Down Range presented by Genesis Theatrical Production at National Pastime Theater

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...So whether he's trying to dramatize the plight of army wives stranded stateside or the addictive lure of live combat or the encroachment of workaday reality into youthful idealism, he sketches the highlights but lets little develop, making this nearly two-and-a-half-hour play feel largely aimless. The muddled chronology doesn't help. Still, director Kay Martinovich's mostly sterling cast injects impressive psychological nuance into the mix. As emotionally tortured Frank, Carl Herzog never hits a false note."

Windy City Times - Recommended

"...Running nearly two hours ( with one intermission ) in the cavelike Preston Bradley Center auditorium, this Genesis Theatre production is directed by legendary Chicago expat Kay Martinovich, whose expertise with polemical drama is apparent in the clearly defined devolution of Carl Herzog's Frank and David Lawrence Hamilton's Doc from idealistic intellectuals seeking adventure to monosyllabic battle-fatigued grunts trudging from day to day. Carey Lee Burton and Whitney Morse also serve as evidence of the adage about military families. ( "If the army wanted you to have a wife, it would have issued you one." ) Skinner sometimes falls prey to stating the obvious, but his insights into the damage inflicted by war upon its affiliates emerge as irrefutable as they are eloquent."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended

"...The play is directed by Kay Martinovich. I found her staging to be affective, although a bit stiff. I would have liked to see greater advantage taken of the unique space. But considering the brevity of the material, it made sense. The set design by Ashley Woods was minimal and effective. JJ Porterfield did the music and sound design. His compositions did much to add to the mood of the entire piece."

Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended

"...Award-winning poet and playwright Jeffrey Skinner has written a moving and powerful drama about the men who devote their career and their lives to the military. He exposes the addictive nature that the army’s family holds over these individuals and illustrates how war is wagered, not only in foreign lands but in the men’s personal lives, as well. Kay Martinovich’s production presents all the right elements but the play’s intimacy is, unfortunately, diminished by the enormity of the venue in which it’s staged."