New Jewish Theatre
Firmament Stress: Way to Heaven is one hell of a must-see! RIVER FRONT TIMES
There's
a lot of buzz right now about the local premiere of Sunday in the Park With George—but
by a miracle of good timing, the New Jewish Theatre's own regional premiere of
the drama Way to Heaven
works as a great, nightmarish bookend to Stephen Sondheim's musical at the Rep.
TALKINGBROADWAY.COM
The execution of this chilling production was first-rate. Doug Finlayson's direction was flawless. THEATRE SNOB
Director Doug
Finlayson keeps us on the edge of our seats with his masterful work, aided by
the stunning set design of John Stark and the other-worldly lighting design by
Michael Sullivan. STAGE DOOR ST. LOUIS
Mayorga's play bounces here and there in a non-sequential, non-linear fashion, but it's very strong, and Doug Finlayson directs without flair or furbelow, but with real style. It's a terrific evening of theater, sensitive, well-acted and powerful. POLLACK
Finlayson judiciously guides his cast through the intricacies of Mayorga’s compelling script in a well-paced presentation anchored by a trio of mesmerizing performances. LADUE NEWS
Doug Finlayson's direction is impeccable, and he allows his cast to shine even when they're repeating dialogue you've already been privy to because of the play's unusual structure. BROADWAYWORLD.COM
To reinforce this audience engagement, Doug Finlayson, whose direction is impeccable, has Vogel and Cannon’s characters look directly at us rather than existing, as actors usually do, in the middle distance. This technique not only brings us to account, but also makes the distant past our continuous present. As long as we are in that room, we cannot escape the situation, just like the Jews who, as long as they’re playing their parts, are not “on that train,” in the Commandant’s words. VITAL VOICE