PAL JOEY
Porchlight Music Theatre
“Best performances (female) in town: There is one heck of a comic cameo in "Pal Joey" by a young actress named Callie Johnson, whose rendition of the song "Zip" is a showstopper…”
-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
“The other killer moment comes courtesy of a budding comedic starlet, fresh out of school, named Callie Johnson, whose one big scene spoofing Chicago journalists (and I think there might have been a specific model in mind) is a hilarious piece of business that leads into the knockout song "Zip."... Johnson is pitch-perfect. Hilariously so.”
-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
“A bigger joke comes by way of another song, “Zip,” the production’s surprise showstopper...taking a cue from Gypsy Rose Lee, her favorite celebrity subject, Melba (in a knockout transformation by Callie Johnson, a terrific dancer and comedian, as well as quite a beauty), explains what it really takes to keep a man distracted.”
-Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times
“And in a breakout performance, newcomer Callie Johnson owns her cameo second act standout song, "Zip"”
-Robert Bullen, Huffington Post
“Perhaps the evening’s biggest tour-de-force is the transformation of Melba, a mousy reporter who never takes notes because they get in the way of her story, into the all-revealing incarnation of pseudo-intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee in the marvelous show-stopper, “Zip.” Callie Johnson brings down the house.”
-Lawrence Bommer, Stage and Cinema
“But for pure fun factor, nothing tops Callie Johnson’s turn as dowdy, bespectacled nightlife reporter Melba Snyder. Her interview with Joey looks like it might win a Pulitzer Prize for boring when Melba begins to recall some of the biggest stars she ever profiled, among them Gypsy Rose Lee. And with that, our Ms. Frump is out on the floor, specs off and hair down, to illustrate in the hilarious “Zip.” Show stolen, forget about it.”
-Lawrence B. Johnson, Chicago on the Aisle
“Callie Johnson as the demure-journalist-cum-seductress Melba could be broken out as a one-woman show.”
-Clint May, Chicago Theatre Beat
“Pal Joey‘s standout moment comes in the form of Melba Snyder, just as much a thirties Chicago arts journalist spoof as a pointed present-day theater critic parody, played with endlessly silly self-absorption by Callie Johnson. Her jolting number “Zip” pumps some blessed reviving energy into the second act..”
-New City Stage
“Especially notable were Callie Johnson’s uproariously deadpan performance as newspaper reporter Melba Snyder whose scintillating transformation into a vixen burlesque performer, set to the tune of “Zip,” provides the evening’s breakout performance.”
-Anthony J. Mangini, Chicago Critic
“The showstopper number is“Zip” sang by an unforgettable Callie Johnson (Melba). Johnson arrives as the uptight and obligated journalist and leaves the conquering heroine. Her number zips it, zips it good!”
-Katy Walsh, Chicago Now
Porchlight Music Theatre
“Best performances (female) in town: There is one heck of a comic cameo in "Pal Joey" by a young actress named Callie Johnson, whose rendition of the song "Zip" is a showstopper…”
-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
“The other killer moment comes courtesy of a budding comedic starlet, fresh out of school, named Callie Johnson, whose one big scene spoofing Chicago journalists (and I think there might have been a specific model in mind) is a hilarious piece of business that leads into the knockout song "Zip."... Johnson is pitch-perfect. Hilariously so.”
-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
“A bigger joke comes by way of another song, “Zip,” the production’s surprise showstopper...taking a cue from Gypsy Rose Lee, her favorite celebrity subject, Melba (in a knockout transformation by Callie Johnson, a terrific dancer and comedian, as well as quite a beauty), explains what it really takes to keep a man distracted.”
-Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times
“And in a breakout performance, newcomer Callie Johnson owns her cameo second act standout song, "Zip"”
-Robert Bullen, Huffington Post
“Perhaps the evening’s biggest tour-de-force is the transformation of Melba, a mousy reporter who never takes notes because they get in the way of her story, into the all-revealing incarnation of pseudo-intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee in the marvelous show-stopper, “Zip.” Callie Johnson brings down the house.”
-Lawrence Bommer, Stage and Cinema
“But for pure fun factor, nothing tops Callie Johnson’s turn as dowdy, bespectacled nightlife reporter Melba Snyder. Her interview with Joey looks like it might win a Pulitzer Prize for boring when Melba begins to recall some of the biggest stars she ever profiled, among them Gypsy Rose Lee. And with that, our Ms. Frump is out on the floor, specs off and hair down, to illustrate in the hilarious “Zip.” Show stolen, forget about it.”
-Lawrence B. Johnson, Chicago on the Aisle
“Callie Johnson as the demure-journalist-cum-seductress Melba could be broken out as a one-woman show.”
-Clint May, Chicago Theatre Beat
“Pal Joey‘s standout moment comes in the form of Melba Snyder, just as much a thirties Chicago arts journalist spoof as a pointed present-day theater critic parody, played with endlessly silly self-absorption by Callie Johnson. Her jolting number “Zip” pumps some blessed reviving energy into the second act..”
-New City Stage
“Especially notable were Callie Johnson’s uproariously deadpan performance as newspaper reporter Melba Snyder whose scintillating transformation into a vixen burlesque performer, set to the tune of “Zip,” provides the evening’s breakout performance.”
-Anthony J. Mangini, Chicago Critic
“The showstopper number is“Zip” sang by an unforgettable Callie Johnson (Melba). Johnson arrives as the uptight and obligated journalist and leaves the conquering heroine. Her number zips it, zips it good!”
-Katy Walsh, Chicago Now
JEFF AWARDS, Pal Joey
CARRIE: THE MUSICAL
Bailiwick Music Theatre
"But then, you haven't seen Callie Johnson's truly superb performance as Carrie White. Johnson, one of the Chicago area's brightest young musical talents, brings a level of emotional engagement to some of the scenes that suggests she had been preparing as if doing Ophelia's suicide scene. She is that intense. And exceptionally vulnerable. And, while I'm waxing lyrical, self-transforming for that all-important prom-night reveal...this is about the only "Carrie" you ever need to see. She lives!"
-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
"As Carrie, Johnson, an actress of direct emotional connection (who gave a hint of her transformative powers in “Pal Joey” not long ago), demonstrates those morphing skills once again here. She is lovely."
-Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times
"Callie Johnson, who not only earned a Jeff Award for her performance in “Pal Joey,” but wowed critics and audiences in “Next to Normal,” is perfection as Carrie. As if her vibrant, expressive vocals weren’t enough, this young lady acts the bejesus out of this role."
-CenterStage
"...the superb Callie Johnson in a tour de force performance that should win her a Jeff...Callie turns in a performance that is honest, touching and powerful. She is one of the finest actresses in the Chicago theatre scene at present and I cannot imagine this role being played better by any other actress...I owe much to the performance of Callie Johnson and her frightening transformation"
-ShowBiz Chicago
"Fortunately there is a shining light in Bailiwick Chicago’s current production and it comes mostly from its incredibly talented leading lady who absolutely nailed everything about her role. As Carrie White, Callie Johnson, gives some of the best work I’ve ever seen her do. Ms. Johnson, who I reviewed last year in Next to Normal (and I might add was recently featured in a KFC commercial where she bites into a chicken corsage), gives an emotionally unexpected and absorbing performance. I especially loved the transformation that Ms. Johnson goes through from shy outcast ugly-duckling to a glowing prom-night swan and finally into a vengeful mass murderer."
-Splash Magazine
"As Carrie, Callie Johnson is intense and heartbreaking, hiding behind her hair, shoulders hunched to shield her against the near-constant torment from her peers. As she discovers her power (and her voice), it is impossible not to share her joy and hope that maybe this time, things will end differently (...) and she holds her own with vocal powerhouse Katherine L. Condit in their duets, communicating her love, sense of betrayal and eventual rebellion."
-Chicago Stage Standard
"In the lead, Callie Johnson (Carrie) continually transforms on stage. Johnson is heart-wrenching as the high school misfit (...) I found myself hopeful that Johnson was going to get her happily ever after. She radiates this wide eyed innocence that pulled me into her tragic existence...And just when you start to believe ‘it does get better,‘ it’ll dump pig’s blood on you."
-The Fourth Walsh
Bailiwick Music Theatre
"But then, you haven't seen Callie Johnson's truly superb performance as Carrie White. Johnson, one of the Chicago area's brightest young musical talents, brings a level of emotional engagement to some of the scenes that suggests she had been preparing as if doing Ophelia's suicide scene. She is that intense. And exceptionally vulnerable. And, while I'm waxing lyrical, self-transforming for that all-important prom-night reveal...this is about the only "Carrie" you ever need to see. She lives!"
-Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
"As Carrie, Johnson, an actress of direct emotional connection (who gave a hint of her transformative powers in “Pal Joey” not long ago), demonstrates those morphing skills once again here. She is lovely."
-Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times
"Callie Johnson, who not only earned a Jeff Award for her performance in “Pal Joey,” but wowed critics and audiences in “Next to Normal,” is perfection as Carrie. As if her vibrant, expressive vocals weren’t enough, this young lady acts the bejesus out of this role."
-CenterStage
"...the superb Callie Johnson in a tour de force performance that should win her a Jeff...Callie turns in a performance that is honest, touching and powerful. She is one of the finest actresses in the Chicago theatre scene at present and I cannot imagine this role being played better by any other actress...I owe much to the performance of Callie Johnson and her frightening transformation"
-ShowBiz Chicago
"Fortunately there is a shining light in Bailiwick Chicago’s current production and it comes mostly from its incredibly talented leading lady who absolutely nailed everything about her role. As Carrie White, Callie Johnson, gives some of the best work I’ve ever seen her do. Ms. Johnson, who I reviewed last year in Next to Normal (and I might add was recently featured in a KFC commercial where she bites into a chicken corsage), gives an emotionally unexpected and absorbing performance. I especially loved the transformation that Ms. Johnson goes through from shy outcast ugly-duckling to a glowing prom-night swan and finally into a vengeful mass murderer."
-Splash Magazine
"As Carrie, Callie Johnson is intense and heartbreaking, hiding behind her hair, shoulders hunched to shield her against the near-constant torment from her peers. As she discovers her power (and her voice), it is impossible not to share her joy and hope that maybe this time, things will end differently (...) and she holds her own with vocal powerhouse Katherine L. Condit in their duets, communicating her love, sense of betrayal and eventual rebellion."
-Chicago Stage Standard
"In the lead, Callie Johnson (Carrie) continually transforms on stage. Johnson is heart-wrenching as the high school misfit (...) I found myself hopeful that Johnson was going to get her happily ever after. She radiates this wide eyed innocence that pulled me into her tragic existence...And just when you start to believe ‘it does get better,‘ it’ll dump pig’s blood on you."
-The Fourth Walsh
Othello: The Moor of Venice
Invictus Theatre
"But it’s also got the graceful, deliberate, and hugely compelling Callie Johnson as Othello’s doomed wife, Desdemona. She’s the kind of actor whose persuasive force draws everyone onstage into her orbit, a fact director Charles Askenaizer exploits to great clarifying effect, particularly during the nearly three-hour production’s final hour, which falls increasingly on her shoulders. The show’s actual climax is worth the wait."
-Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader
"Callie Johnson’s Desdemona deserves praise as the only performance in the show featuring motivation, comprehension, clarity, and commitment...Johnson’s Desdemona was unusually strong-willed, undermining her frequently submissive lines as sarcastic [and] combative...it’s a new take, and a meek and Stepfordized Desdemona is a common interpretation that can always be seen elsewhere."
-Jared McDaris, Theatre Guy Review
Invictus Theatre
"But it’s also got the graceful, deliberate, and hugely compelling Callie Johnson as Othello’s doomed wife, Desdemona. She’s the kind of actor whose persuasive force draws everyone onstage into her orbit, a fact director Charles Askenaizer exploits to great clarifying effect, particularly during the nearly three-hour production’s final hour, which falls increasingly on her shoulders. The show’s actual climax is worth the wait."
-Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader
"Callie Johnson’s Desdemona deserves praise as the only performance in the show featuring motivation, comprehension, clarity, and commitment...Johnson’s Desdemona was unusually strong-willed, undermining her frequently submissive lines as sarcastic [and] combative...it’s a new take, and a meek and Stepfordized Desdemona is a common interpretation that can always be seen elsewhere."
-Jared McDaris, Theatre Guy Review
NEXT TO NORMAL
Drury Lane Oakbrook
"But the true heartbreak of the show is Diana's broken relationship with the neglected Natalie...their emotional conversation about their deteriorated relationship is one of my favorite moments in the show."
-Chicagoist
"...her intense portrait of a girl who can't seem to live up to perceive expectations. Her character resonated more with me than in previous productions. A second act scene between mother and daughter, set in a hospital, is exceptionally moving."
-Broadway World
"Callie Johnson gives her Natalie depth through humor and is buoyed by having great on-stage chemistry with her would-be caller, Henry..."
-Showbiz Chicago
"Callie Johnson as daughter Natalie gives a stunning performance...what comes across so beautifully in this production is that this is a family that deeply loves one another, even through the most impossible of times."
-Examiner
Drury Lane Oakbrook
"But the true heartbreak of the show is Diana's broken relationship with the neglected Natalie...their emotional conversation about their deteriorated relationship is one of my favorite moments in the show."
-Chicagoist
"...her intense portrait of a girl who can't seem to live up to perceive expectations. Her character resonated more with me than in previous productions. A second act scene between mother and daughter, set in a hospital, is exceptionally moving."
-Broadway World
"Callie Johnson gives her Natalie depth through humor and is buoyed by having great on-stage chemistry with her would-be caller, Henry..."
-Showbiz Chicago
"Callie Johnson as daughter Natalie gives a stunning performance...what comes across so beautifully in this production is that this is a family that deeply loves one another, even through the most impossible of times."
-Examiner
"Best Chicago Theater Of 2013: 10 Shows That Reminded Us Why This Is A Great Theater Town"
SAG-AFTRA | AEA
Jeff Award Winner
Jeff Award Winner