Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"..."Constitution" was one of those deeply personal projects, written and performed by the same person and, in essence, an exploration of how the Constitution of the United States had intersected with the life of a thoughtful American woman, now in her mid-40s, a person whose family had survived all manner of abuse and mistreatment by men. Her device was her own teenage obsession with the document, as she debated the merits and weaknesses of the work in contests at American Legion halls, snagging scholarships for college."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...Directed by Oliver Butler, and set within the confines of an American Legion Hall, the fourth-wall-demolishing, autobiographical play stars Cassie Beck as Schreck. She has the audience in hand from the start, when she asks all male property owners to raise their hands. Everybody else in the theater? Sorry, the Founders said you don’t count, we’re told. At least not as much, Beck-as-Schreck explains before explicating a roster of historical judicial decisions proving the statement, starting with the Dred Scott decision and continuing to present day."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...The show’s fulcrum is Schreck’s examination of Amendment Nine: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people.” What this amendment did, in the eyes of Supreme Court justice William O. Douglas, was establish a “penumbra” in which “rights of privacy and repose” could be asserted. To put it probably too plainly: just cuz the constitution doesn’t say a specific right exists, that doesn’t mean you don’t have it."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...So what we have in What the Constitution Means to Me is a concise but thought provoking play — entertaining, literate, informative, often disturbing, and never dull. Cassie Beck’s performance is a marvel of balance that connects naturally with the audience, never turning abrasive or argumentative. Thanks also to director Oliver Butler for guiding Beck away from any in-your-face partisanship and sustaining a continuous energy that doesn’t allow the script to descend into a wordy academic exercise. And praise also to scenic designer Rachel Hauck for creating that back wall of tell-tale historical portraits of American movers and shakers, every one a male. Heidi does conclude on an upbeat note, stating that “The only thing holding us together right now as a country is a collective faith in this document,” a statement that drew appreciative applause from the opening night audience. And so say we all."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...What The Constitution Means To Me is amazingly entertaining and provokes the mind to reexamine the true meaning of our founding fathers and if this trailblazing document still presents the future of our country or it is absolute."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"..."What the Constitution Means to Me" starts out with a head of steam. What I liked about the show is that it is an autobiographical account of an older Heidi Schrek (playwright and author) who looks back at her life to a younger Heidi (thirty years her junior) with the two of them existing together in one person in real time on stage. The older woman reexamines the younger Heidi's accomplishments with reference to a more educated, experienced, and wider perspective on life. The key to this show is that Heidi's understanding of the relationship between herself and the Constitution has shifted with age."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This "warm-blooded, steamy document that's hot and sweaty," as Heidi Schreck calls the Constitution, is truly a living, breathing work that's continually being analyzed, re-evaluated and changed. The Amendment process allows for periodic updates in the document, which is one of the Constitution's greatest strengths. And, despite it's shortcomings in dealing with the equality of women, persons of color and immigrants, the United States Constitution, Ms. Schreck argues, is the framework of our nation. It must not only be kept, but respected, for all its inherent good."
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME is both a powerful reflection and an inspirational gut punch. It’s a true reminder that the government has never and continues not to be representative of the country. It’s undebatable… Schreck’s show is a revelation to be experienced by We the People of the United States!"
Chicago Theater and Arts - Highly Recommended
"...The audience participates in the show as well, creating powerful theatre about the relevancy of the U.S. Constitution. This interactive play questions whether our 230-year-old document is still applicable today and for future generations of America. After experiencing this powerful show, theatregoers will have a new appreciation for this historic document."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"..."What the Constitution Means to Me" leaves a profound impact on the audience by way of whip-smart and engaging storytelling from playwright Heidi Schreck and director Oliver Butler, played exuberantly by Cassie Beck in the national tour of the two-time 2019 Tony Award nominated play that opened Wednesday at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. In a captivating narrative of her personal journey with the United States Constitution, we spend time with the fifteen-year-old Schreck on a Rachel Hauck set designed to look like the American Legion Halls where she competed in debates about the Constitution for college scholarship money."
Picture This Post - Highly Recommended
"...Heidi Schreck's play spells out the grim details: In 1999, Jessica Gonzales' estranged husband violated a restraining order and kidnapped their daughters. The Castle Rock, Colorado, police ignored Jessica's multiple frantic calls. Hours later, the three girls were found shot to death in their father's car. Gonzales sued the police department and the case made its way to the Supreme Court where a 7-2 ruling sided with the cops, not the bereaved mother. In one of several actual recordings used throughout the show, we hear the highest court in the land discussing the word "shall," not the heinous murder of children."
