Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"..."Rightlynd," which opened this weekend at the Victory Gardens Theater under the direction of Lisa Portes, is a work about Chicago. Set in the fictional 51st Ward of the city, it follows not a newly elected congresswoman but a newly elected alderman - Nina Esposito (Monica Orozco), a character previously referenced in Holter's seven-piece cycle of Chicago-set plays ("Prowess" is set mostly in her office), but who had yet to appear in person. In "Rightlynd," she stars in own play."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...But for “Rightlynd,” Holter pulls out all of the realistic stops, the better to express his disdain for the city’s entire political system. The play is peppered with giddy, full-on musical numbers (with music by Charlie Coffeen of the band Sidewalk Chalk and lyrics by Holter), a full-cast fight sequence, and raucously self-aware comic interludes."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...In Rightlynd, which chronologically comes at the beginning of the seven-play cycle, he ventures into politics. It features Nina Esposito, first-term alderwoman of the eponymous (and fictional) 51st Ward. Directed by Lisa Portes, this Victory Gardens production opens with a fusillade of words and unfolds in a crossfire of genres."
Windy City Times - Somewhat Recommended
"...Director Lisa Portes nimbly handles all the narrative devices Holter uses to create this tough, funny, scabrous and sorrowful world. These include dance sequences, comic asides ( Robert Cornelius as Robinson, the plainspoken owner of a Rightlynd auto-repair shop, gets a lot of zingers ), and even a terrific street-fight sequence ( created by violence director Jaq Seifert ) that goes from exhilarating to horrifying."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...The cast is stellar, especially Eddie Martinez as a charmingly hangdog ex-con and Robert Cornelius as his exquisitely profane boss. (Holter’s gift for curse words might be unparalleled.) And Orozco is magnificent is Nina, embodying a dogged, rash idealism that goes bad and then metastasizes. And her final scene is truly chilling. Transformed into the figure who will loom over the cycle’s stories to come, she emerges as a villain worthy of an origin story."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Recommended
"...I left the theater both exhilarated and annoyed. The best of "Rightyng" is relevant, hard hitting, and filled with strong character portraits. But the sprawl oif the show, leading up to the unsatisfying ending, needs a hard look. The play has a future, but first the workshop beckons."
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...The cast is uniformly strong and benefits by Portes' direction and pacing. In addition to Orozco's excellent turn as Nina, Martinez, as the earnest and soulful Pac, and Jethlmalani, as the reporter with civic interests, provide outstanding performances. Sasha Smith as Manda is versatile and charismatic in several different roles."
The Hawk Chicago - Recommended
"...It's not uncommon, of course, for a world premiere production to have some slight missteps. However, to present such an overall nuanced and engaging critique of a systemic issues is uncommon indeed. It's Holter's incredible ability to do this that makes Rightlynd worth seeing."
Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended
"...But it all comes down to Portes and Holter, ultimately. The clever and original script may not say anything really new about Chicago politics but it says it in a gloriously unconventional manner. And Portes gets strong performances from her cast, and, as I’ve noted, keeps things moving right along as she fleshes out Holter’s vision. Add to that a winning (and surprisingly emotional) performance by Orozco and you get a show that is beautifully alive and meaningful. Rightlynd is the right choice for just about any adult audience, but Chicagoans in particular should both recognize and love it."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Frankly, I’m kinda surprised you’re reading this. If there’s any show opening in the twilight of 2018 that you should already have your tickets for, it’s this one. I’m going to assume you’re confirming with your trusted source of ethically-minded theater criticism that what you believe in your heart of hearts—that “Rightlynd” is one of the not-to-be-missed theater events of the year—is true. For which I have but one thing to say: you already know."
