Late Company presented by COR Theatre at Pride Arts Center - The Buena

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...Despite one crucial plot point which strains belief, this is a tense and at times devastating study of the limits of parents' understanding of their children. Jessica Fisch directed."

Windy City Times - Recommended

"...The textual transpositions of Canadian references to those of United States culture Michael is now a Republican holding office in Springfield—cannot help but sound pasted-in at times, but the ensemble led by Cor company members Tosha Fowler and Tony Buzzuto, ably assisted by Paul Fagen and Asia Jackson, invoke an atmosphere of obsessive righteousness ( contrasting with Matthew Elam's stoic resignation ) that keeps our sympathies ever-shifting. Also, Jessica Fisch's direction generates an ambient ambiguity prompting us to speculate on Debora's hidden motives in planning a sumptuous meal based in dishes that the designated malefactor cannot eat, or the source of the ghostly rapping emerging from empty rooms that only the bereft can hear."

Time Out Chicago - Recommended

"...Still, director Jessica Fisch and a nuanced cast keep the tension high as niceties erode into recriminations. You may not buy that these characters would choose each others’ company, but you’ll believe their misery."

Stage and Cinema - Recommended

"...To its credit Late Company-and Jessica Fisch's kinetic staging-are emotionally and morally balanced, no small feat with so polarizing a premise. The dinner setup may seem a stretch but, justifying it with tensile sincerity, Fagen, Fowler, Bozzuto, Jackson and Elam focus like lasers on their characters' strengths and weaknesses. And, as an audience does with strong, true plays, we're there too, wondering what differences we could-or still can-make."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...Be warned that this is not a play for the faint of heart. Somewhat reminiscent of Yasmina Reza's "God of Carnage," this is a brutally honest story of attempted reconciliation, forgiveness, and, ultimately, revenge. It's painful and gut-wrenching, but so honestly directed and acted that it's impossible to forget. Much like the ghostly thumping within the walls of Debora's house, Jessica Fisch's raw-edged production will haunt audiences long after the houselights are restored. Appropriately playing during Gay Pride month, this drama will initiate a necessary dialogue about the devastating effects of bullying, especially within the LGBTQ community."

Picture This Post - Recommended

"...We acutely feel the painful uncomfortableness unfolding on stage---in no small part due to the quality of the acting."