Johnny Theatre at CIC Theater

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...Hitting just the right mix of clownish self-regard and false modesty (that prayer-hands thing actors do to say thank you), Anderson Lawfer is Mr. Hollywood, a swaggering cliche of A-list demands who has quickly forgotten what it's like to be a financially strapped theater actor going nowhere. Every time he opens his mouth (and especially when making his lunch orders through his personal assistant back in L.A.) you want to smack that satisfied smile right off his face. (Judging by the names dropped in the script, he is an amalgam of many boldface names, including David Schwimmer.)"

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...But if the references and shout-outs are local, the comic set pieces—a wacky audition montage, esoteric rehearsal exercises, bits about agents who exercise while taking business calls and order zany drinks—are purely generic. Beyer and Pynchon create enough good-natured smiles to fill a 15-minute sketch. Trouble is, Johnny Theatre runs two hours."

Chicago Theatre Addict - Recommended

"... The show is filled with wit (and the cast is up to the challenge), but it also needs to be whittled down a bit. Several rehearsal room scenes kept repeating the same “actors struggling with vague direction” bit, and the final moments of the play seemed to slap Chicago theatre in the face by implying that you’re only a success if your production makes it to Broadway. How do we define successful theatre in Chicago terms?"

Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Recommended

"...JOHNNY THEATRE is funny! The insiders’ takes on Chicago theatre makes for a familiar and wacky show. Some of the jokes and bits get repetitive especially in the second act. But for anyone in the Chicago theatre community -actors, writers, designers, directors, stage managers, reviewers - this show is like going to a party where you get all the inside jokes. Consider yourself invited and go to JOHNNY THEATRE."