Roz and Ray at Victory Gardens Theater - Biograph

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...In some ways, "Roz and Ray" is a version of "The Normal Heart" for hemophiliacs and, as such, it does us all a great service, especially in this moment of drastic political realignment. For their suffering was our collective responsibility. And so it remains."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...While keeping the stakes grounded at the human level, Victory Gardens artistic director Chay Yew's production sheds light on a tremendous historical dilemma in a fierce, thought-provoking 90 minutes."

ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended

"...Roz and Ray is sad play that makes us mad at how government, the medical establishment and big pharma place indifference and greed ahead of humanity. This wonderful play is a cautionary tale to be remembered. Roz and Ray is one of the best shows of 2016."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Playwright Karen Hartman takes us on a journey between the years of 1976-1987 and one special day in 1991. Think back in time and you will recall that this was the time where the AIDS epidemic hit the news and the public was fearful of what might be happening to our world. Directed by Artistic Director Chay Yew on a set designed by Tim Mackabee where we see used and abused hospital furniture/equipment, all white, piled as a backdrop. This is not a play where any special costumes are designed, props (Alec Long) are just things and the lights (Diane D. Fairchild) are only for mood setting as is the sound (the original music by Christopher Kriz does have some meaning). It is the two actors who truly make this story take one’s breath away!"

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...It is a huge testament to playwright Karen Hartman, director Chay Yew (who also helmed Victory Gardens' sensational 'This House Will Not Stand'), and the remarkable talents of Meredith and Fisher that 'Roz and Ray' never feels like a history lesson. The characters are allowed to breath and develop, and as the implications of Dr. Kagan's treatments become more apparent, our hearts break not only for the suffering that so many people endured, but also for the flesh and blood characters before us on the stage."

Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Highly Recommended

"...Chay Yew builds skillfully builds the play to its intense final scene. He rightly keeps the production simple, the stage empty except for the addition of a few props to indicate location. A projection above the stage notes the shifts in time. The designers combine to create a physical minimalism that allows Hartman’s withering dialogue to surge across the footlights unencumbered by visual or aural distractions. So props for their understated designs to Timothy Mackabee (sets), Christine Pascual (costumes), Diane Fairchild (lighting), Christopher Kriz (sound), and Alec Long (properties)."

Picture This Post - Highly Recommended

"...Victory Gardens Theater's world premiere of Karen Hartman's Roz and Ray is a heartbreaking, yet always subtle, look at a section of a national crisis rarely dramatized or even talked about. The average audience member will certainly be familiar with the basic history of the AIDS crisis, but most will not have heard about this particular narrative within that story."

NewCity Chicago - Recommended

"..."Roz and Ray" has two undeniable strengths: Mary Beth Fisher and James Vincent Meredith. Securing a pair of our city's finest actors for such an intimate production is a coup rivaling being the home of the Chicago premiere of "Hand to God," though one that will almost certainly be less widely appreciated."