Ceremonies In Dark Old Men at eta Creative Arts Foundation

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Elder's characters are complex-victims of their own failings as much as society's-and his themes remain depressingly relevant 43 years after the play's New York premiere. But in his indifferent staging for ETA Creative Arts Foundation, Vaun Monroe has trouble settling on a consistent tone. Some cast members play tragic flaws as comic quirks."

Centerstage - Somewhat Recommended

"...Director Vaun Monroe may have been too reverential to the material to provide enough structure so the story unfolds excruciatingly slow, with lackluster pacing. Although the set design and lighting are effective, the best thing about the production is the music. From Big Mama Thornton’s rousing original rendition of “Hound Dog” at the beginning, to Nina Simone’s dramatic cover of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” in the second act, the musical expressions of the blues managed to say everything that the play did not."