Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...Kevin R. Kelly, the star of the ABT production, navigates this conundrum exceptionally well. Despite the complexities of being an actor (other than Stewart, presumably) playing George in a broadcast-within-a-play, Kelly is very much his own man, yet his work is still a clear homage to Stewart. I've seen Kelly do this part before, but he seemed Sunday to delve deeper into what truly is an iconic American character (and I write that knowing the word "iconic" is much overused). It was a performance striking in its familiarity, which is perhaps the ultimate compliment for this particular assignment, well executed. Some of Kelly's scenes with Gwendolyn Whiteside, who plays Mary, are really quite wonderful. Intensely wonderful."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...What can I say? The movie is a damned classic among classics. I know every line of it--and, more, every frame and inflection. As far as I'm concerned, that moment at the Bedford Falls train station--when Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey finally realizes he'll never fulfill his dream of seeing the world--is film poetry right up there with the baby carriage in Battleship Potemkin. And yet American Blues Theater's 90-minute stage version more than holds its own against any prejudice. It's delightful."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"... The cast gets everyone in the Christmas spirit before the play starts by singing Christmas carols with the audience. A few mock commercial breaks bring humor and interactive fun as the audience is invited to write Christmas grams which the cast reads in-between the humorous and witty commercials. This heartwarming show will make you laugh and cry, and you will leave the theatre with a smile and a milk mustache from the homemade milk and cookies that the casts gives out after the show. This is a great show for the whole family."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...The show is part nostalgic as Kelly (George) and Mohrlein (Clarence/Potter) mimic the iconic voices of Jimmy Stewart and Henry Travers/Lionel Barrymore. Their inflections are pitch perfect. The entire cast change characters in a vocal whirlwind. By adding an accent and subtracting decades, they become Italian or a kid. It's ongoing impressive feats of storytelling. Despite the cast carrying scripts, this show is much more emotional than a radio play or public reading. The end scene, where kindness triumphs adversity, is a heart-warming, eye-misting, soul-lifting sentimental sensation."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Directed by Marty Higginbotham, the show which is based on the movie, which is based on a short story “The Greatest Gift”, while in a new venue, is stronger than ever. I for one, noticed that the change to the first floor theater at The Greenhouse Theater Center on Lincoln Avenue is even more perfect for a live radio presentation. Yes, the players are live actors and we, the audience , get the feeling that we are in a studio for a live presentation to the Greater Chicago Area , live on the radio, of this enchanting story about a man who has many obstacles placed before him in his life and through it all finds that family, friends and love ar in fact the greatest gifts of all. yes, possessions and wealth are wonderful, but it is the friendship and the love that you build into your life that makes the difference in the end."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...A warm, homey, nostalgic feeling pervades the atmosphere of the theatre, partly a result of Grant Sabin's period studio set, but mostly due to the sincerity and commitment of this fine acting company. Frank Capra's Christmas classic hasn't looked or sounded this glorious since it first appeared in movie theatres back in 1946. This American Blues Theater production would've made Mr. Capra proud."
