Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...Modern life can be disorienting and, for some, there may well be comfort in that such entertainments still sprout in a neighborhood where there once were many a Brew-Ha-Ha, or at least many a Germanic brewhouse without the Ha-Ha. And sans the bingo, naturally. "We Gotta Bingo" is full-service. I had some laughs. A group from United Airlines was having a lot of fun. Helmut joked that they so busy playing bingo, it explained the delays at Das O'Hare, which worked for me."
Chicago Sun Times - Not Recommended
"...There might be an audience, somewhere out there in Chicagoland, for “We Gotta Bingo!,” the interactive “entertainment” that has set up shop in the new Chicago Theater Works space, and has trumpeted itself as “the latest addition” to the Belmont Theater District that includes such legit operations as Stage 773 and Theater Wit."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...The evening's premise is that the audience is attending a bingo night benefiting two Catholic congregations—a predominantly Italian-American one and a predominantly Irish-American one—that have recently merged. For some reason there are beer-hall Germans and a swishy gay guy on hand too. All the punch lines rely on tired stereotypes, but the jokes are so obvious they'll probably only offend your sense of humor."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...Accomplishing all this in a swift two-and-a-half hours without descending into chaos requires the 14-member cast to keep the physical and verbal pace at high velocity, while simultaneously maintaining control of 200 "parishioners" doing the macarena or joining in an accordion-led rendition of "Happy"—duties they execute with unwavering stamina and professional panache. Whether its wholesome humor appeals to urban sensibilities remains to be seen, but the increased tourist-trade opportunities arising from the addition to the Belmont Theater District's array of intimate auditoriums of a party-sized one-stop venue cannot be overlooked."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...While too hokey for my snobbery, “We Gotta Bingo” is a fun show for groups, for a girls-night out, and for seniors who crave bingo nostalgia. And, amazingly, it seems that the 20/30somthing folks easily took to the show. The power of bingo?"
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...Creator Bill Collins, who was born and raised here in Chicago, felt that our theater crazy audiences would fall in love with this wild evening of sun and spirits, which is why he decided to bring the show here. I will tell you that he has found the right people to be in the show- some solid talents who mingle well with the audience for the entire evening. When we enter the Beer Garden known as "Der Brew-Ha-Ha" we are greeted by a polka band and lots of characters, who might well be caricatures representing the memberships of the two churches that are being merged into one. The churches are one that is all Irish and the other Italian and as the evening goes on, even they learn that they need to learn to live together."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...What makes the show work is the authenticity of its characters and the self-deprecating nature of most of their performances. Although I’m sure the show would play well in many cities, they play it with true Chicago grit and accent. Corny jokes, routines and musical performances abound but the crowd seemed to love it. Even if you don’t care for Bingo (and it seems like a lot of audience members really, really like it) – complete with“bingo bottles”, this is a fun evening with some really good performances."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Recommended
"...Ultimately, the stars of "We Gotta Bingo" are the audience. If they don't exuberantly throw themselves into the evening then it becomes a long and flat night. But at least on opening night the capacity crowd was game for anything and the decibel count rarely wavered out of the red zone. The audience was heavily populated with millennials, indicating that the show would be a lure for youngish date night folks who want to kick back, laugh and drink, and maybe get lucky in a bingo game. The theater's location is good and the price is right. "We Gotta Bingo" will need strong word of mouth to reach hit status, but the opening night crowd certainly sounded convinced."
The Fourth Walsh - Somewhat Recommended
"...The show was created in the style of the long-running Tony and Tina's Wedding. It's an opportunity to eat, drink and be merry as dramatic buffoonery unfolds around you. Although WE GOTTA BINGO has the potential to bring in suburban folk by the bus load, it still has a way to G-O to be a real winner."
