Ride The Cyclone Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...The new Metropolis “Ride the Cyclone” is directed by Lillian Castillo, who was part of the original U.S. cast at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2015. Castillo knows her way around the droll material, which has been given an immersive, multi-layered set by Angela Weber Miller and projections designer Anthony Churchill. Carolyn Brady is the musical director. The young company of the dead — made up of Amelia Tam, Alex Merkel, Eric Amundson, Peyton Owen, Eldon Warner-Soriano and Diana Marilyn Alvarez — are all decent singers and the quirky characters they build are all fun to watch, with the most excellent Dave Honigman laying down the rules of engagement in aptly cynical fashion from his creepy booth."

Daily Herald - Highly Recommended

"...Embraced by the digital generation, the quirkily macabre musical by Canadian writers/lyricists/composers Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell inched from the fringe nearly to the mainstream. Set to a score that incorporates rock, rap and opera, “Ride the Cyclone” recounts the story of six high school choristers who are killed in a freak roller coaster accident, then offered a second chance."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...This musical tells the story of six high-school students who die on a roller-coaster, and the musical contest they have in limbo to see which one of the six wins a second chance at life while the rest move on to the unknown. Older audiences will see this as the return of Forever Plaid as reimagined by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. But contemporary audiences are so enthralled by the witty script, the eclectic music, and the dark humor that Ride the Cyclone is turning into a modern-day cult classic."

Buzz Center Stage - Highly Recommended

"...When six teenagers die in a rollercoaster accident and end up in purgatory, each arguing their case to be reborn (in song form) to a fortune-telling machine, the audience is given the gift of seeing six individuals as they really are—no pretense, but maybe with some well-earned bells and whistles—as they unapologetically define themselves and fight to extend their too-short earthly lives."

Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended

"...Ride the Cyclone is part comedy, part ghost story, part after-school special, part John Hughes movie, and fully a reminder that life is too short to waste. Written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell and inspired by the real death of Richmond’s sister, this small, exquisitely constructed musical takes us to the tiny Saskatchewan town of Uranium City, which has just experienced a tragedy: six of its high school choir students have been killed in an accident on a local carnival’s roller coaster."

Allie and the After Party - Highly Recommended

"...Perfect for those looking for an on-theme show for October, Ride the Cyclone hits all the marks for a creepy Halloween-esque musical. Six teenagers died while riding The Cyclone roller coaster and through a singing competition, one has a chance to be resurrected."

Ben Kaye Words - Somewhat Recommended

"...For what it's worth, I don't think Ride the Cyclone ever really clears the bar set by those aforementioned shows (yes, even Cats), though not for lack of trying; when the show sets its sights on dramatic, emotional fare - in both its book and its score - the results are compelling, deeply felt, and wonderfully life-affirming. Much of the show, however, is beset by an "LOL So Random"/Millennial-Cringe style of humor that threatens to sink the show entirely."