Los Angeles Times - Recommended
"...Under Simon Levy's direction, the action gently builds, recedes, then builds some more toward a deeply emotional resolution."
Broadway World - Recommended
"...Lighting designer Donny Jackson, video designer Yee Eun Nam, and composer/sound designer Peter Bayne all artfully contribute to the magic moments between father and son, and between the two boys as they develop their lifelong friendship and face challenges thrown at them by their very different upbringings. Costume designer Michele Young with hair and makeup designer Linda Michaels and dialect coach Andrea Caban transform the actors into period-perfect characters, right down to Danny's long curls which seem totally natural."
Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"...We are living through an era that seems to value greed, hypocrisy, narcissism and blatant dishonesty over truth and meaning. This makes the journey into the world of Aaron Posner and Chaim Potok's The Chosen that much more satisfying. It feels as impactful as a dear friend's determined embrace, the kind that quiets mere anxiety, allowing tears to finally flow. Each of its four characters is passionately intent on finding what is authentically in his own heart and soul. No vain concerns about spin control or taking the easy way out enter into the picture, and as a result, the virtues of love, spiritual study, and genuine acceptance of others' differences rule the day. It is profoundly moving, and equally thought provoking."
Stage Scene LA - Highly Recommended
"...Friendship has rarely felt so good or hurt so bad, nor have father-son relationships caused more joy or pain than they do in Chaim Potok's exquisite coming-of-age novel The Chosen, adapted for the stage by Aaron Posner and Potok and now making an absolutely superb Fountain Theatre debut."
Cultural Weekly - Highly Recommended
"...Andrew Posner's revised stage adaptation of Chaim Potok's signature novel, The Chosen, currently playing at The Fountain Theatre, is an inspired illustration of that conundrum, the internal conflicts it engenders and the external difficulties it encounters."
Theatre Spoken Here - Highly Recommended
"...This deeply moving drama is based on the 1967 novel by Chaim Potok. It was adapted by Potok and Aaron Posner into a stage play that has had many reincarnations. This one, directed sensitively by Simon Levy, is as fresh and meaningful as today's headlines."
Stage Raw - Recommended
"...Playwright Aaron Posner adapted it, in collaboration with the novelist, in the late 1990s, but has since done some revisions. His newer version receives a classy mounting at the Fountain Theatre under Simon Levy's direction, although on opening night the performances were not yet where they might be, with a notable exception."
Theatre Notes - Highly Recommended
"...Playwright Posner's adaptation uses a narrative style to move the story through the years with Reuven acting as a storyteller to bridge the time gaps, much as Thornton Wilder's Stage Manager does in Our Town. This can be a risky scheme if there is more telling than showing. Posner finds the perfect balance, and Mr. Mandel is an engaging storyteller. Mr. Gvirtsman is ideally cast with attitudes and emotions that run the gamut from frosty hauteur to joyous friendship to agonizing emotional pain. Mr. Arkin as Reuven's father displays compassionate concern for his son, wise discretion with Danny, and fierce power in defense of Zionism. And Mr. Blumenfeld is simply extraordinary as Reb Saunders, dominating the stage with charismatic power, both contained and released, as the plot surges toward a satisfying climax and an affecting denoument."
The TVolution - Highly Recommended
"...Produced by Stephen Sachs, Deborah Culver and the ever-effervescent James Bennett, the production is a stunning display of craft and professionalism; with DeAnne Millais' scenic design, Donny Jackson's lighting design, costumes by Michele Young, Peter Bayne's sound design and Linda Michaels' make-up artistry with hair (least we forgot those "payots") all contributing to a stellar staging."
On Stage and Screen - Recommended
"...The performances are solid, with Gvirtsman in particular bringing a lot of depth to Danny, who has the most satisfying and complete character arc. In his stage debut, Mandel overacts a bit in scenes where he's narrating, but plays nicely off the other actors in more intimate moments. Arkin and Blumenfeld are larger than life as the family patriarchs, giving the entire production a sense of gravitas. Ultimately, The Chosen is a nicely produced snapshot of a specific human experience. Even if it does not mirror your own, there is something to be learned about the moment in time in depicts."
