Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"... It still takes a while to get to like "The Burnt Part Boys," or follow where the boys are going or when they might be going there, but these personalities eventually awake a spark. Fox and Tepeli, who don't have a dishonest bone in their bodies, have a great deal to do with that appeal. Pete and Jake are brothers touched by a loss you can feel."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...Director Jonathan Barry, with help from Chelsea Warren (set designer) and Lee Fiskness (lights), has not only tapped three wonderful youthful talents, but has used the most minimal means (four chairs, a table, rope and headlamps) to aid in the transformational storytelling. And if the 90-minute show (something of a kissing cousin to Adam Guettel’s “Floyd Collins”) is a bit slow to start, it picks up momentum as it goes."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...So he and his picturesque pals-feral tomboy Frances and marshmallow-plump Dusty-set out to stop it. Jonathan Berry's Griffin Theatre staging has some nice moments, particularly when the ghosts of the dead miners show up. But the story lacks real conflict because it never offers a strong impression of what's at stake if the mine should fail to reopen. Seeing things too much from the point of view of the kids, The Burnt Part Boys becomes a show for kids."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...Ultimately, the infectious exuberance of the fresh young talent smiling and singing their hearts out in the intimate quarters of Theater Wit's southwest studio overwhelms the fuzzy narrative arc to win our unconditional emotional support. When have Griffin audiences ever objected to a healthy dose of sentimentality?"
Centerstage - Somewhat Recommended
"...Griffin Theatre's "Burnt Part Boys" is a heroic effort. It does everything within its power to redeem the unfortunate script and forgettable music that it has been saddled with. And more often than not, director Jonathan Berry and the cast emerge triumphant in their battle against the piece's innate mediocrity. But there are too many problems present for their victory to be complete."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...The 2010 play's action covers just a single day, as Pete and Dusty forge their way toward the Burnt Part while Jake and his uncouth pal Chet (Morgan Maher) give chase. Director Jonathan Berry keeps the journey visually interesting even as the actors retread the same ground, using wooden chairs and ropes to convey a craggy, ever-changing landscape. Composers Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen, set to make their Broadway debut in the spring with an adaptation of Tuck Everlasting, have penned a lovely, twangy score. Though Mariana Elder's book often seems to be stalling for time, the compelling, sweet-voiced Tepeli and Fox dig for deep veins of truth."
Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"...The continuous country score, beautifully shaped by Nicholas Davio and performed by five country-music wizards, is the show's redeeming grace-and it's perfectly performed by a young and very apt nine-member cast. Despite its pat ending, The Burnt Part Boys works well at evoking the spirit and sass of young dreamers, contrasting their inexhaustible energy with a hard job where you "take from the earth until it takes you." You just might dig it."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...The show showcased several new talents, especially Charlie Fox and Max Zuppa. The Burnt Part Boys reminds me of Floyd Collins - both use folk styled operetta motifs. Fine voices in harmony are legitimate means for storytelling. They capture the spirit of the miners and their children. This show deserves an audience."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...Plays that follow a journey are tough to stage, fascinating to watch, and can provide an emotional punch at the end. Jonathan Berry's terrific staging of the new musical The Burnt Part Boys is great example of how to do it right."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Somewhat Recommended
"...This show is all about the singing! And when they are on, these gentlemen fill the room with rich vocal sounds. It sounds very boys-to-men choir. There were a few clunkers in the show I saw. In particular, the finale where someone(s) was off pitch. Primarily, the melodies, accompanied by a blues grass band, were spectacular collaborative feats. Charlie Fox (Pete) impressively leads with strong singing. Whether in a solo or shared tune, Fox is a standout. His big brother, Mike Tepeli (Jake) captivates with continued heart-felt responses. Tepeli croons and performs with passionate allure."
Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"... While I enjoyed the music and the talent on the stage, I am of the opinion that perhaps on a different set and in a different layout of a venue, this story telling would not be as confusing. They cross each other on different paths and of course, the spirits are too powerful to accept as spirits until they are all close to death and need the spirits to lift them back to the present. In spite of this, it is still an enjoyable piece of theater, that will remind you of Mark Twain characters, and the music provided by Nicholas Davio and his musicians( Kim Lawson,Jay Pike and Cam McIntyre along with Davio) is truly enjoyable. Rick Sims’ sound and Lee Fiskness’ lighting along with the costumes by Izumi Inaba complete the picture that Berry has painted."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"... With a little bit of pruning, Burnt Part Boys could shape into something spectacular. With an added dose of sentimentality and technical workshoping, the play could become a marriage of fiction and reality, of figurative ideas and tangible circumstances and of the things we may remember and the things that we have only ever dreamed about. That, to me, would be something more than worth digging in to."