←Recommendations of Rev

A delayed review, I picked up the published version of "Rev" at the Drama Book Shop in NYC about two months ago, and I was immediately engrossed in the story of Camaro, Aston, and their father's auto shop. If you've never read a play by Rachel Bykowski, you should know that she is always an expert on her subject matter--and "Rev" is no exception. Bykowski carefully plaints a picture of growing up on Chicago's Southside, a hefty inheritance of mechanical knowledge, and how gender dynamics come into play in a blue collar midwestern family.

This is a heartfelt and poignant piece for three women. Its language and characters are so specific and true to its geographic setting (I live close to where it's set) that the neighborhood becomes the fourth character. A really delightful play about a demographic that we don't hear about very much.

Like the car in the play’s auto shop, the engine of this play hums and propels the arcs of these strong women until the very end. REV is witty, heartfelt, and uber smart. It is reader friendly, filled with detailed craftsmanship, and production friendly, serving as a great launching point for directors and actors. REV takes you on a road trip down Route 66, with its beautiful imagery, and drives you to that place in the mind you try to avoid; the place where dreams deferred are parked; the same one where great plays start.

Rev is a hilarious and beautiful play about the resilience of blue collar women. This story follows three women as they move into new phases of life, and deal with the excitement and pain that comes with it, all while weaving through exciting imagery and specificity. I cannot recommend this play enough, and I look forward to one day seeing a production of it!

As character studies go, this is a pretty stunning offering. Bykowski has expertly drawn three fascinating, funny, heartbreaking female characters in what is also a gorgeous love letter to the South Side of Chicago. This play will make some lucky stage very happy.

This play was a SEMIFINALIST for the 2019-2020 In-Progress New Play Reading Series at Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. It is our pleasure to support REV.

REV by Rachel Bykowski is a beautiful exploration of middle-class Chicago women who are determined to pursue their dreams. So excited to include this visionary work in Artemisia’s list of Fall Festival 2019 Finalists!

A great examination of chosen family with a concrete lifeblood flowing through stress about money and donuts and the things we put off until they seem impossible anymore. Great stage imagery and a fantastic set of characters!