Hostage Song at Signal Ensemble Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"... But you will hear some gripping singing from Joseph Stearns, who plays the macabre frontman of this dark, Brechtian rock band and a pair of unstintingly honest and thus quite moving performances from both Roos and O'Connell, whose mutual affection and darkly comic resolution you fully believe. And Jarrow's driving score has a musical insistence that keeps you held."

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...The hostages and their families have stirring monologues, and Jarrow's music is competent, but neither Chapman nor director Ronan Marra can justify the form: this Signal Ensemble Theatre production feels exploitive and unserious as soon as the band strikes up. Constant, grim comedy further undercuts the dire subject matter."

Time Out Chicago - Recommended

"...The compounding despair in Jennifer and Jim’s cell is diluted by Chapman’s book, which inserts lengthy monologues by the hostages’ loved ones. And Signal’s staging relegates the capable live band to the back of the stage. Thus the songs (a couple of which, despite the bleak context, you want to leave the theater humming) can’t quite match the raw intensity of the hostages’ connection. If the rock idiom is going to be used, then, well, let’s rock. Though undeniably moving to its breathtaking end, Hostage Song is trapped somewhere between a gripping drama about two doomed souls and a less-than-compelling concert."

Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended

"...Even though the name is HOSTAGE SONG, I continue to get so wrapped up in the hostage crisis in the room, that the band -ever present on stage- continue to surprise me by cueing up a tune. But this IS a musical. Composer Kyle Jarrow provides an indie rock soundtrack with equal parts rebellion against the establishment and resignation to the political climate. Conducted by a piano-playing Jon Steinhagen, the band accompanies this saga with bittersweet and haunting melodies. A soulful Joseph Stearns leads the solid singing by the ensemble. In such a riveting drama, the musical aspect perfectly enhances the overall experience. The combination hostage + song = masterpiece. WOW!"