Straight
“A smart, bracing production brimming with clever wisecracks, thought-provoking observations on sexual identity and one very promising newcomer. Directed with polished finesse, all elements converge seamlessly with this play. And that plot twist? On its surface it suggests a reversal; in truth it affirms all that has preceded it.” – The New York Times, Critics’ Pick
“A surprisingly intricate and compelling new play…creative and thought-provoking. If many stigmas have been removed from our theatre and our society, Straight smacks us in the head and the heart to remind us of the many that still remain.” – Talkin Broadway
“A Must See! It’s not very often that I leave a theatre emotionally raw. A powerful and charged piece that showcases why labels still matter, even in 2016.” – Out.com
“A cheer for this wonderful opportunity to look in on three appealing people’s personal lives, their choices and their drama.” – NY Theatre Guide
“The ensemble cast and creative team are to be congratulated on their work evidenced in this important new play.” – Theatre Reviews Unlimited
A “tight-as-a-drum production. Savvy, enthralling, refreshing.” – Gay City News
“I hope that Scott Elmegreen and Drew Fornarola have thick skins. As authors of the new off Broadway play, Straight, they should brace themselves for a flood of comments, both exalting and excoriating their work. I continue to dissect it in my own head. A provocative work … I applaud the playwrights.” – The Broadway Blog
“A small play with big thoughts. While Straight is overflowing with deeper dramatic discussions, there are plenty of moments of comedic relief.” – Pop Culturalist
“A surprisingly honest play that refuses to offer simple answers to complex questions.” – What’s On Off-Broadway
Vote For Me
“A ‘landslide victory’ … Humor by the bucketful … Bright, funny and totally refreshing … I vote for this production as a sure-fire winner.” – Theatre South East “There’s no need for a recount on this one, it’s a wide-margin winner.” – Musical Theatre Review
“The perfect cathartic antidote. A slick, funny, timely night that gleams with wit and good performances.” – The Public Reviews
“I came out beaming at what I had just witnessed.” – A Younger Theatre
“Intelligent and witty, hitting at the core of U. S. political culture.” – UK Theatre
“An extremely polished show … This is fun. Really fun.” – The Gizzle Review
“A thrilling evening of musical politics where the audience are given the power to decide the outcome … a fabulously witty production brought to life with an incredible cast. ” – The Bardette
“A star-spangled satirical delight” – Bargain Theatre Land
“Believe me, I’ve cried many times in the theater, from empathy for Laura’s devastation in The Glass Menagerie to joy for Dolly’s homecoming. But never before have I wept because I saw in no uncertain terms how blasé we’ve become about our right to choose our leaders … thank you, Messrs. Elmegreen and Fornarola, for reminding us.” – TheaterMania, Peter Filichia
COLLEGE The Musical
“In the sweet spot between ironic and post-ironic lies College: The Musical…a preternaturally savvy tuner crammed with trenchant observations about the collegiate experience. … Drew Fornarola and Scott Elmegreen have fashioned an unapologetically pop-rock score that’s pretty, addictive, and outfitted with well-crafted lyrics.” – Theatremania, Adam Perlman
“In the way it embraces pizza-scented confusion and beer-stained hopes without excusing them, College The Musical is an unusually advanced example of young men finding their voices while writing about other young people finding their own. Fornorola and Elmegreen fearlessly employ familiar archetypes and stereotypes to show how one properly oriented can escape them; this is more daring than you might think. … Pointed social and emotional commentary…keenly defines the plight of millions failing to find something in the modern world worth fighting for.” – Talkin’ Broadway, Matthew Murray
“[A] widely accessible portrait of the struggle to make the leap from adolescence to adulthood, one that should speak to everyone. … Memorable music and wit…hilariously clever…eerily accurate and downright scary…you’ll certainly leave the theatre with a smile on your face” – NY Theatre Review, Zachary Fithian
“Where ‘Animal House’ meets ‘Rent.‘ It is a raucous — and often startlingly honest — portrayal of the college experience.” – Gainesville Sun, Travis Atria
“Unexpectedly poignant” – Backstage, Harry Forbes
Ivy + Bean, The Musical
“A wry, rollicking show with infectious spirit. Directed with breathless energy, the magic of Ivy and Bean thoroughly enchants.” – Laurel Graeber, The New York Times
“Ivy+Bean is a phenomenon. Just the sort of thing to get impressionable kids keen on reading. Or, in the case of Oregon Children’s Theatre’s bright and sassy new production Ivy + Bean: The Musical, keen on watching and listening. Perusing Barrows’ book, with its quick and irreverent drawings by Sophie Blackall, didn’t prepare me for the bright and clattering pleasure this thing could be onstage. I+B: The Musical is about as much fun as a blood oath signed in spit. And if you don’t think that sounds fun, just try to recall your 8-year-old self. I would go to this eagerly oddball, breezily funny show even if I didn’t have a kid in tow. Come to think of it, that’s exactly what I did.” – Bob Hicks, Oregon ArtsWatch
“The innocence of childhood is alive and well in Ivy+Bean, The Musical. Set to a catchy score by Scott Elmegreen, this was a perfect young best friend musical. Great for young audiences.” – Kimberly Moy, Broadwayworld.com
Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, The Musical
“FIVE STARS! A high-energy production packed with fun songs and silly dances that had kids grooving in their seats. The entire production was seamless and captivating, with bright costumes and non-stop excitement. Ladybug Girl is all parts adorable, funny, confident, and empowering.” – DC Metro Theater Arts
“A lively new show that explores the power of imagination and buzzes with the inventive energy of childhood. With book, music and lyrics by Scott Elmegreen, the show features memorable melodies and comedic skills.” – Eden Neuendorf, Berkeley Patch
Awesome Allie, First Kid Astronaut
“Spunky and original … catchy and clever … Awesome Allie is a welcome choice for kids and adults.” – Marisa Cohen, Time Out New York
“A unique, musical quest for friendship reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. … Given all that has been happening on planet Earth lately, it seems like a perfect moment to take off into outer space, and that’s exactly what Allie, a nine-year-old dreamer from Skokie, Illinois, sets out to do. Lucky for us (or for the two through seven year olds I saw enjoying the show this weekend), Allie gets her chance. … A funny, quirky musical that educates as it entertains.” – Erin Leigh Peck, Broadwayworld
“Awesome Allie is out of this world … Scott Elmegreen’s script does a great job of conjuring up a realistically kooky kids’ world all its own. … Allie’s far-out details really seem like they were spawned by a child’s imagination, and broad humor cracks kids up. … Like the other children in the audience, my daughter and her friend sat rapt throughout the hour-long tuner.” – Mommy Poppins, Get More out of NYC with Kids
Magic School Bus, Live! The Climate Challenge
“Hold onto your hats and gear up for a spectacular, insightful ride. ‘The Magic School Bus Live: The Climate Challenge’ by Oregon Children’s Theatre at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts combines upbeat music, clever choreography, multimedia images and more to bring home the idea that climate change is a hot topic and one of the most important issues we face. With toe-tapping pop tunes and dance numbers and colorful costumes and sets, “School Bus” entertains and also offers much information. The Magic School Bus Live is magic with a message for kids.” – Holly Johnson, The Oregonian
Daguerreotype
“Ambitious … The energy and passion make for an exciting bit of theater… A trio of actors working together to unfreeze the still images of the past, riding the waves of time with vibrant rhapsody.” – Aaron Riccio, New Theater Corps
We Can’t Reach You, Hartford
“The painful story that was in danger of being lost to history is brought to life by a lyrical, well-researched script, slick performances by the cast and Jess Chayes’s imaginative direction…As the innocent pleasure of the matinee turns to terror, the choreography of the characters who move from dancing to dying while the circus orchestra plays on is impeccable, beautiful and touching. Despite the brevity of the play, each is brought sharply to life to tell not only the story of that fateful day, but also of wider American society.” – The Scotsman (four stars)