Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Mary Stuart

“Powerful…beautiful looking and engrossing production. Elizabeth, played by Kellie Overbey, combines cool calculation with the restless impatience of having to deal with a bothersome judgment call. Being a woman in power brings added expectations in both directions…We hear, but also see, absolutely all of this in a performance that is wondrous in its ability to let us into Elizabeth’s every thought and feeling. The fact that this portrait often comes across as deeply unflattering only makes it more human, and thus more intriguing.”

“A vivid production…fresh and modern, but never artificially tricked up. Sharp, clear, and highly energized."

“If Shakespeare never wrote a play about his contemporaries Mary and Elizabeth, Schiller’s kinetic masterpiece is the next best thing. This power-playing ‘game of thrones’ seems cunningly current. Oswald’s pile-driving text is theatrical manna for C.S.T.’s thirteen thespians.”

“Chicago Shakespeare’s “Mary Stuart” – ambitious, concentrated, handsome and smart – is the sort of grand production that defines the company. It is a theatrical masterpiece not to be missed.”

“Captivating theater. A new look at an old story…Oswald brings us nearer to the two ladies and their inner power struggles. “

“Schiller surely would have enjoyed his current berth on Navy Pier.”

“The skilled ensemble delivers rich dialogue with conviction.”

“K.K. Moggie as Mary and Kellie Overbey as Elizabeth are outstanding. Their manners, vocal nuances and stage presence are always compelling.”

“Forceful, lucid, and witty modern English. It’s a flawlessly acted production.”

“Schiller’s Mary Stuart is a powerful play…watching these two strong women spar is a moving evening that tickles the intellect. Sinking your mind and your time into a showcase for female actors is a distinct joy.”

“Thoroughly zeitgeisty and a little subversive. Oswald's fluid, wryly funny script is a hell of a yarn, and Jenn Thompson's witty staging features plenty of vivid performances.”

“Intense and engaging…history is made lively and women take the stage with their own agency. Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Mary Stuart aligns with the zeitgeist of today’s #TimesUp moment, where women seize the front and center, onstage and off, trying to harness and wield what power they have, while men continue to lurk and smirk.”