Photo: Tessa Thompson. Photo credit: Ed Krieger.
SWEET
In “Tree,” there is no true love without pain. Hébert suggests that real families are the people who know you well enough to push you into becoming someone new. Now there’s an idea to bring to the Thanksgiving table.
Charlotte Stoudt – LA Times
SWEET
The play finds its stride through people clashing, even gently, and their conflicting needs. When Jessalyn rambles on, especially near the play’s start, and despite Robinson’s meticulous and endearing performance, under Jessica Kubzansky’s direction, the forced poeticism has the texture of jam on top of honey.
Steven Leigh Morris – LA Weekly
SWEET
Along with Hebért’s sensitive text and clever direction by Jessica Kubzansky, the cast is exceptional—with special mention to Sloan Robinson’s brilliant, powerhouse performance makes this production a worth-see.
MR Hunter – Stagehappenings
SWEET
The unearthing of this family she didn’t even know she had sets Didi out on a quest for the truth in Julie Hébert’s exquisite new play Tree, now opening [Inside] The Ford Theatre’s 2009-2010 season in an absolutely superb production directed by the ever amazing Jessica Kubzansky.
Steven Stanley – StageSceneLA
SWEET
It is evident that Tree has been given much care and love by Ensemble Studio Theatre LA’s production from the choice of actors, staging, and mastery of the play. Tree is a tight 90 minutes with not a wasted piece of dialogue or stage movement. While family trees may be twisted, the knots that unfurl from Hébert’s Tree reveal beautiful roots.
Jennifer Chen – EdgeLosAngeles
SWEET
Familial bonds are seen as the roots of our spiritual essence as we strive to come to terms with self-identity and our emotional needs in Julie Hébert’s hauntingly lovely new play, a seamless blend of lyrical reverie and kitchen-sink drama.
Les Spindle – Backstage
SWEET
This pain reverberates to her fellow cast members, as well as the audience, resulting in a play that succeeds in its search of healing emotional wounds within the family unit.
Peter A. Balaskas – LASplash
