Reviews

“Calista Zajac, who has a fantastic voice backed with equally strong acting, plays Winnie Foster. With spunk, a sense of adventure and just a touch of rebellion, Zajac perfectly embodies the character who I looked up to and longed to be when I was younger—and there’s sure to be little girls in the audience who are now doing the same.”- Tuck Everlasting

The Morning Journal

“Young Calista Zajac as Iris, a child avatar, whose purpose is to welcome and satisfy the "guests" in Papa's Nether Hideway, proves herself to be one of the few child actresses in the area, capable of being an equal of the professionals with whom she is surrounded. Hers is an amazing performance.”- The Nether

Broadway World

“Young Calista Zajac, who plays Iris, is the stand out. Zajac thankfully brings a degree of tact to her character, who is the program of a nine year old girl who exists in the Nether but exhibits a stilted, yet insightful subjectivity. To convey both the programed-ness and the feeling of a self for her character, Zajac effectively mimes the saccharine manners and chipper vocal flourishes of the young girls often seen in fantasy media while also displaying a genuine curiosity regarding questions like what constitutes God, which Iris wonders might be in “the way we are with each other.” -The Nether

Cleveland Scene

 “Zajac displays astounding acting chops as the avatar Iris. She manages Papa’s online obsession and Woodnut’s affection – delicately handled by Pine – like a pro.” -The Nether

Cleveland Jewish News

 “The real star of the show is young Calista Zajac as Iris; her portrayal sends chills down the spine.” -The Nether

Talkin’ Broadway

"Calista Zajac delights as Tina. This is a tiny keg of dynamite who has potential "Broadway star" stamped on her forehead. She can sing, she can dance, she can act. She can!" - Ruthless

- Broadway World -

"Now we come to the grand prize winner of the evening, Calista Zajac as Tina Denmark. I know for myself at 11 years old, the only thing I could focus on was a shiny object. But Ms. Zajac is a focused tour de force in tap shoes. She is the demonic principle in this play and carries a lot of the show on her precocious shoulders. Zajac is fearless, as she exudes confidence whether she is singing, dancing or acting her little sweet face off. This Bad Seed turns in a brilliant performance, and I am sure she is on the radar for musical theater programs all across the states."- Ruthless

-Cool Cleveland-

"Tina Denmark, played to perfection by 11-year-old triple threat Calista Zajac"

"Young Zajac’s feigned syrupy sweetness seamlessly transitions into the death stare of a natural born killer."- Ruthless

- The News-Herald -

"Our ambitious young star, third-grade student Miss Tina Denmark can do it all: act, sing, dance. But it turns out Tina (the brilliantly self-possessed Calista Zajac) has a dark side; we learn what it means to “stop at nothing to be a star.” I remember Zajac as poor little Cosette in Les Miserables. She still looks just as appealingly sweet and innocent as she did then, so it’s delightfully jarring to see what her character carries off in Ruthless!"- Ruthless

- Cool Cleveland -

"In the role of Tina, Calista Zajac is enormously entertaining without ever getting on your nerves as child actors are wont to do. She can sing and even belt, and she has some dandy comic timing."- Ruthless

- Cleveland Scene -