Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"..."Skates" needs first and foremost to relax, to swirl a little in its own past, to dial back all the grating, Wikipedia-like references to this era, to nix the stereotypes and find some genuine Chicago-style specificity and wit. The truth and the way forward lie in summoning all these details - emotional, musical and kinetic."
Chicago Sun Times - Somewhat Recommended
"..."Skates A New Musical," a new '70s-infused musical with the cardboard sweetness and dissolvable texture of cotton candy, deploys roller skating (sort of) to provide sass and style to a female empowerment tale."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Skates, a new musical with book and lyrics by Christine Rea, music and lyrics by Rick Briskin, directed by Brenda Didier with choreography by Christopher Chase Carter, brings Jacqueline face-to-face with her 12-year-old self, Jackie (Emma Lord)-pigtails, red overalls, and all."
TheatreMania - Somewhat Recommended
"...Wife-and-husband team Christine Rea (book and lyrics) and Rick Briskin (music and lyrics) have doubled as authors and lead producers for the world premiere musical Skates. If this was an Off-Loop show at a small non-profit venue, it would be doing just fine, but it's having a rough time in downtown Chicago as a commercial production at the historic 1,000-seat Studebaker Theater, running only through June 26 instead of the whole summer, as originally announced. The question is, do Rea and Briskin see a future for Skates, and do they have what it takes to shape it into a stronger show?"
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...Chicago has been lucky in the last decade to be the place where producers try out Broadway potential: we got the North American premiere of Six, and just now we are getting the first look at the Skates, a nostalgia-laden Chicago-based rock musical that's a female empowerment tale. And this show has legs!"
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Recommended
"...Making its world premiere in Chicago's oldest legitimate theatre, The Studebaker Theatre presents Skates The Musical. Opened initially as Studebaker Hall in 1898, this vaudeville house went through reconstructions and restorations to continue its Chicagoland premiere productions for decades to come. Skates, a musical from the book and lyrics of Christine Rea with music and lyrics by Rick Briskin, features American Idol stars Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young. In addition, tunes like "Why Can't I Be Her, Jack's Strut, I'm Crushin On You, and Forward Movement" will bring you back to the stimulating days of your past."
Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...Speaking of the songs, there are many that are easy listening, but not catchy enough to be humming on one's way out of the theater. I did like "Lovin' The Life", the opener, "Let's Go", "I'm Crushin' On You", "Forward Motion" and "You Say You're Sorry". The musicians who are on stage, but above the stage where the action takes place is composed of 6 musicians including conductor Kory Danielson. Daniel A. Weiss was the musical director, Christopher Chase Carter did the choreography and the ensemble was directed by Brenda Didier. The program doesn't show the set designer's name, but the set was very cool as were the skates ( that are not really skates) for the skating rink scenes. To be honest, the skates might be the highlight of the show for many."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Recommended
"...Call it the pleasantly temperate weather, or call it lowered expectations, but Skates is better than that. Granted, it is one of those shows. It has the nutritional value and structural integrity of a snack bar slushy, sure, and its working parts need a lot of TLC and WD-40 if it hopes to go anywhere. But, rough as it is, it’s as scruffily agreeable as any John Hughes Rat Pack flick that you can leave running in the background."
Picture This Post - Recommended
"...If you’re looking for more heavy material, this show might not be a good fit for you. But if you’re looking for a feel-good musical, and especially if you are a fan of 70s and 80s disco and rock and want to enjoy a trip back in time, Skates would be a good fit for you."
BroadwayWorld - Recommended
"...American Idol alumni and real-life married couple Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young take the stage in SKATES: A New Musical. While Christine Rea and Rick Briskin's musical bills itself on the whole as an exercise in nostalgia, the most nostalgic part of SKATES for me was seeing DeGarmo and Young perform; I rooted hard core for DeGarmo back in her AMERICAN IDOL days. Here, she shows why- she has a tremendous powerhouse voice and an appealing stage presence that make her a consummate performer. Director Brenda Didier and choreographer Christopher Chase Carter work with a cast of Chicago musical theater veterans who perform alongside DeGarmo and Young."
NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...Diana DeGarmo, who came to fame on "American Idol," plays the nineties version of Jacqueline. She's a powerful performer whose charisma too often takes a back seat to her twelve-year-old self, played capably by Emma Lord, but as a character who in no way foreshadows the charisma of her future stardom. The 1994 framing material is more grounded in its writing but still telegraphs beats drawn from the cliche canon, especially in the limited role of Blake, Miller's love interest (and DeGarmo's real-life husband, Ace Young), who gets to shine on the saxophone while playing the cad, a role he's forced to amplify in his seventies manifestation as the bully Russ Reiner."