Don Chipotle at Storefront Theater

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Jo Cattell's lively staging, coproduced by TerraNova Collective and the Playground Theater, benefits from Joanna Iwanicka's versatile, urban-storybook set and some evocative atmospherics provided by an onstage vibraphonist and a children's choir wearing Day of the Dead makeup. But Villa's script is convoluted and unfocused-qualities made worse by the cast's frenzied overplaying. The exception is Karen Rodriguez's charming turn as Chipotle's loyal, practical, and always hungry sidekick. As in Cervantes, Sancho Panza steals the show."

Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...The goal of this quest remains as elusive as that of Don Quixote's, though it's unclear whether that's because Celestino is delusional or his story is just a muddled mess. Director Jo Cattell lards the tale with embellishments from puppets to projected animation to a literal children's choir, but the bells and whistles only serve to make the perplexing plot feel more frenetic. A Shyamalan-level twist ending only further confuses events that came before it."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended

"...A sugar-skull-faced children's choir. A live vibraphone maestro. A two-dimensional convertible world of cardboard. Enough stage haze to choke a hair metal band. Hip hop interludes reminiscent of In the Heights. All this and more awaits in Juan Fransisco Villa's world-premiere play Don Chipotle, presented by terraNOVA Collective and the Playground Theatre, in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. This frenetic, passionate, at times overwhelming production uses so many theatrical tools that it's akin to saying “give me the works!” at the similarly named burrito chain."

Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...“The Adventures of Don Chipotle” has turned out to be a very difficult play for me to write about. For some reason, the production started 20 minutes late – unforgivable! The actors were enthusiastic but their delivery was so shrill it was impossible to understand the words they were saying. While some people thought it was wonderful, that’s an hour and a half of my life I’ll never get back."