Starters had its world premiere with the Denver Repertory Theatre at the Playwright Theatre in April 2005.
Critical Praise:
John Moore, The Denver Post:
“A welcome breath of fresh air.”
“You just don't often see a professional company turning over a difficult piece to a bunch of promising teens. Coming to terms with the deaths of your high school pals is emotional, difficult terrain.”
“Wolf should be commended for taking on such an emotional premise… He offers some lovely moments.”
“I could not watch Starters without thinking back warmly to my own days as a high school theater teacher. I constantly bemoaned the lack of substantive scripts available for serious young actors. I would have been thrilled to take a shot at Starters with my kids… It could serve a far greater purpose.”
David Marlowe, Out Front Colorado:
“If the main reason people go to the theatre is to feel, and I believe it is, then
Starters is one of the best reasons to buy a ticket… How is it possible for an
unknown playwright's first play, cast with actors treading the boards
professionally for the first time, to detonate emotional dynamite that sends shock
waves through one's nervous system?”
“Jeffrey Wolf's play has the gift of plain unadorned dialogue. The production
gives one the impression that he truly is watching the interplay of these young
men struggling to come to terms with the loss of their teammates. But just when
one gets completely lost in this conceit, he wonders if he is not privy to the roleplaying aspect of the psychoanalysis of one of these players.”
“The overall effect of the minimalist staging of the play on this reviewer was to
bring up unresolved emotional memories of Columbine and the like.
At one point in Wolf's script, one of the characters remarks, 'We're in High
School. We're not supposed to be going to our friends' funerals.'”
“One hopes to see more plays by Mr. Wolf.”
“Bravo!”
