Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...All of the guys in the show are terrific, and the piece moves with the usual fast pacing and high stakes that you find in Parson's work. If you're a particular fan of Jordan, I think you'll especially appreciate Allen's rich singing, Rush's self-deprecating comedy and the high-pitch zest offered by Ford, a longtime dancer who has lost nothing to the years and who keeps up with the antics of Lewis all night long."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...The very definition of pure, unadulterated theatrical fun, "Five Guys" leaves the audience in a palpable state of elation. And the Court production - directed with droll, giddy-making exuberance by Ron OJ Parson, driven by the superb music direction by Abdul Hamid Royal (with help from such mega-talents as Felicia P. Fields, Jeremy Ramey and choreographer Christopher Carter, whose zany dance sequences have a language all their own) -- is nothing less than an instant mood enhancer."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...This rousing, high-energy revue pays tribute to the 1940s songwriter and bandleader Louis Jordan, packing into a rocking two-hour show more than two dozen R&B tunes (among them "Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens," "Saturday Night Fish Fry," and the crossover hit "Caldonia") written or recorded by Jordan. Seven actors, accompanied by a terrific six-member band, sing, dance, strut, and shout their way through this seminal material, showing us at every turn what made Jordan great, and why so many rock 'n' roll pioneers, Chuck Berry among them, were inspired by him."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...The Court Theatre opens its 63rd season with "Five Guys named Moe"; a lively musical tribute to the hit songs of saxphonist Louis Jordan. Directed by Ron OJ Parson and Felicia P. Fields, this a fun filled and energetic production that will keep you smiling."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...But what music! Under the ever-expert direction of Ron OJ Parson’s, the show’s five guys – Darrian Ford, James Earl Jones II, Eric Andrews Lewis, Kelvin Roston, Jr., and Lorenzo Rush, Jr. – stampede through nearly 30 of Jordan’s songs, which range from the whimsical, to the romantic, to the weary, to the playful and satirical. All the actors are thrilling to watch, though Lewis’ acrobatics and Rush’s gonzo energy won me over."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Recommended
"...Though the comedic moments are taut and well-acted, the simple fact is that even a gifted ensemble like this cannot hide that the script is really only connective tissue to go from one beautiful piece of music to the next. This wouldn't be an issue except, unlike many other revues of famous musicians, Five Guys Named Moe clearly wants the show to have a real, human story in the form of Nomax's growth into emotional and romantic maturity. The problem is that his flaws are so inexactly defined that the only indication that he has conquered them by the end of the evening is the say-so of his five Jiminy Crickets. It's not a cataclysmic issue and certainly not the fault of anyone involved in this particular production, but it's worth bringing up, as the elements that are in control of the creative team are executed so well that this baked-in weakness sticks out like a sore thumb."
The Hawk Chicago - Recommended
"...Will your life be changed by these Five Guys Named Moe? Probably not. But if you sit back and allow this lively bunch to take you away with some jazz-fueled antics, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable way to spend an evening."
Picture This Post - Recommended
"...It's the rare moment when these Moes stand still (Movement/Musical Staging, Christopher Carter). Toe heel gliding as an ensemble across the stage, bouncing off three snaked tubes that give them a gymnasium within the set (Scenic Design, Courtney O'Neill), or Big Moe shimmying his oversized chest with a smile oversized in scale to match-this is a perpetual motion machine ensemble with rhythm."
