Principal Principle Reviews

Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended

"...There are very few excellent plays about public education. This is one - a brand new one, by, for, about, and penned in Chicago. If you are part of the sacred profession that educates young minds, I think you'll see a little you know, plenty worth thinking about, and much about which you deeply feel."

Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended

"...The philosophical chaos and social dissension that now permeates every aspect of the Chicago Public School system is all too familiar. But there is something about seeing how this all plays out in the lives of the four quite different teachers and one administrator in Joe Zarrow’s “Principal Principle” that nails the issues with an ideal mix of stinging satire and abiding sadness."

Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended

"...Chicago playwright and former public school teacher Joe Zarrow achieves something remarkable in his dark comedy, about a Teach for America-like teacher adrift in a fictional CPS high school. He has succeeded in crafting an entertaining play about education that re-creates all the quirks and craziness of modern education without lapsing into either cynical hopelessness or Hollywood-style superteacher fantasies. His dialogue feels authentic, and his characters are flawed but likable human beings, not mouthpieces for this or that ideology."

Windy City Times- Highly Recommended

"...The tight little ensemble shines under director Scott Bishop. Harris' comic timing and throw-away delivery spice up Ms. Cory while Sanders' eager energy underscores Ms. Josephs' fervor. Elana Elyce is rock-solid as the teacher who observes rather than comments, while McKenzie Chinn delivers the most varied performance as the warm but cagey Ms. Wood trying to play both sides. As Principal Banerjee, a semi-comic role, Arya Daire avoids nastiness as she drily projects uncomprehending authority. Joe Schermoly's cluttered setting of the shared teachers' office looks just like the adjuncts' office I share at UIC, only better! It's spot-on."

Edge- Highly Recommended

"...I had seen ads for Stage Left Theatre's and Theatre Seven of Chicago's world premiere of "Principal Principle" in the spring, but did not really note it on my radar until it was announced that the companies were offering a remount of a month's worth of performances over the summer. (The original run ended May 18). I rarely see plays merit this kind of attention, and so I decided to take advantage of this rarity and finally see the show. I'm glad that I did, because "Principal Principle" is a fine example of Chicago theatre at its best, with strong acting and direction, timely subject matter, and satirical wit."

Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended

"...It’s the bond that develops between Shelley and Kay in their desire to make their lessons relevant to their kids’ lives, even if it means putting their principles above their principal, that propels the first act, and it’s the break between them that drives the conflict in the second. The moment of Kay’s change of heart is a bit underwritten—one of the few components here that feels more like a storytelling necessity than an organic act. But this clear-eyed glimpse into the teachers’ lounge makes hearty laughs part of an all too relevant lesson plan."

ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended

"...Principal Principle is a smart, well throughout play filled with credible characters that is sure to evoke conversation about the nature of our public education system. As theatre, Principal Principle is an engaging , often funny, dramatization of the state of contemporary urban education. McKenzie Chinn and Cassy Sanders were particularly effective. This important play is a “must see” theatrical event. Hopefully, the heads of the CPS will see this play."

Chicago Stage and Screen- Recommended

"...Director Scott Bishop’s cast – including Arya Daire as the principal whose principles align with the corporate types instead of the teachers or students – is excellent."

Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended

"...School Days, School Days, dear old, oh heck, you know the rest of this ditty, but if you are (or were) a teacher in a major school district, such as Chicago Public Schools, you will really see the "True Grit" of what playwright Joe Zarrow brings to the stage in the remount of "Principal Principle" now being presented by Stage Left Theatre and Theatre Seven of Chicago , now onstage at Theater Wit in Chicago.This original cast is back and doing their thing through August 17th."

Chicago Theatre Review- Highly Recommended

"...And of course, tying it all together is the wonderful Stage Left Theatre team, including Scott Bishop (director), Jason Crutchfield (stage manager), and Joe Schermoly (set designer). From faded tile flooring, to rickety metal desks, to old wooden chairs and thick hardcover books with the binding peeling, this is a production that gets the details right, making the message all the more effective."