Webster's Bitch Reviews
Washington Post- Somewhat Recommended
"...“Webster’s Bitch,” a rich if not yet fully conjugated workplace dramedy from playwright Jacqueline Bircher, had its world premiere at Connecticut’s Playhouse on Park last year and now arrives at the Keegan Theatre. It follows two generations of lexicographers (plus one fidgety visitor) through an eventful evening at the headquarters of Webster’s Dictionary. As the office opens, its two junior staffers are on deadline to complete their weekly online update. “New definitions every Friday!” one of them chirps, which, to certain constituencies — stressed-out dictionary-revisers, anyone over the age of 40 — might sound like a threat."
DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended
"...Susan Marie Rhea directs not only such seriously salient scenes with moving clarity but also the play's funny bits with sky-high hilarity. Case in point: Ellie's monologue about how, ever the rebel, she got fired from a gig as a flight attendant after improvising a wildly inappropriate preflight announcement, which on opening night stopped the show."
Washington City Paper- Recommended
"...Under Susan Marie Rhea’s musing yet quirky direction, Webster’s Bitch examines the role of language in everyday power dynamics. The play dances between a workplace comedy (“Wait, you’ve never read Harry Potter?”) and a thesis on feminist linguistics (“An entire subset of the English language has evolved under the predication that it’s inherently offensive to be a woman.”). Yet, well-developed characters and candid dialog give the actors plenty of great material to draw from—always a delight to see."
MD Theatre Guide- Recommended
"...“Webster’s Bitch” likely won’t be redefining anything in the theatrical lexicon, but it’s a high-energy play with some stellar performances, plenty of laughs, and a healthy amount of worthwhile commentary despite its occasionally scattershot focus. That’s a show worth seeing by most definitions."
BroadwayWorld- Highly Recommended
"...By the play’s end, we’re left wanting to spend more time with these characters and this drama. We want to find out what happens next! Some would argue (including this reviewer) that this is one of the marks of a good play, and WEBSTER’S BITCH is just that."