Windy City Times
- Highly Recommended
"...It might be a bit of a hike for Chicagoans to get this far up the North Shore, but Tina Denmark is a bad seed that sprouting great fun."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...“When is it my turn?”, “Don’t I get a dream for myself? These are questions in the musical “Gypsy” about a stage mother and her two daughters. But the truth is that the mother, Mama Rose had her own desires to be a star, and when that failed, she looked at her daughters to take on her trip to stardom. In the satirical, somewhat hysterical “Ruthless! The Musical” with a book and lyrics by Joel Paley and music by Marvin Laird, now on the stage at Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest, you will find a group of characters that will make you recall the “Gypsy” moments, but with a little twist!"
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...Citadel Theatre has definitely done it again with this hilarious spoof of the Broadway musical genre. In addition to the sparkling direction and choreography by Christina Ramirez, and a truly fantastic cast of triple threats, Citadel’s stellar production of RUTHLESS is filled with “Talent.” The production features strong musical direction by Aaron Zimmerman (who also accompanies the production on keyboard). And most definitely, every single actor in this production was “Born to Entertain.”"
Chicago Theater and Arts
- Recommended
"...As the curtain closes on the first act we see a formerly low-key mom as someone who might have been in “Gypsy.”"
Chicago On Stage
- Recommended
"...While I am familiar with many musicals, I was not familiar with Citadel Theatre’s current production of Ruthless! The Musical. As I sat down and read through the director’s note, I was intrigued to learn that writer Joel Paley and composer Marvin Laird originally intended to adapt The Bad Seed into a musical, but when they couldn’t secure the rights, created this parody instead. Having seen The Bad Seed and remembering its deeply unsettling tone, I wasn’t quite sure what I was walking into. And Ruthless! is certainly dark—but dark in a heightened, satirical, and often humorous way."
Spotlight On Lake
- Highly Recommended
"...Christina Ramirez skillfully directed and choreographed this production but I want to specifically give a shout out to Aaron Zimmerman for handling this somewhat abstract music on his keyboard, so well."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...Ruthless! “The Stage Mother of All Musicals” is a devilish send-up of stage mothers, pint-sized prodigies, and the cutthroat world of show business. Just how far will one go for fame and fortune?"
NewCity Chicago
- Recommended
"...“Ruthless!”—the anti-musical musical by Joel Paley—made its robust debut on April 17 at Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest. Set in the 1950s, the play is about a sociopathic eleven-year-old who will stop at nothing to gain stardom. The production features a panoply of upbeat musical numbers while being critical of musical theater, theater critics and the public’s fascination with childhood stars."
