Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...For those of us compelled by Chicago history, there are many pleasures in this exceedingly melodic entertainment — LaZebnik's score to this show is better than some new Broadway musicals — which could have been written by Gilbert and Sullivan, had that British pair been inclined to write about Marshall Field and Potter Palmer instead of their Modern Major-General or Lord High Executioner."
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Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...The songs, too, are intentionally anachronistic, built out of vintage parts from Gilbert & Sullivan and the like—and including an almost postmodern homage-within-an-homage to The Music Man. And the plot? Old-fashioned, cornball romantic comedy involving a plucky young woman torn between a charismatic con man and a poor but enterprising lad. All this is offered with a wink, of course, and director Sheldon Patinkin gets a talented cast to do their winking with verve. But in the end, the multiple archaisms don't add up to anything new or even current. State Street just feels dated."
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NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...The musical, unbeknownst to its stupefied audience, is a comedy. But the humor of Day and Philip LaZebnik’s book is riddled with open-mic-night one-liners and roughly forced gags that mostly fall on deaf ears. A recurring joke, humorless and without a scrap of intellect, reminisces about Chicago’s violent criminal past through arbitrary onstage killings with deafening, live gunshots. One man walks into a bar, shoots another man, silence, and back to the scene! The garish, pointlessly absurd deaths never receive a single mention—or a single laugh—meaning they have no consequences for these characters. Silliness is a marvelously euphoric diversion, but if the love story at the play’s center is to be respected, some aspect of this spastic skit must come down to earth. For the moment, “State Street” is parading around as a giddy satire, but without any praiseworthy comedy or cache of wit, it’s just pure sugar."
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Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...The cast of Sheldon Patinkin’s chintzy production struggles to find a tone, wobbling between knockabout farce and a kind of winking wholesomeness. It’s not helped much by a script filled with one-dimensional characters who repeat the same jokes over and over. Only Matthew Keffer, who brings some flash and a shit-eating grin to the role of Crosby, manages to rise above the material. Everybody else runs out of steam well before the curtain call."
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ChicagoCritic - Recommended

"...This smart show presents a challenge for most of the cast. Some voices were adequate; the dancing seemed labored; and the tone was a tad too whimsical bordering on cartoonist. Unfortunately, the score was obscured but the lack of an orchestra. Yet, this enjoyable production has enough moments of laughter, charm and wackiness to be worth seeing. I’m challenging major producers like folks from Drury Lane Oakbrook, Marriott Theatre, and Theatre at the Center to take in State Street to see that is has all the elements of a fine new Broadway musical comedy. It only lacks producers with vision and the cash necessary to mount the show to its full potential. City Lit’s production is a fine showcase for LaZebnik & Day’s State Street."
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Chicago Stage Standard - Somewhat Recommended

"...Unfortunately, most of “State Street” is just forced folly in questionable taste. If you like to see people killed for no reason, this will be your picnic in the park. Sadly, it’s a lot closer to burlesque than opera, which makes a hash out of its problematic plot. “Ragtime” is a lot better at blending historical and imaginary characters and making it all feel real. This “State Street” is not a great street."

Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...Again, this is not a show that will set the world on fire, but there are some excellent performances by Matt Rockwood, Ed Rutherford and Sarah Hayes in addition to those previously mentioned. This production is two plus hours and possibly could have been a bit stronger by cutting here and there. I saw a little of “Guys and Dolls”, any Gilbert and Sullivan production and of course as mentioned earlier,”The Music Man”. While I did not find this show to be what I had hoped for based on the stroy it is supposedly based on, there were many audience members who appeared to have a good time and be entertained and as I stated, there were some wonderful dance numbers and some enjoyable characters portrayed by an energetic cast."
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