Chicago Tribune: Comedy asks: What do you do with the unsaved?
Thanks to some very solid and honest acting under the direction of Shade Murray, you become quite involved in this funky little band of seekers, and invested in their eventual discovery that they need each other more than they think — regardless of any rapture that may await.

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

Laufer, herself a science-loving atheist, never lets these big topics overpower, and she achieves this by creating relatable, likeable and flawed characters who are all searching for some sort of meaning. Aren’t we all?

Pioneer Press: Preview - 'End Days,' examines faith, science and Elvis
The premise is reminiscent of a bad joke: Jesus, Elvis and Stephen Hawking walk into a bar...
But while "End Days" is certainly funny, it's far too outlandishly original to fit into the parameters of a predictably gauche one-liner.

Chicago Critic: New twist on religious fever a humorous fable
Who said religion can’t be funny?... Without being ‘preachy’ or condescending, End Days unfolds as a funny look at the role of faith in human relations. This show is hilarious and healing.

SteadStyle: Review

Steadstylechicago.com

Alan Bresloff

Nov 3, 2009

Faith and Renewal! That is what playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer's comedy "End Days" is all about.  There are many people who fear that life as we know it is doomed and that very soon the world will come to an end.  On the other hand, there are those who are hopeful that there will be a future and that they watch their grandchildren grow into adulthood.  "End Days" examines these two looks through the eyes of a somewhat dysfunctional family, the Steins.

The time of the play is 2008 and we are in an unnamed suburb where the Stein family resides.  Arthur was an executive in New York and a survivor of September 11th.  The family left New York and he has become a sleepless, boring individual who appears to care about nothing.  William Dick handles this role with a unique touch.  We care about him and as the story progresses, we watch as he becomes a human again.  His wife, Sylvia (powerfully played by Laura T Fisher) is Born Again, giving up her Jewish religion and spending her days with Jesus preparing to save the world around them so that all can be forgiven before going to Heaven.  Their daughter, Rachel (a dynamic Carolyn Faye Kramer) is a rebel.  She is against everything and has very little to do with her parents.  This is the dysfunctional family that Ms. Laufer has created.

Their lives do take a turn when a new neighbor, Nelson Steinberg (a delightful Adam Shalzi) moves on the other side of the complex and falls for Rachel.  He is a nerd with a great adoration for Elvis Presley.  In fact, he wears a jump suit and always has his guitar with him.  He wends his way into the lives of the Steins and becomes a part of the family and in fact becomes the savior that brings the family closer and back to some type of normalcy.  Directed by Shade Murray, this production moves swiftly and never feels like it is over 2 hours.  Andre LaSalle's set is interesting in that the two main areas, the kitchen and the living room of the Stein home has some tilted floors, which makes the sight lines great for any seat in the theater.

The lighting by Lee Fiskness and sound plus original music composition by Nick Keenan truly help to make the production complete, but I was very impressed by the number of props and the accuracy of them.  Patrick Fries must have spent weeks on this, as every little detail was covered to perfection.  Just as an ensemble makes for the completeness of a play, the tech staff are the ingredient that often go unnoticed and without them, the picture painted by Lauder and Murray would be incomplete.  Speaking about ensemble, the other actor in this production, Joseph Wycoff is a wonderful Jesus and a show stopper as Stephen Hawking.  Both of these characters have great meaning to the plot although they are not really there.

While this play is filled with comic moments, allowing us to laugh at religion, it is also a think piece that Next Theatre Company is known for producing.  Their productions are often over the top in promoting awareness and change in society.  This powerful comedy fits this to a "T".  Each actor plays their role with great energy and watching the changes that take place in their minds, hearts and souls makes this a wonderful theatrical experience.  This is indeed a story of faith, not just in the religious sense, but faith in humanity and in family. Perhaps it is young Nelson that will change all of our lives, or what if it were Elvis?

Examiner: O Holy Stephen Hawking? Next Theatre talkback to delve sacred and scientific
A standing savior, a sitting scientist –Who wins the debate in the Stein's fractured household? Wycoff answers with a quote from the Dalai Lama’s book Kindness, Clarity and Insight: "Different medicines are prescribed for different diseases, and a medicine which is appropriate in one situation may not be appropriate in another."

End Days was awarded The American Theatre Critics Association Steinberg citation in March, 2008. It received its NYC premiere at Ensemble Studio Theatre in March, 2009 through an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant. It debuted in October, 2007 at Florida Stage, The Phoenix Theater in Indianapolis and Curious Theater in Denver through a National New Play Network rolling premiere and will have received nine productions by the end of the year. End Days is listed in the Burns Mantle Yearbook as one of the best regional plays of 2008, and is published in The Best Plays of 2008.

“Who knew The Rapture could be so funny?" – Theatremania

"…rapturously funny play about a family trying to survive in a world hurtling toward Armageddon, proves that the right playwright can inspire healing laughter in even the most sobering subjects."
-The Miami Herald

"A satirical dark comedy with a moral edge."
"The universality of the denouement brings this comedy full circle, leaving us to admire the relevancy of Laufer's humor and wisdom of her message." -Variety


“Enormously funny, warm and uplifting!” - CurtainUp

"… both poignantly redemptive and often hilariously funny."
"I hope others will have the opportunity to see this special play. It begs the question of what we would hold most sacred if we knew the end was near. And it brings to life our broad range of choices, including laughter, and the treasured traveling companions who are there even when we face our own personal Armageddon." -The Huffington Post