Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...This is not an easy book to adapt as a play, and Carter has ended up with a lot of linkage involving Steve saying "cut" or "fade to" or "close-up on," which works fine on the page but jars when you're watching a dramatization. It feels weird for the act of dramatization to be unacknowledged when Steve is so sophisticated when it comes to how stories are told. Why doesn't he know he's also the narrator in a play?"
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...“Monster” subtly raises the question of how “a good kid” can fend off bad influences without being marked as uncooperative or weak. It also should open up many questions about the whole process of criminal trials, from legal tactics to witness reliability."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...As the young man on trial, Daniel Kyriand gives a raw, unsparing performance that doesn't leave his character, however sympathetic, off the hook; instead, he raises hard questions about culpability and identity that have no easy answers."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...But that is not to say that his voice is lost entirely. For one thing, Kyri gives a finely-tuned, vulnerable performance—more than holding his own against more seasoned hands like Arenas and Head, both of whom are great as usual. Smallwood, too, is proving a master of hidden pain and anger masked behind an otherwise impassive face. (His work last season in Charm at Northlight Theatre and The Grapes of Wrath at the Gift likely remains seared in audiences’ memories.) These performances tell a powerful story, one that young audiences should instantly recognize and connect with. They are light passing through the celluloid, the thing that lets us actually see—and see with fiercest clarity."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This outstanding production, directed with care and passion by Hallie Gordon, brings to life this powerful young adult novel by Walter Dean Myers. The play, faithfully adapted by Aaron Carter, is in a production that begs to be seen, not only by young audiences but by adults, as well. This 90-minute one-act is robust, concise and absolutely compelling. It speaks unflinchingly to audiences of all ages about how societal prejudice, especially toward young, African American men, still clouds our vision in the 21st century. Here's a young man with potential and imagination, played by a terrific young actor, who, because he briefly associated with the wrong people, suffers for a crime he didn't commit. But, in the end, after Steve Harmon's world seems to crumble around him, it's love and trust that ultimately triumph."
The Fourth Walsh - Recommended
"...MONSTER, a Steppenwolf for Young Adult production, has limited availability for the general public. If you can work it in, you should. The acting is stellar. The storytelling technique is riveting. The story itself has some issues. The crime just doesn’t seem to fit the punishment, legally or emotionally."
Third Coast Review - Highly Recommended
"...The Steppenwolf for Young Adults series is known for its thematically dynamic productions centered around teenagers and the real issues facing Chicago, and our nation's, young adults. From productions like This Is Modern Art, which dealt with graffiti, vandalism and its artistic implications, to The Compass, examining civil disobedience and technology's role in our decision-making and civil disobedience. Now playing is Monster, adapted by Aaron Carter from the acclaimed young adult novel by Walter Dean Myers, a compelling examination of society's role in a young, African-American teen's self-concept as he stands on trial for a crime he was minimally involved in."
Picture This Post - Recommended
"...The small eight-person cast is stellar in each performance. Most actors play more than one part. This beautifully illustrates the theme of changing perceptions. Daniel Kyri's portrayal of the boy on trial shows wisdom far beyond his age. Alana Arenas plays dual roles as the boy's mother and the prosecutor. Her poise and subtle changes are striking. The success of the show depends largely on its cast, and this cast is superb."
NewCity Chicago - Recommended
"...Though the action of the play rests in the excellent work of the ensemble, in which each actor seamlessly metamorphoses from neighborhood punk to lawyer to member of the family, executing synchronized donning of orange jumpsuits and swapping postures and dialects with finesse, the showmanship of the courtroom is a front for Steve’s internal, unresolved struggle with his own identity. “I want to look at myself a thousand times to find one true image,” he says."
