Thief River

Signature Theatre

New York Times
FOLLOW YOUR SECRET HEART, YOUR WHOLE LIFE THROUGH
by Bruce Weber
May 22, 2001

"Jeffrey Carlson, making a notable Off Broadway debut." NYtheatre.com

"The actors also portray one peripheral character each, and do so convincingly: particularly impressive are Jeffrey Carlson (Gil at 18 and Jody, Ray's grandson) and Remak Ramsay (Gil at 70 and Perry, Ray's father-in-law)."

The New Yorker
June 18 & 25, 2001

"Lee Blessing's sweetly affecting tale of love between two Midwestern men over the course of fifty years. One is openly gay - he has a crush on the whole football team in high school - and the other ends up marrying his high-high school sweetheart. Violence and separation are their lot, yet it ends up a bit of a feel-good show: tolerance and love overcome all. Melodrama aside, the complicated structure - three time periods are successfully and intriguingly interwoven - and fine acting by the six-member cast, directed by Mark Lamos, make for a moving and enjoyable evening." Daily Variety Gotham
by Charles Isherwood
May 21, 2001

"As the young Gil and Ray, respectively, Sorensen and particularly Carlson have a shining freshness and a touching, natural rapport. Carlson also gives a neatly contrasting perf as Ray's cool teenage grandson Jody. One of the play's loveliest moments is an affectless admission of affection between Jody and his grandfather, who is played with a gruff simplicity by Frank Converse."

THEATER MANIA.COM
by Barbara and Scott Siegel

"The performances of Gregg Edelman, Jeffrey Carlson, Erik Sorensen, and Neil Maffin could hardly be improved upon; Jerry Beaver's casting of the show is a triumph that should not go unnoticed." The Wall Street Journal
By Amy Gamerman

"Mr. Carlson... who plays the high-strung Gil, is almost unrecognizable as Ray's young grandson, Jody, a blank-faced kid in baggy pants."

Broadway.com
by Adam Feldman

"Jeffrey Carlson, achingly vulnerable as the young Gil..." Curtain Up

"...it bears mentioning that Jeffrey Carlson, who's fresh out of the Juilliard Drama School, should be getting plenty of casting calls from this very auspicious Off-Broadway debut."

Next Magazine
by Robert Kent

"Well cast, Gil and Ray are played by three pairs of remarkable actors." Newsday
by Linda Winer

"Jeffrey Carlson and Erik Sorensen are perhaps even more touching and confidently confused as young strangers to their own rural upbringing."

New York Times FOLLOW YOUR SECRET HEART, YOUR WHOLE LIFE THROUGH by Bruce Weber May 22, 2001 "Jeffrey Carlson, making a notable Off Broadway debut."	*NYtheatre.com* "The actors also portray one peripheral character each, and do so convincingly: particularly impressive are Jeffrey Carlson (Gil at 18 and Jody, Ray's grandson) and Remak Ramsay (Gil at 70 and Perry, Ray's father-in-law)."
The New Yorker June 18 & 25, 2001 "Lee Blessing's sweetly affecting tale of love between two Midwestern men over the course of fifty years. One is openly gay - he has a crush on the whole football team in high school - and the other ends up marrying his high-high school sweetheart. Violence and separation are their lot, yet it ends up a bit of a feel-good show: tolerance and love overcome all. Melodrama aside, the complicated structure - three time periods are successfully and intriguingly interwoven - and fine acting by the six-member cast, directed by Mark Lamos, make for a moving and enjoyable evening."	Daily Variety Gotham by Charles Isherwood May 21, 2001 "As the young Gil and Ray, respectively, Sorensen and particularly Carlson have a shining freshness and a touching, natural rapport. Carlson also gives a neatly contrasting perf as Ray's cool teenage grandson Jody. One of the play's loveliest moments is an affectless admission of affection between Jody and his grandfather, who is played with a gruff simplicity by Frank Converse."
THEATER MANIA.COM by Barbara and Scott Siegel "The performances of Gregg Edelman, Jeffrey Carlson, Erik Sorensen, and Neil Maffin could hardly be improved upon; Jerry Beaver's casting of the show is a triumph that should not go unnoticed."	The Wall Street Journal By Amy Gamerman "Mr. Carlson... who plays the high-strung Gil, is almost unrecognizable as Ray's young grandson, Jody, a blank-faced kid in baggy pants."
Broadway.com by Adam Feldman "Jeffrey Carlson, achingly vulnerable as the young Gil..."	*Curtain Up* "...it bears mentioning that Jeffrey Carlson, who's fresh out of the Juilliard Drama School, should be getting plenty of casting calls from this very auspicious Off-Broadway debut."
Next Magazine by Robert Kent "Well cast, Gil and Ray are played by three pairs of remarkable actors."	Newsday by Linda Winer "Jeffrey Carlson and Erik Sorensen are perhaps even more touching and confidently confused as young strangers to their own rural upbringing."