Columbinus at Steppenwolf Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...What's most powerful in this show - on page and on the stage - is that we see the degrees of alienation, insecurity and rage that lives in some degree in all the kids we meet. Whether dealing with offhand epithets, physical assaults, or simply feeling out of place in the social-pitfall crucible of the lunchroom, they struggle to understand the seismic emotional changes of adolescence."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Director Mechelle Moe's expansion of the play's cast from the originally intended eight to 16 players gives the production a heightened intensity and authenticity, especially in the intimate surroundings of Steppenwolf's 1700 space. Ervin Tobar and Brian Baren as Harris and Klebold don't look much like the boys they play, but their portrayal of two outsiders bound by a common sense of aggrievement and murderous purpose is raw and painful."

WTTW - Highly Recommended

"...The play captures Eric and Dylan in their final moments of planning, when Dylan, in particular, is thinking about what death really means. And then comes the assault, in which the ensemble - the essentially decent jock, the sexy girl (who cannot talk to her mother about sex), the brainy guy terribly inept at sports, the girl who turns to prayer, the self-harming girl in punk regalia and all the rest dive for cover as shots ring out - brilliantly suggests the chaos and terror as they desperately try to elude notice and survive. Talk about a haunting dance of death."

Third Coast Review - Highly Recommended

"...Columbinus, directed by Mechelle Moe as part of Steppenwolf's LookOut series, is a must-see production, insomuch as words on the internet cannot do it justice. I read this script a few years ago, and I can attest that the play is a triumph on the page; the late PJ Paparelli and Stephen Karam's docudrama about the Columbine massacre unspools with such creative verve, such abstract wonder that it reads at once as a nightmarish poem and an objective account. But the Yard's work here is so good, so muscular and immediate that it demands to be not only seen but experienced. This is a limited run at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre, which is a true shame: Moe and company could get great mileage touring this lean, immersive powerhouse."

Picture This Post - Highly Recommended

"...This show is intense. The way actual clips and footage from the shooting are used, and also the way the shooting is depicted in the playing space open a lot of wounds. There were a lot of tears shed during this performance and this reviewer imagines there will still be plenty of tears to come. However, this show is definitely a must see for everyone. Whatever your stance on the matter, this is a solid production that should be discussed and will hopefully create some important dialogue."

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...It's both impossible to understate and also adequately explain the power of witnessing young people grapple with their realities through art. Not only does it encourage their impulses toward investigation but it allows the artists to see themselves as equals in the art-making process. It is so incredibly vital to create spaces of access and equality for young people, especially at time when their own lives are being devalued by the inaction of adults. We cannot right the wrongs of the past. But we can still assist in making a hospitable future."