Chicago Tribune
- Recommended
"...The ensemble-driven show features Jaitee Thomas, Vincent Jordan, Ben Woods, Dwight Neal, Tamara Batiest, Raven Carroll, Max Schingen, Kevin Pollack and Chloe Johnson, and all of the cast, some newcomers, some veterans, are excellent. The women of soul actually have their own BET show, but they get their moment in their spotlight here, too, and not just as backup singers, either."
Chicago Reader
- Highly Recommended
"...The show kicks off with some cheeky jokes about the company’s previous bio-musicals featuring Black male singers. Jaitee Thomas, star of this spring’s revival of The Jackie Wilson Story, croons “To Be Loved”—until Dwight Neal shoos him offstage. Ditto for the suggestions of Teddy Pendergrass (celebrated in 2008’s I Am Who I Am), Otis Redding (1987’s The Story of Otis Redding), and Muddy Waters."
Stage and Cinema
- Highly Recommended
"...Nine days after the euphoric high of Juneteenth and the jubilant opening-day celebrations of the Obama Center, Black Ensemble Theater (BE) opened its revival of Men of Soul. Written and directed by Daryl D. Brooks, longtime BE stalwart and now the company’s new Artistic Director, Men of Soul has an unassuming name for such a powerful package."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews
- Highly Recommended
"...Daryl Brooks is a very creative writer who seems to have only scratched the surface of the remarkable productions brewing in his mind. His ability to blend storytelling with musical elements creates a memorable theatrical experience that resonates deeply with audiences. Two things are hot in Chicago, the weather and Men Of Soul."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...Black Ensemble Theater celebrates its 50th year anniversary with the revival of “Men of Soul”, a dazzling musical revue created eleven years ago by then associate artistic director Daryl D. Brooks. Today, Brooks, the writer and director of this incredible tour de force, has brought it back to the stage better than ever, now as the theater’s new artistic director. Showcasing the iconic sounds of Ray Charles, Luther Vandross, Lionel Richie, Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, Joe Cocker, Billy Joel, Prince, Tom Jones, Billy Ocean, Elton John, Bill Withers, and others, the show is not a traditional narrative, and there are many aspects that go far beyond the music itself. The underlying theme explores the universal experience of perseverance, and we see how personal struggles have been captured in the memorable songs that these men perform."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...The entire ensemble takes the stage for one last time with a wonderful medley, saluting the incomparable Bill Withers. It makes a magnificently fitting finale to MEN OF SOUL. We end the evening delighting in the variety of artist’s work: the soulful “Grandma’s Hands,” a stirring “Ain’t No Sunshine,” an impassioned “Use Me,” a fervidly sung “Just the Two of Us” and, closing the show, Mr. Withers’ ode to friendship, “Lean on Me.” As James Ingram so beautifully sang, there’s “One Hundred Ways” to find joy, recall memories and experience sheer pleasure in Daryl Brooks’ reboot of his marvelous and musical MEN OF SOUL"
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...Soul music has always been about more than unforgettable melodies—it’s about perseverance, passion, heartbreak, hope, and the triumph of the human spirit. Daryl D. Brooks captures all of that and more in Men of Soul, a vibrant theatrical experience that leaves audiences singing, dancing, and reflecting long after the curtain falls."
