And What does the Press Have to Say?
SRQ:
Feature
“One set, one actor, 90 minutes and the story of a mother baking her homemade apple pie for a son that she’ll never see again. Those are the ingredients director Kirstin Franklin had at hand when signing on to direct Apples in Winter, the latest production to hit the Urbanite Theatre stage…. Read the full article here
"Stunning"
"Directors Kirstin Franklin and Amber Robinson, along with choreographer Susan Fay and violence designer Rick Gilbert, create a stunning mural of physical theater where the action is darkly beautiful and the stage picture constantly changing." --Chicago Theatre Beat
"Co-directors Kirstin Franklin and Amber Robinson are clever in their staging" --Splash Magazine
"The combination of playwright Rhea Leman’s powerful monologues and dialogues, the intense co-direction of Kirstin Franklin and Amber Robinson and overwhelming set design by Chad Eric Bergman come together with knockout performances by Gorelow and Torrence." --New City
"Directors Kirstin Franklin and Amber Robinson stage a wonderfully hard pill to swallow." --PerformInk
"Co-directed with humor and unabashed spunk and spirit by Kirstin Franklin and Amber Robinson" --Chicago Theatre Review
Apples in Winter
“one of the finest acting performances seen in my many years of theatregoing…Kirstin Franklin directs and obviously such a brilliant performance is a joint effort between actress and director.” —Talking Broadway
“Director Kirstin Franklin obeys a simple mantra: Destroy the barriers between audience and performer. On top of that, make the audience uncomfortable. You’re not a safe, anonymous spectator—and this is personal. When Miriam speaks, she’s speaking to you. There’s no place to hide…kudos to the Urbanite team for having the courage to tell (this story).” -Longboat Key Observer
“This is not an unfamiliar story, but Fawcett gives it a unique twist that grows stronger and more involving with a wonderfully truthful, down-to-earth performance by Roxanne Fay and the sure direction of Kirstin Franklin.” —Herald-Tribune
GOLIATH
“Director Franklin used the heightened language of the translated words to the aid of the actors and the story, creating a high class family that used the stilted sentences and odd interjections to mask their insecurities. Added lighting and music shifts supplied by Tony Adams and Timothy McNulty, respectively, highlighted the fourth walls that were broken. These moments were pristinely and finely chosen by Franklin.”
"Captivating"
"Director Kirstin Franklin puts the pedal to the metal and gets you right into the wild ride. And then she slows down. Pell-mell rush is not her only speed. As the journey continues, Franklin constantly varies the pace and shifts the focus, so you never know what’s around the next turn. Everything hinges on Weagant’s kinetic, shape-shifting, fluid performance. Franklin keeps your eyes glued to her transformations."
--Sarasota Observer
"Through it all, Weagant, under the empathetic direction of Kirstin Franklin, is engaging, smart and adept at switching gears from role to role and mood to mood. Bo-Nita is a wild ride, no doubt about it, but one definitely worth taking." --Sarasota Magazine
"I’m not sure I can recall ever laughing so much during one play." --The Bradenton Times
"Director Kirstin Franklin pulled out as much as you can extract from the accomplished Ms.Weagant and kept a pace and clarity that was easy to follow, even though the storyline vacillated so many times throughout the play." --Broadway World
"A Lively Fun...Captivating production" --Herald Tribune
"Director Kirstin Franklin does a tiptop job" --Creative Loafing
NOTHING OF ME
"The finest performance is provided by talented Chicago actress Kirstin Franklin. Playing a range of characters, from a mother to a young child, this accomplished actress brings some much-appreciated depth to her narrative performance." ---CHICAGO THEATER CRITIC
"Franklin faces the daunting task of playing ages ranging from granddaughter to grandmother, which she accomplishes subtly and with no real costume change." ---CHICAGO THEATRE BEAT
"Franklin delivers by far the most interesting and grounded performances in the show." ---TIME OUT CHICAGO
A Streetcar Named Desire
"Kirstin Franklin, who physically resembles a young Bette Midler, is superb as Blanche.
--CHICAGO THEATRE REVIEW
"As Blanche, Kirstin Franklin gives the most respectable, consistent performance. She has command of the chosen dialect and she carries Blanche's long monologues admirably"
--EDGE MEDIA
Autumn Dream
--Akvavit Theatre
"Franklin’s subtlety, energy, and depth highlight the entire evening. " ---CHICAGO THEATRE BEAT
Red and Green
-AKVAVIT THEATRE
"As the naive Kristine, Kirstin Franklin is a strong emotional anchor for the production...Franklin fearlessly captures the character’s turbulent emotional state." ---TIME OUT CHICAGO
BLUR
***Herald Tribune Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role
"Kirstin Franklin as Dot DiPrima has a winsome charm, and turns in a balanced, moving performance." --The Pelican Press
"[Dot] is played so skillfully by Kirstin Franklin that you truly come to care for her at a heart rendering level. I walked out to the lobby after Act I deeply moved by all that Ms. Franklin had portrayed about a young woman on the road to blindness. Now that is a quality, a richness, a truth, and an emotional impact that I demand of theatre." --Sanibel-Captiva Current
Bad Girls: The Stylists - Akvavit
"Franklin stands out the most for her star turn as repressed, obsessive Mette, a woman who has a lot going on under her cheerful redheaded exterior." --Chicago Theatre Beat
"Kirstin Franklin's emotive and cheeky Mette stands out" --Chicago Reader