Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...Fromm's production is well-stocked with A-list actors, including Jos N. Banks, Keith Kupferer, Lily Mojekwu, and Rachel Sullivan. Bruch Thomas Reed offers up the most interesting of the performances, not least because it is the best attuned to the messiness of life, whereas Shane Kenyon, always a restless actor, is a necessary live-wire on the stage. And, in one particular scene, Sprunger is very moving. Overall, everything moves just a bit too slowly for my tastes and the show could use more fluidity, especially during the set changes that suck up time without much benefit."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...While Parnell's story deals exclusively with the sort of monied couples that can quibble over risotto, elite private schools, and carefully negotiated extramarital trysts, the action in Fromm's production is always informed by questions and complications regarding class and race and social systems. It's hands down one of the most interesting examinations of contemporary gay life I've seen in recent memory, and the discomfiting tactic used here of holding up a mirror to its audience without cynicism or sweetening is on par with Stephen Sondheim."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...Parnell is renowned for spinning novel-length yarns, but the cast assembled by About Face director Keira Fromm embraces the challenge of conferring empathy on their privileged self-centered characters-in particular, Bruch Reed as the introspective Alan, who recognizes the pitfalls of taking on ill-chosen responsibilities. William Boles' scenic design referencing fold-out books for the preschool set and a virtuoso tech team ( notably, Sasha Smith on intimacy design ) keep the action flowing smoothly for the nearly two intermissionless hours necessary for this Chicago premiere production to extend comfort and reassurance to sires, dams and sideliners alike."
Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"...Some might dismiss the anxieties of this lifestyle drama - over playing parents and raising (or lowering) kids - as comparatively luxurious problems of privilege, the price of progress for 21st-century homosexuals. But About Face clearly believes there's an interested crowd out there of neo-breeders who want to measure their hopes and hurts against those of seven characters. More power to them."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...Parnell’s play is loaded with ideas and enough food for thought to fill several other dramas, which is one of its major disadvantages. The script is peppered with plenty of pop references, including binge-watching several television series, adult and children’s literature and motion pictures as well (two of the gay characters even joke about the possibility of having hot, steamy sex atop a washing machine just like Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson did in the film, ironically titled, “Little Children”). But there are several tender moments and plenty of comedic jabs to keep you engaged."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...Peter Parnell’s play offers no solutions, but raises and probes a lot of questions. Mostly the play illustrates the absurdity that, with the passage of legal rights for everyone to wed, gay and lesbian couples will finally have it all. Because everyone in America is finally free to marry and have children of their own, Utopia would seem to be on the horizon. But, as we’re reminded by this play, that idea is about as far from reality as thinking that everyone in this country is accepting of same-sex couples and on board with the Marriage Equality Act. It simply just ain’t so."
Rescripted - Highly Recommended
"...Queer life today is complicated by many things: the expectation of legal marriage, children, family acceptance, and the law. As we continue down the garbage path our nation is on, it is worthwhile to genuinely evaluate what pieces of tradition we actually want to reinforce or emulate, and what is best left in the past. I commend Parnell for raising these questions and putting two a queer couples at the forefront of this family drama. Dada Woof Papa Hot is an earnest investigation of the value of traditions, featuring some truly compelling performances."
Picture This Post - Somewhat Recommended
"...DADA WOOF PAPA HOT might not be the best fit if you’re looking for a more action driven show or if you’re not a parent yourself. However, this would be a great date night out for new parents as some of the jokes and scenarios might strike a chord with you."
BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended
"...Under the direction of Keira Fromm, all the performances in DADA WOOF PAPA HOT are excellent. Reed conveys Alan's inner struggle as he navigates the uncertain terrain of his life. Sprunger displays genuine affection for his scene partner and also easily expresses his love for his daughter, even though she's never seen onstage (Mia Caliento supplies the voice of Nicola). Kenyon has a sprightly energy as Jason, which echoes his character's free-spiritedness and easygoing nature. As Scott, Banks's more grounded energy demonstrates why these two balance each other out as a couple. Kupferer displays his usual gruffness and geniality as Michael, while Mojekwu provides many laughs in some of her "helicopter parent" moments. As Julia, Sullivan provides an interesting foil to some of the other characters onstage."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Gay or straight, desperation and last chances for moments of fleeting excitement dominate. “Dada Woof Papa Hot” offers a rare look into the eyes of willing, loving, and engaged fathers. What does unconditional love look like? What is fatherhood when the clichés have been stripped away? And what does it take for a couple to go the distance over decades? Love is a precious thing and so is one’s individual personality. Hold on to either too tightly and you risk smothering it, like an overprotective parent."
