Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...From an audience perspective, though, the work currently is caught in the middle between what a very famous actor might create as a performative work of autobiography and something more intensely focused on allowing viewers to see themselves in an archetypal journey. The latter avenue is the better one, I think, especially if Suarez and this adept design team can offer more specifics about how art can change a person's trajectory through life, invariably for the better."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...Directed by Mark Clements, the piece is the theatrical equivalent of a page-turner as it lays bare Suarez's Brooklyn childhood in a family defined by unchecked mental illness, surrounded by a culture steeped in good, old-fashioned toxic machismo."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...And while there are certainly some familiar elements (Suarez’s life-changing encounter with Baryshnikov’s art reminded me of John Leguizamo’s story in his 1998 solo show Freak of his youthful epiphany watching A Chorus Line), Suarez roots the piece in his own aching quest to understand how the past shaped him, and yet also gave him the tools to break past the limitations and cycles he inherited. He doesn’t ask us to forgive him for the harm he caused, but he does make us understand how people can’t erase their past. They can only try to change their stories moving forward."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Highly Recommended
"...Antonio's journey took him from the streets of Brooklyn to the ballet training studios of Russia. He encountered many obstacles along the way, including the legacy of masculinity stereotypes imposed upon him. But he never gave up. Instead, he continued to push himself, explore new avenues of expression, and discover the beauty of becoming a father. Goodman Theatre's Antonio's Son, I Was Dreaming of A Son, is a powerful one-person narrative by Antonio Edwards Suarez."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This is a stirring performance that will make the theatergoer feel, think and possibly, like me, recognize himself. Directed with so much sensitivity and emotional connection by Mark Clements, the production is a tour de force for Antonio Edwards Suarez. He is simply astounding. John Ambrosone's exquisite lighting design, as well as the myriad of projections created by Jared Mezzocchi, almost become additional characters in the one-man production. This is a rich tale that goes far beyond gender roles, racial relations, a journey to manhood, being a good parent, coping with abuse or exploring one's past. This is powerful storytelling at its absolute finest and a dynamic celebration of the importance of art in all our lives."
Buzznews.net - Highly Recommended
"...Striking and enveloping, “Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of my Son” is the most honest and accurate portrayal of how men are formed emotionally that I have ever seen. While it’s the particular story of Antonio Edwards Suarez, its authenticity raises it to the universal, in my view."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Performed in Goodman’s intimate 350-seat Owen Theater by Antonio Edwards Suarez (who, along with Dael Orlandersmith, co-wrote the play), “Antonio’s Song/ I Was Dreaming of a Son” is an incredibly powerful meditation on identity. Through a careful blend of poetry and dance, we come to realize the epic currents that shaped Antonio’s childhood."
