Geezers at Redtwist Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...Despite these dramaturgical drawbacks, there are some truly lovely moments to behold in this intimate staging. In particular, Ruhl shows flashes of painful understanding beneath Emily's fog, and Parry does a fine job revealing hints of Neil's raging against the dying of the light."

Windy City Times - Recommended

"...Johnston has accomplished the rare feat of crafting a tidily sentimental narrative that cleverly skirts our expectations to forge a cliché-free collection of payoffs engendering surprise, but never shock. Under Jan Ellen Graves' direction, an ensemble anchored by Brian Parry, Donna Steele and Jacqueline Grandt as the nurturing mentors to Aaron Kirby's orphaned scribbler, embrace their roles with unaffected warmth and enthusiasm. Whatever precepts freed Johnston from the lure of fashionable tropes to endow him with the confidence to elevate this world-premiere play above the conventional formulas should be included on the syllabus of playwrighting workshops throughout this country."

ShowBizChicago - Highly Recommended

"...The star of this production however is Tommy Lee Johnston who has provided Chicago a great story with beautiful characters, poetic language and themes that will touch and reverberate in your soul for a long time to come."

ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended

"...The geezers' stories are worthy, the ensemble performances are terrific, and the play is a charming, heartfelt affair that pays homage to the spark of humanity that makes us human. It once again proves that us old-timers can still contribute to society. Geezers is one of the finest new works to grace a Chicago stage this year. Take your young folks to see this so they can appreciate the wisdom of us geezers."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...When it comes to “storefront” productions, I am always impressed with what they turn out at Redtwist Theatre: that “little black box where white hot drama is presented with a little red twist”, on Bryn Mawr Avenue. They redo the theater with each production so one never knows how the seats will lay out or even where the stage will be. In many shows, we, the audience line the walls and in others we face other audience members, in this very intimate space. Their current production, a World Premier, “Geezers” written by Tommy Lee Johnston takes place in an assisted living facility in a major city. In entering the theater from their tiny lobby, we walk through a hall and the social/activity room of the “home” on our way to the seating area. This truly gets you into the feeling of where you are o r the next 2 hours and 25 minutes (there is an intermission for meter feeding as well as other needs)."