"...a lighthearted, fresh look into the ideas that make up evangelical religion, physics, the Rapture, and belief in general."
(Edge Chicago)

"Absolutely fantastic!!! A definite MUST see. We thoroughly enjoyed this and definitely recommend."
(Scott S. via goldstarevents.com)

" Laufer's characters are written too cartoonishly to truly connect; all we hear is the author's voice." (TimeOut Chicago)

"...exceedingly smart, goofily apocalyptic tragicomedy ...provides plenty of food for thought and an array of bittersweet side dishes." (Sun-Times)

Labels: Critics, End Days

I really was disappointed with the production given the ticket price and the reputation of Next. The set was lovely but impractical and forced me to miss several moments happening USL (pivitol visual moments). I was disappointed with the lack of depth of the characters and the relationships which only seemed to develop in the second act. I enjoyed the script and hope to see more plays at Next, which I can expect to be held to a higher caliber.

by  Anonymous, at 11/12/2009 10:36 AM

It was fantastic!

by  Melissa, at 11/12/2009 11:35 AM

Joe Wycoff as Stephen Hawking is worth the price of admission alone.

by  Justin D.M. Palmer, at 11/12/2009 4:10 PM

The play was performed beautifully by the cast but I thought it needed tightening since my attention was not captured continuoulsy as it became repetitive. The concept was very good and many one-liners earned well deserved laughter. The meta message of family cohesion could have been delivered without as much time waiting for the Rapture.

by  Anonymous, at 11/12/2009 5:45 PM

It was wonderful! Joe Wycoff as Stephen Hawking was outstanding! I like the way the spiritual and scientific "faith" was presented. It was interesting watching through the play how "Elvis" was really more of a savior than "Jesus" was. Great play! The cast was great!

by  Carol, at 11/12/2009 6:11 PM

The show was wonderful. I am so glad that no one was attempting a New York accent. Sometimes I just sit through a bad performance because I have a theater major at NYU and I hope people will do the same for her. I never looked at my watch or even thought of leaving. The play was delightful!

by  Carrie, from Long Island, at 11/14/2009 4:14 PM

We thought the show was wonderful! Loved the script, loved the set, and each of the actors was top notch. Would see it again and have recommended to our friends. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

by  Thomas, at 11/15/2009 6:48 PM

The first half put it among the very best plays I have seen in the past 5 years, with Jesus and Steven Hawking -- both played fantastically by Joe Wycoff -- keeping things lively. The second half was good, but not at the really high level of the first.

by  Anonymous, at 11/20/2009 7:13 PM

I thought this play exposed some timely and sensitive issues about family, fear, science and religion that could get a good conversation started. The cast was particularly good in presenting their individual dilemmas with a combination of seriousness, charm and humor. Another interesting production from the NEXT that held my attention throughout.

by  Judy, at 11/22/2009 2:03 PM

We took advantage of an industry comp
to see this play.
Wow! What a treat..it took us back to the olden days of storefront Chicago theatre.
(Yes, Evanston and Chicago share an umbilical cord..Sheridan Road and a Gestalt) We loved it so much we immediately signed up for the rest of the season and I'm sure we'll continue. You can tell the actors love this home..it really shows. Andy Atlass

by  Anonymous, at 11/25/2009 5:46 PM

I saw the first reading and thought the second act needed tightening. I thought it still needed it in the final production, but my friend thought it was fine. I very much like the wacky conceit of the plot and the fact that the evangelical character was not depicted as a nutcase. The message I took from it was that much of science is as much a matter of belief as religious belief. I find that food for thought.

by  Anonymous, at 11/26/2009 12:24 AM

Based on the grim title, I was expecting a heavy storyline. Next Theater instead surprised me with loads of comic moments and an uplifting experience overall. Playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer bravely tackles the fear Americans have wrestled with since 9/11 (but which many felt long before that), then shows ways to beat it. The cast and directing are terrific, but the fine script deserves the greatest accolades. Together they make us laugh at the quirky characters but also love and empathize with them. I did feel the opening segements could be tweaked, in that it took me a little too long to get oriented to the characters and the story. That's a minor criticism of a very significant theatrical achievement. "End Days" grapples with modern American angst and defuses it. Provocative and entertaining.

by  cbbuzz, at 11/26/2009 6:21 PM

We thought it was a splendid production. Laura Fisher was splendid, Joeseph Wycoff was perfect, and the young Adam Shalzi was charming--definitely the crazy glue that held the whole thing together. We weren't completely sold on the set, but thought Muray's direction was excellent. Bravo! Light years ahead of Boom!

by  Bruce & Sarane Siewerth, at 11/30/2009 10:02 AM

Production Proccess - END DAYS Technical Rehearsals
by Jim Davis - Production Manager on 10/24/2009 02:56:00 PM 

Greetings from Jim Davis, your friendly neighborhood Production Manager, reporting from the theatre and the first day of technical rehearsals for END DAYS. I am always amazed at how quickly the scenic, prop, lighting, sound and costume elements can change to an entirely new world. We've gone from the basement research lab of BOOM to he living room and kitchen of the Stein family of END DAYS in no less than ten days!

The creative team has been hard at work in planning meetings since last summer, and especially hard over the past few weeks to get all of the elements ready for this very concentrated time known as "technical rehearsals". A simple looking transition can involve several light cues, sound cues, movements of props and costumes. In these days of amazing technology we're now able to make amazingly complicated effects that would have been impossible just 15 years ago, but all of these effects must be programmed into the sound and lighting computers... and that takes LOTS of time. Add that to a stage manager calling the whole thing from the control booth, a sound engineer and light board operator running the cues, and the assistant stage manager making sure that the movements of props, costumes and props all happen with perfectly with the actors, the complicated details can be enough to give you a headache... but without the talented people to do this work, there would be naked actors in the dark on an empty stage!

I've always felt that people who earn their living as technicians, stage managers and designers often get overlooked by audiences who maybe don't realize all the details that go into putting up a professional production. So, below you can meet some of the members of the creative and technical team who are responsible for bringing this play to life:


Production Stage Manager Nancy Staiger, Director Shade Murray and Lighting Designer Lee Fiskness discussing cues on a break.


Sound Designers Marni and Nick Keenan programming a complicated palette of complicated and layered sound effects and music.


Lighting Designer Lee Fiskness adding a few lights during the first technical rehearsal.

While every detail is being worked out on stage, the rest of the creative team is working on elements in their department.


Assistant Scenic Designer Izumi Inaba and Scenic Designer Andre LaSalle making plans for set dressing while the tech rehearsal takes place on stage.


Costume Designer Mellisa Torchia training cast member Carolyn Faye Kramer the correct method for applying her makeup.


Production Assistant Justin Argenio and Properties Master Patrick Fries working on building a lot of fake bibles.

Next Theatre Company is very fortunate to work with some of the most talented and creative theatre artists in the Chicago area, and I know that I'm lucky to be able to spend these long days with these amazingly talented people, sitting in the dark theatre working our way cue by cue, costume by costume, prop by prop, creating the world of the play.

Talk soon,
Jim Davis, Production Manager

Labels: End Days, Production Department, Technical

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