Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...Musically, Korell’s score is in line with a lot of the New American Musical tradition, a style that’s easy to listen to and hard to remember. Twinkly, percussive, uplifting—the songs here often evoke composers like Matthew Sklar, Jason Robert Brown, and Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. There is a softness to it that at times sounds evangelical, but it creates the opportunity for some really beautiful vocal ballad work by Murk, as well as by Rachel Carreras as the house RA."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...First, this production is nothing if not energetic, effervescent and totally over-the-top. Artistic Director Jay Espano, along with musical director Robert Ollis, have kept the play running on all cylinders and at breakneck speed. When not rapidly changing into one of Shawn Quinlan’s many colorful and often titillating costumes, the ten-member cast is filling the stage with their wild antics and loud singing."
Buzznews.net - Recommended
"...Performances overall were outstanding. Ben Ballmer as Logan was in perpetual motion – supple, vivacious, and indefatigable – I’ve no idea how he kept that going! I’d swear his jumps soared a full yard off the floor – Air Ballmer! But, though his dancing was spectacular, it’s his sensational voice that really blew me away. Singing solo, duet, or choral; accompanied or a capella, his voice carried the show, strong and clear and true."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Not Recommended
"...I'd be curious if Keebler and Korell have given Gay Card much thought since releasing it for licensing, or if it's just been sitting in the back of their filing cabinet. But, for sure, PrideArts's Gay Card is proof that it's not enough to find material that fits a mission statement. Ideally, it should fit the present moment, or, at the very, very least, it should be presented with thought."
Chicago On Stage - Somewhat Recommended
"...In the end, as the characters sing, we are all “figuring it out as we go.” What Korell and Keebler need to figure out is how to take this show to the next level. I hope that, in doing so, they don’t cut the several lovely character ballads. The more high-energy songs are strong, but the softer (often solo) numbers are the show’s heart and soul. It has a good heart, but its soul is still seeking its center."
Queerty - Not Recommended
"...Ryan Korell and Jonathan Keebler's pop musical Gay Card debuted in 2017 with a studio recording featuring Broadway's Derek Klena (Moulin Rouge, Jagged Little Pill). The musical premieres in Chicago with LGBTQ+ storefront company PrideArts, with artistic director Jay Españo at the helm, in a wildly ambitious production that misses the mark."
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