Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...With Ana Velazquez directing, the two co-stars nail the dynamics of a close, but sometimes fraught, mother-daughter relationship. As Angel, Colón captures the turmoil of being 17, at one point raging that her mother has dared to enter her room (after all, she’s nearly an adult!), but in quieter moments clutches a stuffed elephant and rests her head in Alma’s lap for comfort. Corona’s Alma bears the careworn look of a woman who has made many sacrifices, and her love for her daughter comes through at every turn — she even sleeps on a foldout couch in the living room, giving Angel the only bedroom."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...Mother-daughter conflicts are nothing new in theater; they go back at least to the Greeks. But in Alma, Benne has given us a relationship that sheds a harsh light on a place where nascent fascism and toxic nationalism are problems of far greater impact than a test score."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...This is an unusual production , sharply directed by Ana Valazquez and is in fact part of the Destinos program celebrating its 5th year in Chicago. The running time is 70 minutes and is “real time”. In other words, there is only one actual scene on this very special night in the life of Alma ( deftly handled by Jazmin Corona) and her daughter, Angel ( Bryanna Ciera Colon is terrific). Alma had crossed the border 17 years earlier and had started her search for her American Dream. Her daughter was to be a part of this dream."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...Directed with realism and honesty by Ana Velazquez, Benjamin Benne has delivered a beautiful one-act drama that’s actually about so many present day issues. But at the heart of it all is the strength and mutual love shared by a mother and her daughter. This work is a showcase for a pair of talented actresses who certainly know their craft. They leave the audience breathless with their exquisite performances, in a production that will haunt audiences for a long time to come."
Rescripted - Highly Recommended
"...Alma has dreamed about her daughter getting a perfect SAT score since first coming to the United States. On the evening before the big test, Angel reveals that she has other plans. With college around the corner and the 2016 election results looming overhead, Alma and Angel wrestle with an unknown future and the threat of deportation. Playwright Benjamin Benne captures the quotidian tension, dread, and overwhelming concerns that grip households with mixed citizenship status across the country. With heartfelt direction by Ana Velazquez, Alma finds power in the bond between mother and daughter."
Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended
"...Benne has written the play’s dialogue in English with a certain amount of Spanish mixed in, as would likely be the way it goes in such a household. You don’t need to know Spanish, though, to see it. Everything is very clear even if not all of the words are. In the end, this is a love story between a mother and her daughter, and that works in any language."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"...From start to finish, the moving world premiere of “Alma,” commands the intimate stage at the Rivendell Theatre in Edgewater. Presented by American Blues Theater in collaboration with the Center Theatre Group based in Los Angeles and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance as part of the Destinos, the 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, the play poses important questions and searing reflections on immigration, belonging, struggle, sacrifice, family and generational differences."
MaraTapp.org - Highly Recommended
"...Alma, a strong new play, is a splendid example of how individual stories illuminate universal themes. In 70 minutes, this compact two-person piece manages to say much about mother-daughter relationships, the dreams parents have for their children, the immigrant experience and how Americans treat those who come to our country. Benjamin Benne's play is part of Destinos, the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance's 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, and it fits perfectly in the festival yet crosses many borders thanks to fine writing, sure directing by Ana Velazquez and top-notch acting."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...There's much to take in during this tightly focused, well-paced show. There's Alma's poignant dream of feathers growing from her weary arms, while her gifted daughter, who won't take the SAT, frustratingly refuses to take flight. And the insights into the Catch-22 nature of U.S. immigration law, which permits only those citizens who have reached the age of twenty-one to serve as sponsors for their parents-but then claims that because these children have reached adulthood, their immigrant parents are no longer needed in their lives. And then there's the way Alma's faith rubs against Angel's skepticism, producing a numbered list of dreams and ambitions that makes their present circumstances bearable. A materially better future beckons, but only at a soul-crushing cost."
