...Based on the 1991 film with River Phoenix, Dogfight the musical left me with mixed feelings. Since I don’t appreciate pop-rock music style sans melodies and harmonies and I don’t fancy Broadway pop singing, I am ambivalent to the musical elements. Emily Goldberg as Rose and Garrett Lutz as Eddie tried to kindle romantic sparks through several Sondheim-type songs that they deftly delivered. The sound mixed was troublesome with mics randomly on and off but the overwhelmingly loud orchestra drowned out the singers often. But basically my problems with Dogfight revolved around the book, not the production. Director Peter Marston Sullivan mounted a worthy production."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended
"...It's beautiful at times, but it's just so hard to care about the men in this play. A talented ensemble drags the play through the first act and Goldberg shoulders the play through the second. But this play relies on the journey of Eddie Birdlace and, from beginning to end, his character's arc is never able to find a solid groove. The music alone is so incredible that I hesitate to knock this production. But then again, you could always listen to the soundtrack."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...Although this musical is a journey toward self discovery for one young man and his muse and lady love, this show won’t appeal to every taste. It features a good deal of profanity and some harsh scenes of violence that are difficult to watch. But in the hands of this continually evolving company, Chicago is being offered a fine, respectable production of a show that deserves to be seen, that’s well-sung and acted and ultimately reminds audiences of the power of love."
