←Recommendations of The Rebellious Angels Enjoy Malört

You can't help, but fall in love with every character in this play! Michael does an amazing job of building authentic relationships between characters and then putting them in the most insane situations, crafting a story that is both hilarious and heartfelt. Makes me want to be a part of an improv troupe named the "Rebellious Angels", but please... without the Malort!

06.22.26 - One of my few regrets was missing a reading of this at the Valdez Theatre Conference, but boy, am I happy I followed up with it here on NPX. This was an absolute delight to read. I'd never heard of Malort before but have since looked it up and brother, does it sound like Devil's brew of the finest kind. I absolutely loved all the characters here, and using improv players to perform a sort of recruitment/intervention was brilliant. Michael O'Day has given me Chicago Hope in Satan!

What I love about Michael's plays is the deep specificity and humanity of the characters, who always have strong - if misguided - convictions. This play also has a clear sense of place, deeply rooted in Chicago, with echoes ranging from urban exodus to improv culture. The physical comedy and combat are active and hilarious, but as silly and absurd as it gets, it always comes back to a deeper message about relationships. "Sappho's undercut" nearly took me out! A moving, weird, and hilarious play!

This script is really fun and has a deep appreciation for the quirks that make Chicago the greatest city in the world. It's the sort of play tourists go wild for.

Such a charming and engaging script. Every character felt real and likeable despite their flaws, and I found myself rooting for them all throughout. It features lots of exciting opportunities for good-old-fashioned theatrical buffoonery and I would be thrilled to see it staged. Somehow, I actually want to try Malört now...

I saw a reading of this at the Valdez Theatre Conference, and it was one of the highlights of the week. In the hands of a capable cast, O’Day’s script is a goldmine of laughs. Pass the Malört! Or better yet, don’t!

Having been fortunate enough to catch a reading of The Rebellious Angels Enjoy Malört at the Valdez Theatre Conference, I was delighted by Michael C. O'Day's hilarious and moving play. At its heart is the wonderfully realized friendship between Phil and Joe, whose decades of shared history make every exchange feel authentic, funny, frustrating, and deeply human. O'Day balances sharp comedy with themes of faith, guilt, belonging, and change, delivering laughs without losing its heart.

Saw this read at the Valdez Theatre Conference and it killed! O'Day's character work is, per usual, very impressive. Their voices and relationships are distinct, unique, and layered with history. A love letter to Chicago, to Improv, the Satanic Temple, and Malört (okay, a very complicated love letter in the case of the last one). And he does all this while keeping the laughs rolling and rolling. Bravo to Michael C. O'Day on a terrific play and reading.