Chicago Tribune - Not Recommended
"...The real issue, though, is the material itself (written by Jed Levine with composer Brad Kemp), which lacks bite or smarts or an absurdist point of view, but is loaded with forgettable music and a three-hour running time. These are insurmountable problems. The seeds for the show took root, according the notes from Levine, in a class at Second City. I'm not sure it does anyone any favors to promote that link."
Chicago Reader - Not Recommended
"...This Forth Story production of Jed Levine and Brad Kemp's new musical comedy is awfully bad but also kind of endearing. The bad touches pretty much everything. Levine's book, in which dweebish do-gooder Steve and lonely NSA analyst Mary fall in love while attempting an Edward Snowden-esque takedown of domestic spying?"
Stage and Cinema - Not Recommended
"...The bottom line is that the excesses of the NSA deserve a comeuppance that's not lamentably lame, dumbed down and trivialized into a sub-sitcom. Guantanamo has torture but Theater Wit has Tapped, the theatrical version of waterboarding. Because all sixteen members of the ensemble have simultaneously reached the nadir of their careers, no names will be mentioned."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended
"...Perhaps in time with some deep cuts and revisions this could be an enjoyable piece of work (and I have to admit many people in the audience seemed to already be enjoying it). Unfortunately in its current state of excess, with possibly too many cooks in the kitchen, it is a recipe with too many ingredients."
Around The Town Chicago - Not Recommended
"...I always try to give the theater companies the benefit of the doubt when it comes to rating their productions. Tonight, I was asked to review a new play, performed by a young, new company to hit the scene, and I was hopeful that I would discover something special. In fact, I was led to believe that there would be by the "hype" that this was "an award -winning show". That is what the publicist write on the press release. There is no award ( at least any mention of any award, other than that, and let's face it, one can claim what they want- seeing is believing!"
Chicago Theatre Review - Not Recommended
"...This musical might've succeeded better at this stage as a work in progress. The script needs more adjustment for it to be ready for a paying audience. Brad Kemp's six-member musical combo provides nice accompaniment, if sometimes a bit too overpowering. Holly Gombita's choreography is, like Levine and Kemp's play, too big and ambitious for this intimate space. And Molly Todd Madison's direction needs more focus, a more modest, flexible scenic design that doesn't demand as many set changes and a simple economy of movement. Characters need to be much more specific, as well. Congratulations, however, to this fledgling group for attempting a new work, but more previews or staged readings might've helped prepare this production. Right now, these players are simply not ready for prime time."
Third Coast Review - Somewhat Recommended
"...Tapped, a Treasonous Musical Comedy, is a frothy approach to political satire, featuring tap dancing spies and snitches, a six-piece live band, and songs with refrains like "Everybody loves a whistleblower," "Your secrets are safe with us" and "The best place to be in Russia is the airport." Tapped is the brainchild of Jed Levine (book and lyrics) and Brad Kemp (music). Director Molly Todd Madison keeps the action going, but it varies from lively to sluggish. The three need to work together to cut the 180-minute production in half. An editor's pen would be their best prop."
