Changing Channels Reviews

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...Reeger’s play, directed with sturdy precision by Kevin Theis, isn’t reinventing any dramatic wheels. And since none of the characters are apparently Jewish, the underlying connections between anti-Semitism and anti-communism explored in Sherman’s play aren’t really a factor. But it’s an engaging (and sometimes enraging) story, thanks in no small part to Evans’s layered and convincing turn as Maggie, a journeywoman actor who seems to be carrying the brunt of breadwinning for her family."

Talkin Broadway - Recommended

"...For the fourth production of its forty-fifth anniversary season, City Lit Theater Company is presenting the Chicago premiere of John Reeger's Changing Channels. The story, set at the height of the Red Scare and in the early days of television, unfolds backstage at a variety show fronted by a larger-than-life comedian. Reeger's script adeptly uses the conventions of the genre to tell a small-scale story in a huge and harrowing cultural moment, and the cast, under the direction of Kevin Theis, pull off the comedy rhythms of the era to great effect."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...I was a big fan of Jackie Gleason and “The Honeymooners” when I was growing up. It was my dad’s favorite TV show, and we would watch it together in reruns. Consequently, “Changing Channels” by John Reeger was of particular interest to me because of the analogies to this 1950s program. Most importantly, watching the play gave me a reason to do a little googling about the original series. While I was familiar with Audrey Meadows in the role of Alice, I didn’t know that the original actor who played the part was Pert Kelton, who was blacklisted due to her husband’s suspected communist ties."

Buzz Center Stage - Highly Recommended

"...Why did I like CHANGING CHANNELS so much, given my dislike of comedy theatre? Well, CHANGING CHANNELS isn’t truly a comedy show – the comic repartee is because the characters are comediennes. The play itself, while very funny at times, is actually political commentary, and the raillery serves to lighten and brighten what might otherwise have been a heavy-handed delivery of the message. To my mind this serves to make the message more powerful as well as more accessible."

Third Coast Review - Highly Recommended

"...Midcentury America was a scary time. We worried about the Bomb because the Russians had one too—and it might be bigger than ours (theirs was plutonium). Today is scary too but back then at least we knew we could rely on a sane, intelligent leader in the White House, whether or not we had voted for him. But we did have our teevee sets, one in almost every home, and entertainers were beginning to recognize the potential of that screen. City Lit Theater’s Changing Channels is the story of a group of entertainers who are learning the potency of television as they feel the impact of the Red Scare. Set in 1952, the play is based on actual events."

Chicago Theater and Arts - Highly Recommended

"...City Lit does a nice job of offering thought provoking entertainment with a good balance of humor and drama, and this particular ensemble headed by director Kevin Theis was terrific."

MaraTapp.org - Highly Recommended

"...What a tonic to see a show that summons our history, addresses our present times and does so with intelligence and humor. Changing Channels is a smart, well-paced backstage drama that balances vintage 1950s theater against the backdrop of a sinister U.S. government."

Allie and the After Party - Highly Recommended

"... At the height of the Red Scare, media professionals face losing work with the release of the Red Channels list. Led by two formidable leads that complement each other on stage, Changing Channels makes us question our current society and shows how your decisions in a pivotal moment can influence others."

Werner's Theatre Reviews - Recommended

"...City Lit Theatre continues its 45th season with the Chicago premiere of Changing Channels. First premiering at the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA in 2022, Chicago playwright John Reeger creates a historical comedic drama centered around the unlikely setting of the Red Scare during the early days of live television. In this performance, Changing Channels presents an engaging balance of comedy and drama while also exploring the successes and struggles of the television industry in early Cold War–era America."

NewCity Chicago - Recommended

"...“Changing Channels,” a sharply written and emotionally resonant new play by Chicago actor and playwright John Reeger, shows the perils of the era. Maggie Carlin (City Lit artistic associate Kat Evans) is a comedienne on a popular variety show. The show’s star, the brash and rotund Eddie Gillroy (Orion Lay-Sleeper), has great news—their show is so popular they’re going to a bigger network, for a lot more money."