What people are saying about the production ....
GOLDSTAR
Audience Feedback
"...one of the best plays we’ve seen in awhile. Well acted, thematically current, thoughtful and thought provoking if you are an ’inside the Beltway’ type..."
"Yet another great time at Theatre on the Run/Keegan. Wonderful thought-provoking play, very professionally acted...."
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"The Keegan Theatre is
one of D.C.’s tiny gems, and it’s made a smart decision by staging
Lincolnesque..."
-Express Night Out
"The current production from the Keegan Theatre is pitch perfect for local audiences."
-Barber’s Best Bets (WTOP news)
THE CONNECTION NEWSPAPERS
"Peter Finnegan gives a memorable performance ... Innocenti projects the increasing desperation of the character with a fine mixture of drama and humor ...Strand structures this two-act comedy/drama solidly so the plot is clearly delivered and the philosophical ruminations don’t interrupt the flow. That leaves you free to enjoy the show as it plays out and then you can go out for coffee and discuss what you think would happen if the spirit of Lincoln operated in contemporary affairs."
-Read Brad Hathaway's full review
WASHINGTON CITY PAPER
"Mark Rhea coaxes from each of his actors a performance you could bounce a quarter off of. ... an actor’s playhouse ... quick and clever... Strand has plenty to say about D.C. political life..."
-Read Glen Weldon’s full review
POTOMAC STAGES
"an intriguing new play ... When John Strand comes up with a concept for a play he sinks his teeth into it with relish ... Mark A. Rhea takes up the piece and gives it an absorbing presentation ... Richard Montgomery’s subtle reinforcement of the feel of public spaces with soft background sounds is quite effective ... Susan Marie Rhea’s Chief of Staff is fascinating to watch..."
-Read Brad Hathaway’s full review
THE WASHINGTON POST
"A mischievous play, getting a nicely acted local debut with the Keegan Theatre
...Finnegan easily avoids the trap of a ponderous Lincoln impersonation ... Michael Innocenti offers a nifty comic turn ...Both performances are appealing yet savvy ...the show moves quickly and knowledgeably enough to easily entertain a plugged-in Beltway crowd, something that theater in the nation’s capital still doesn’t do nearly often enough..."
-Read Nelson Pressley’s full review
DC THEATRE SCENE
"a pleasing political fantasy that touches the heart and the funny bone. ...Leo and Carla’s dance of love and war is witty and fun, and handled with great grace by both Strand and the performers ... Susan Marie Rhea gives a terrific performance ... Michael Innocenti makes Leo a lovable loser ...Peter Finnegan ably walks a tightrope in his portrayal of Leo as an innocent with undertones of perceptive understanding ...The emotional power of the play depends upon some serious shifts in mood which director Mark Rhea handles with skill and sensitivity ..."
-Read Steven McKnight’s full review
ARLINGTON WEEKLY NEWS / COMCAST CHANNEL 69
"Lincolnesque is perfect for the Washington audience. A regional premiere by playwright John Strand, this funny but touching story set in 2006 Washington, D.C., combines craziness with politics ... fine acting by all in the intimate black box at Theatre on the Run ... Lincolnesque is a jewel..."
-Read Rich Massabny’s full review
DRAMAURGE
"John Strand’s entertaining send-up of Beltway Politics Lincolnesque is receiving a masterful showing at the Keegan Theatre ... Director and Set Co-Designer Mark Rhea realizes the dramatic possibilities of Mr. Strand’s work and then some in this well-cast and well-acted play. The rapid pacing and quick scene changes capture the crackling dialogue and action of the playwright’s characters and their world..."
-Read John Glass’s full review
ALL ARTS REVIEW 4U
"a thoroughly delightful social and political satire by John Strand and solidly acted by a cast of four. ... Throughout there are quiet laughs or guffaws in this very well constructed script. Director Mark A. Rhea brings out the humor and charming conflicts throughout ... sound design by Rich Montgomery was particularly well drawn for time and place. ... Every politically minded person in this governmental area should put this one on the must-see list..."
-Read Bob Anthony’s full review
