Chicago Reader
- Recommended
"...For someone like me who has been following Chicago Latino theater and specifically Teatro Vista's evolution since the mid-90s, it is always a treat to watch Eddie Torres and Charín Alvarez together on stage. Their connection, their rapport, is so natural, that it is easy to take for granted."
Chicago Stage and Screen
- Recommended
"...The stand out performances were from the parents, standing firm in their resolve not to yield to
bureaucratic pressure to allow progress to level their home. I loved the playfulness between
Abrana (Charín Álvarez) and Manuel (Eddie Torres) and their long-lived love. They chase each
other and collapse together laughing, race to climb high in the hills to look at the ravine, the
sort of instinctive touching we usually associate with a new relationship, and between young
people."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews
- Somewhat Recommended
"...A Home What Howls deals with the resistance of a people seeking the rights to the land promised over the persistence of those placing governmental eminent domain laws to seize their land. It's a production that speaks of protecting the people you love and disenfranchised by those unconcerned about others; not a divisive play but a powerful production that sheds light on the struggles of marginalized communities. During the debate, Soledad and Frank delved into the pressing issues that plagued the communities, the blatant disregard for the impact of land on its current occupant, and the dire need for immediate action to ensure the well-being of the people and the environment."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...The play is 95 minutes of terse drama, with a few places where comic touches break the mood. The first scene is a little confusing. Here we meet Manuel and Abrana Vargas ( brought to life by Eddie Torres and Charin Alvarez, reminding me of their great work as members of Teatro Vista in Chicago). They rae fearful of what is going on around their home and of the coyotes that are surrounding their home. Their daughter , Soledad Vargas (deftly handled by Leslie Sophia Perez) is in the city, fighting for her family’s right to live on their land. Her encounter with a city employee, Frank ( the always reliable Tim Hopper), allows us to hear how a city planning committee works."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Plays and movies that remind us how important it is to consider others less fortunate than ourselves help focus on the plight of racially marginalized around the United States. In the name of progress, people are losing their homes, their native environments and their natural resources, as well. There must always be constant reminders, especially for young audiences, to remember that there are consequences for erecting new communities, forging new rail and highway systems and polluting the environment with the resulting filth and pollution. Entire ways of life tumble in the shadow of that which appears to be bigger, better and more improved. But these reminders should not appear as simply a familiar tale told again."
Buzz Center Stage
- Recommended
"...Matthew Paul Olmos is a playwright on the rise, and under the direction of Laura Alcala Baker we have a chance to see a beautiful production of an exceptional work in its world premiere at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. As the very vernacular title suggests, "A Home What Howls (or the house what was ravine)" is not a staid work, not a constrained "Cherry Orchard" where emotions are buried between the lines."
Life and Times
- Highly Recommended
"...As the standing ovation that greeted the fine cast on opening night suggests, Baker has done Steppenwolf and the city of Chicago proud. Steppenwolf has again surpassed the bar. Steppenwolf has achieved greatness."
Splash Magazine
- Recommended
"...The acting is first-rate, the direction spot-on; the characters blend seamlessly together, moving about the space with assurance and grace. Hopper, as always, was a study in under-stated intensity; Álvarez and Torres brought authentic joy to their relationship; Quintero fully inhabited her parts and Perez as the ingenue graced the role."
BroadwayWorld
- Recommended
"...A HOME WHAT HOWLS centers on Soledad Vargas (Leslie Sophia Pérez), a young activist and community leader who has moved from rural California to the city. When the play opens, she is preparing to protest proposed urban expansion that would displace her neighbors and loved ones from homes that they have lived in for generations. Meanwhile, back in the countryside, Soledad's mother (Charin Álvarez) and father (Eddie Torres) wait anxiously for the return of their daughter as a circle of ravenous developers and coyotes tightens around them."
