Kentucky Reviews
Los Angeles Times- Somewhat Recommended
"...Unfortunately, director Deena Selenow fails to smooth over the plot irregularities in a ponderously paced staging that unfailingly emphasizes the twee. Hammering away at Winkler's offbeat humor with destructive force, Selenow frequently reduces the play's potential quirkiness to caricature."
Broadway World- Highly Recommended
"...The East West Players' West Coast premiere of playwright Leah Nanako Winkler's KENTUCKY stuns and enthralls with its highly dramatic, polarizing emotions emoted by its almost perfect cast. Winkler has written a most involving piece of theatre that walks a razor-thin tightrope between knee-slapping comedy and heartstring-tugging drama. Very nice!"
Edge- Not Recommended
"...So, Leah Nanako Winkler's new play, "Kentucky, " struck this critic as a disaster. Not the production, mind you, supported as best she could by director Deena Selenow, nor the mostly talented cast. The premise of this play is a turning-30 advertising executive in NYC, Hiro (Jessica Jade Andres) returning home to her small town in Kentucky to participate in her younger sister's wedding -- a Christ-centric one, as it turns out. Sophie (Jacqueline Misaye), just 22, is as much in love with Jesus as she is with her fiance."
Stage Scene LA- Somewhat Recommended
"...Kentucky's budget-minded West Coast Premiere savvily cuts its original cast size down from sixteen to nine, allowing Megan Therese Rippey (a sassy Laura), Rubiano, and Jenapher Zheng (a meow-riffic kitty) to play multiple roles, though having an actress in her twenties play Granny proves an old-age-mocking misstep."