The Philadelphia Weekly says Salvation Road is one show you 'can't miss' in the Philly Fringe. From the Weekly's "Best of the Fest" list:
>> The Washington, D.C. troupe The Art Riot Theatrical Co. makes their Philly debut with D.W. Gregory’s drama Salvation Road (Sept. 4-12). Inspired by the experiences of former cult members, Road focuses on a young musician who renounces her friends and family and joins a fringe religious movement. The show is directed by Aaron Oster, who helmed last year’s darkly effective Fringe production Bash: latterday plays .
Philadelphia City Paper ...
Salvation Road
by Art Riot Theatrical Company
Running Time: 75
part of Philly Fringe
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CP Review:
Suburban siblings Cliff and Jill try to rescue their sister Denise from a cult, with varying degrees of help from their horndog friend Brian, hardnosed nun Sister Jean and conflicted ex-member Simi. Once you meet overbearing Cliff and hear about their equally controlling father, it comes as little surprise that the idealistic but stubborn Denise would be susceptible to the tug of tough love. Salvation Road, then, is smart to focus on Cliff’s journey. Dallas Drummond, as the high-strung brother, is unafraid to come off as ineffective and unlikable, and that’s what makes his eventual evolution ring true. —M.J. Fine
source:
http://www.citypaper.net/fringe/2009/show.php/id/151/
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Audience reviews are online at PhillyFunGuide.com ...
Event Name: Salvation Road
 "Well done!"
Review posted by: Larry House from LutheranTheological Seminary at Philadelphia, Sep 11, 2009
Salvation Road was a thought provoking, insightful, entertaining and often humorous play. Informative and helpful for students, parents and even grandparents. Thanks for bringing it to Philadelphia.
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Event Name: Salvation Road
 "Salvation Row nails it!"
Review posted by: Bill Goldberg from Englewood, New Jersey, Sep 08, 2009
This play is one of the most realistic depictions of reactions to a someone's entry into a cult that I've seen. Gregory does not turn her characters into stereotypes or symbols. They're real people... Expand
This play is one of the most realistic depictions of reactions to a someone's entry into a cult that I've seen. Gregory does not turn her characters into stereotypes or symbols. They're real people struggling with real reactions when they don't know how to deal with a situation. This is an excellent play. Collapse
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Event Name: Salvation Road
"Well done from two perspectives"
Review posted by: Joe from Philadelphia, PA, Sep 09, 2009
First off the play was well written, incredibly well cast, and the acting was excellent. The flashbacks and transitions were flawless and kept things interesting. You are really brought into the story... Expand
First off the play was well written, incredibly well cast, and the acting was excellent. The flashbacks and transitions were flawless and kept things interesting. You are really brought into the story and left with hope that things worked out with the characters. It can stand alone as a great performance on just that. But the other level was the accuracy and presentation of the subject matter. Presenting the dynamics of a family member in a cult is no easy task. It was done so in a compelling way here within a modern and realistic scenario. All complemented with just the right subtle amount of humor, sound, and lighting. I would recommend it for its entertainment value, as well as its educational value, on an obscure but important element of society. Collapse
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Event Name: Salvation Road
"Don't Sweep This One Under the Rug"
Review posted by: Livia Bardin from Washington, DC, Sep 11, 2009
A focused drama that takes on one of those "don't-talk-about-it" family dilemmas, this is a well-written, well-acted play about a young woman caught up in a cult. What to do? Parents and siblings want... Expand
A focused drama that takes on one of those "don't-talk-about-it" family dilemmas, this is a well-written, well-acted play about a young woman caught up in a cult. What to do? Parents and siblings want to get her home again, but can they? Nothing here is dumbed down. The playwright shows a sophisticated understanding of the issues and avoids simplistic solutions. Salvation Road is good entertainment that takes on a tough issue: What can a society committed to freedom of speech and freedom of religion do when those freedoms are used to destructive ends? Collapse
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Event Name: Salvation Road
"Frequent Showgoers"
Review posted by: Dr. Benjamin W. Champion from Berwyn, PA, Sep 09, 2009
My wife and I found this play to be very well acted, thought provoking and very accurate in the portrayal of a situation dealing with a family member who is involved in a cult. We commend all involved... Expand
My wife and I found this play to be very well acted, thought provoking and very accurate in the portrayal of a situation dealing with a family member who is involved in a cult. We commend all involved for this excellenly written, directed and acted play dealing with an extremely important topic. Collapse
Other plays by D.W. Gregory ...
D.W. Gregory's plays have been produced throughout the United States and abroad, both by professional theatres and in educational settings.
Here's what the critics have said about other plays ...
"A compelling new drama.... the playwright lays out the facts with historical accuracy, descriptive simplicity and graphic candor. " —Variety
"Radium Girls may speak to our collective capacity for denial. But it also celebrates our individual courage." —The Daily Record, Morristown, N.J.
"The best new play in New Jersey professional theatre." —The Star-Ledger
About The Good Daughter:
D.W. Gregory's affecting family drama "The Good Daughter," boasts a flavorful, cinematic sweep.
-- Variety
Like some downstream eddy, "The Good Daughter" draws you in within seconds --
-- Asbury Park Press
D.W. Gregory has written a classically American play that really digs deeply into the roots of our society and societal expectations.
--- TriCity News
... a multifaceted, thought provoking traditional American play which stirs echoes of Eugene O’Neill
--Bob Rendell's New Jersey
About October 1962
For their first mainstage offering of the year, the people of New Jersey Repertory Company have dropped something of a quiet bombshell — a production that sets the bar high for everything to follow.
--Tom Chesek, Asbury Park Press
" ...a decided Hitchcockian fabric to the steely narrative..."
Robert Daniels, Variety
"Gregory makes "October 1962" one of those all-too-rare accomplished plays where theatergoers are sure they can guess what really happened, only to find that the playwright has led them down the wrong path of the maze."
-- Peter Filichia, Newark Star-Ledger |
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