Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"... At times, you find yourself taken in by the Hatch's energetic Lili, the young girl so desperate to be rescued from her summer that she pays insufficient attention to the truth behind the rescuer, and both Horst's dissembling Nick and Tim Musachio, who plays a mysterious, late-in-the-play arrival who seems to know something about everybody. Musachio, who is both playful and dangerous, greatly enlivens the proceedings. But one of the main problems of this production is that Katch is not especially empathetic or vulnerable. She catches Lili's eccentricity and emotional neuroses, for sure, but not fully the simpler sensuality and compassion that beats beneath."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...Director Robin Witt has nailed the games of desire, wit and twisted motives here, although the play’s epilogue is not quite as devastating as it should be. Mike Mroch’s fractured mirror set is a perfect metaphor for the play’s themes. Emily McConnell’s costumes are vintage 1950s."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Though Greenberg's turns of phrase can sound overworked and self-consciously epigrammatic, his handling of these three wounded, wary characters is sensitive and insightful. Robin Witt's staging for the Artistic Home suffers from a lack of depth. Margaret Katch's Lili is arch and affected, and the motives behind Eva's scheming get lost in Kathy Scambiatterra's wicked-witch-like interpretation. Only Nick Horst, as Lili's suitor, conveys a sense of desperation beneath a sunny veneer."
Windy City Times - Highly Recommended
"...Most theater artists approach a play as a series of scenes, but what distinguishes Artistic Home productions is its holistic view of its material. To illustrate: When the lights dim to indicate passage of time or change of locale, the actors don't drop their personae and march offstage, but continue the previous dramatic action even as they exit. This creates three-dimensional characters quickly engaging our hopes for, if not happy, then kinder days ahead for all."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...Not only does the play lack period authenticity, its themes are somewhat regressive. A mother and daughter rely on male counterparts with a dark secret to secure a future for themselves. There isn’t anything in this play that Tennessee Williams didn’t do better in either Streetcar or Menagerie. How many more times do we need to smell this old chestnut wherein The American Dream falls apart?"
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The work is a battle pitting optimism versus hopelessness; as intentions of the heart often fall to the consequences of lies. The self imposed trap of societal comfort and position often triumph over love. It looks at the price we pay and the lengths we go to hold on to our hearts. We see that “happiness is for other people,” according to Eva. These folks are doomed by their lies. This is a most thoughtful drama."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended
"... Ranging beyond the occasionally mannered dialogue and purple prose, the heartfelt and persuasive performances peak with Katch’s volatile and anguished Lili (whose outbursts could be more organic and less histrionic). Equally formidable is Scambiatterra’s tough-loving Eva. Lili’s final accusation says everything about the many repressions that, a mere 42 years ago, did untold harm. Well, not untold here. The sad verdict: “Happiness is...for other people.”"
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Recommended
"...THE AMERICAN PLAN is thought-provoking proposition. First, you’ll try to decipher what would make these characters really happy and then you’ll bring it home to try to figure out what makes you happy. The only speed bump I had in this well-done play was scene transitions. Greenberg wrote several scenes for his play. Witt chooses to linger after each scene banter with a silent silhouette moment. Because of the plethora of scenes, the initial impact is lost and the pacing becomes sluggish. Still, THE AMERICAN PLAN represents that powerful idea that we are responsible for our own happiness. The pursuit of happiness is both our right AND our fight. See this THE AMERICAN PLAN and then come up with yours!"
