| Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...The story is strong, the characters are interesting, and the committed leads--Anne Sears and Scott Allen Luke--made their fairy-tale characters real to the intended audience. The production features some wonderful stage effects, including a huge puppet dragon. The hourlong show flew past, and my eight-year-old daughter chattered about it the rest of the day."
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Windy City Times - Somewhat Recommended
"...The Last of the Dragon uses a fairy-tale format to celebrate unconventional characters breaking from traditions kept in place for tradition's sake. Yet I wish the musical's many authors ( David Bareford on the script; Mikhail Fiksel, Kyle Hamman and Alex Balestrieri all contributing to the five pop-song score ) could have pushed things further."
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Centerstage - Recommended
"...While Zywica's sets are attractive, it is Iwanicka's dragon puppet that took my breath away. With its scales of pearl and gold, voiced by David Fink with thunderous aplomb, this "Last of the Dragons" manages to be beautiful, fierce and friendly all at once. It's a good thing the play takes such an ongoing glee in defying "traditional" roles, because some things deserve a Happily Ever After, and the dragon is definitely one of them."
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Chicago Stage Review - Recommended
"...From an adult point of view I find the theatrical image wanting. Wanting what; just a little more. While it is nice to see this children’s show has the whole Lifeline space to itself, the set still looks like it was made to fit into the trunk of a Buick for afternoon assemblies at school. The lighting is adequate. The costumes are a quick fit. The walk-in gown for the Princess is clever. The King should be a little more regal though and the Prince a little geekier. Even the parrot costume is not quite what I expect from Lifeline."
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ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...The story plays out quickly as we easily empathize with the two marriage types bent on living their traditions–assuming each can actually love their proposed mates. This charming show is easy to digest and nicely paced. The kids in the audience seem to enjoy the show and that is all that counts here. I now realize how excellent Lifeline Theatre’s kids show are. Consider adding them to the shows you take your kids or grand kids to–they’ll thank you for it."
Chicago Theater Blog - Recommended
"...The staging of The Last of the Dragons is genius in its simplicity. The young audience can focus on the characters rather than lots of set dressing. The swordplay is not too violent and there are smart double entendres for everyone to enjoy. Director Dorothy Milne has managed to project the just right mix of whimsy and morality lessons with this production. Lifeline’s tagline is ‘big stories up close’ and they continue to be true to their word. The staging of the Dragon’s lair is funny and just scary enough. The Dragon is a beautiful mix of brocade and voile managing to cleverly encompass the breadth of the stage."
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Steadstyle Chicago - Recommended
"... am always glad to see live theater for kids, allowing the opportunity for parents and grandparents to expose children to the art of live theater. Lifeline Theatre is now presenting a cute little one hour show with music, "The Last Of The Dragons," a new adaptation of the classic story written by Edith Nesbit. David Bareford's adaptation of this story is cute and makes the moral of the story easy to understand."
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