Chicago Tribune
- Recommended
"..."Superior Donuts" is neither the bleakest nor the most hopeful entry in the lengthy canon of plays about the American dream; like Franco's favorite poem, it lies somewhere in between. I'm grateful to this revival for pointing me back to the words of Langston Hughes, which are a fitting prayer for these times:"
Chicago Sun Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Throughout the show, the dynamic between Arthur and Franco feels off. The play takes place in the early 2000s, but the two characters seem to be written like they live in different eras. Arthur is the comedic straight man clearly aged by his stories of war. Franco feels like the jovial sidekick ripped from the era of “The Honeymooners” with a touch of the 70s à la “What’s Happening!” His mannerisms and delivery come off a little too shuck-and-jive-ish to mesh with Arthur, and feels out of place with the rest of the play. Too often when Arther and Franco are having a heart-to-heart, Franco’s cartoonish demeanor is so overwhelming it takes away from the scene."
Chicago Reader
- Recommended
"...This isn't the high-stakes intergenerational drama of August: Osage County. It's a smart and minor-key slice of life that allows the characters to connect. Even the villains are fun here. It also feels like an honest love letter to a particular kind of Chicago that may be dying out but isn't giving up without a fight."
Stage and Cinema
- Highly Recommended
"...It must have been quite a shock to Tracy Letts fans when Superior Donuts premiered at Steppenwolf in 2008. Chicago Theatre's favorite adopted son had been coming off a streak of intense, gripping dramas, with his most recent one, August, Osage County, cleaning up at the Tonys and getting Letts a well-deserved Pulitzer to boot-my favorite of his plays is still Bug; what can I say, I'm a sucker for deeply unsettling examinations of delusional parasitosis and shared psychoses-but for anyone expecting more of the same, Superior Donuts turned out to be Letts in a radically different space; not a left turn so much as a pause for breath; a palate cleanser even."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...There is something special about watching a story that takes place in Chicago. Unlike many of the television shows that say Chicago, Tracy Letts' "Superior Donuts" truly IS Chicago with real areas of the city and a story that could be as factual as possible. The production that is being produced by The Artistic Home at The Den Theatre, is as intimate as one can see, in any venue."Superior Donuts" is a story about more than a donut shop. It is the story of several individuals and how their lives intertwine with each other."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...In today's world, continually riddled with insufferable strife and chronic conflict, it's comforting and recommended that we spend a couple hours in a warm, intimate theatre with these memorable characters. Like many of us, the Chicagoans in this play are all learning to face their problems with courage and confidence. Armed with a shared strength and profound empathy for each other, Arthur, Franco and their friends can see a bright future ahead. And the reason they're able to find a modicum of comfort is because of the possibilities, the people and the pleasing pastries sold at SUPERIOR DONUTS."
Buzz Center Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...Originally produced by Steppenwolf on the heels of Letts’ Pulitzer Prize landmark “August: Osage County”, this play feels almost lighthearted by comparison. “Superior Donuts” swaps the blues of the Oklahoma plains for the desperation of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, before the Target opened on Wilson."
Third Coast Review
- Recommended
"...Tracy Letts' 2008 play Superior Donuts is a story about friendship between two unlikely souls-with a good dose of violence added. The story is set in an Uptown donut shop (the owner makes the donuts by hand; they're not dunkin' or krispy). The play, directed by John Mossman, is now being staged by the Artistic Home with excellent performances by the two leading characters."
PlaylistHQ
- Highly Recommended
"...Scott Westerman is great as Arthur, who is very comfortable with his routine. John N. Williams is great as Franco, who urges him to make some changes. Reid Coker is excellent as the owner of the store next door who wants to expand by buying the donut shop. It's really funny when he brings in his cousin, John Wehrman, as backup for a fight. Kristin Collins (Witch, The Pavilion) and Kevin Aoussou are superb as the local police officers investigating a break-in. Barbara Roeder Harris (Rasheeda Speaking) is funny as the donut shop regular. Adam Schulmerich (A View From the Bridge, Rasheeda Speaking) and Michael Bayler are intimidating as the "friends" of Franco."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...The scenes that are always the hardest to pull off, with complex action, were- unexpectedly- the most riveting. Kudos to John N. Williams as the shop-assistant, Franco, for his song, his despair, and his open-armed embrasure of life. And special kudos to fight director David Blixt and dialect coach Charlotte Markle for crafting the sights and sounds of that stunning rumble between Scott Westerman as Arthur, Reid Coker as Max, Adam Schulmerich as Luther, Michael Baylor as Kevin and John Wehrman as Kirl- it was graceful and melodic. SUPERIOR DONUTS is well worth seeing, in fact a delight."
Allie and the After Party
- Highly Recommended
"...A play for people who love Chicago institutions, Superior Donuts follows an unlikely friendship forming between a donut shop owner and a plucky college age kid. They both find ways to help each other grow and the cast finds ways to make us laugh out loud at their jokes and antics in this ultimately heartfelt play."
