Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...Ultimately, "Ghost Gardens" occupies a netherworld between the more straightforward social-issues plays that Simoncic has written in the past (including his excellent look at gentrification, "Broken Fences," directed by Duncan and Ann Filmer at 16th Street Theater in Berwyn in 2013) and a more symbolic, elegiac portrait of how communities live and die, along with their dreams. But there are the solid bones of a very compelling and humane story here that deserves further fleshing out."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...iven a fluid, compassionate world-premiere staging by Pegasus Theatre's Ilesa Duncan, Ghost Gardens tells the tale of Lorelie, who isn't doing so well. Her mother has cancer, her good-natured oaf of a husband is halfway out of a job, and she buried a baby daughter ten years ago. But when she announces a new pregnancy, she becomes a symbol of hope for the community. Simoncic's script needs work: it ends weakly, ignores its own implications, and offers a disappointingly pat take on Lorelie's husband. The basics are there, though, and the dialogue is buoyant—especially in the mouths of an engaging cast."
Gapers Block - Somewhat Recommended
"...The world premiere script set in Detroit is written by Steven Simoncic, a playwright in residence with Pegasus and several other Chicago theaters. Ilesa Duncan's direction and a couple of good performances are not able to overcome a script that is rambling and disjointed. Ghost Gardens doesn't persuade us that its residents have created a community--and the play's clever use of modern technology isn't enough to save the production."
ChicagoCritic - Not Recommended
"...It seems that this work is structured from a "How to write a play" manual. The plot twists are so incredible that they defy belief leaving us not caring about any of the characters. Why they don't leave such a horrible area is never addressed. Simoncic needs to re-think this piece."
Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...While I have enjoyed his past works, I am not sure if this particular play is ready for audiences to see. The issues in this particular story are indeed relevant as we witness an area of Detroit, withered by the lack of work, the city itself falling apart and the people of the area no longer having the faith that they had in their earlier years."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...More than hope, or faith, or struggle, Ghost Gardens is about community. The members of the community in the play aren’t only tied together by the decline they feel in their city and the illness, but by their desire to keep going, keep trying, keep hoping–and finding redemption in the attempt."
