Harbur Gate presented by 16th Street Theater at Berwyn Cultural Center

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Kathleen Cahill’s searing 2017 triptych shows us, in three interconnected one acts, five lives ripped apart, two literally and three figuratively, by a roadside IED explosion near Mosul, Iraq, in 2004. In each play, Cahill displays considerable skill, telling compelling stories filled with rich, believable, sympathetic multi-dimensional characters. She has a strong ally in director Ann Filmer, who fills the production with strong actors, all of whom gracefully reveal the nuances in Cahill’s work."

Around The Town Chicago - Recommended

"...War is hell! Anyone who has been involved with the current war, or for that mater, Viet Nam ( although we never accepted that one as a war) knows that lives change when one has been in battle. In Kathleen Cahill’s play, “Harbur Gate”, now on that stage of the very intimate 16th Street Theater, we get a glimpse into how one incident can alter the lives of many soldiers. Harbur Gate is the name of the U.S. Base on the Turkish/Iraqi border. The actual name is Khabur Gate, but our G.I.’s decided to Americanize it."

Picture This Post - Highly Recommended

"...Their crackling banter and the humor in Cahill's writing contrasts with the experiences they discuss, bringing them out of the realm of the abstract and showing how the effects of betrayal and violence linger in even the littlest things. The greatest strength of Harbur Gate is how it makes big issues so intimate, which also makes it an ideal show for the small and always empathetic 16th Street (although they have recently increased their seating). Shows about PTSD are a tough sell, but this one, without condescension, foregrounds the fullness of the characters' humanity and does so with a beautiful artifice unique to the theatrical experience."

NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...Though the play brings up valid and timely topics regarding women and LGBTQ persons serving in the military, none of the scenarios are surprising. The brevity of each act presents mere sketches of characters and issues, which leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. Perhaps that's the point: to continue to question equality and justice everywhere, especially in one of America's most honored professions: the military."