“Howley digs his teeth into the intricacies of his character in a way that sheds light on the complex nature of knowing a drug addict. From the outside looking in, it might seem a simple process to extricate oneself from another — but life doesn’t exist in black and white. It’s almost always shades of grey.”

— Bee Delores, B-Sides & Badlands

“Both leads deliver strong portrayals"

— Horror Movies Uncut

“The production’s standout, however, was its Malvolio, played by John R. Howley. From his first moments on stage, Howley had the audience wishing for more time with his character. Malvolio is a character that requires an actor with an artistic range, and Howley delivered…Howley relayed each of these feelings with incredible charisma. His Malvolio was hilarious, captivating, and most importantly, sympathetic.”

— Ava Markhovsky, Columbia Spectator

“Malvolio was a standout performance…The scene of Malvolio reading the fake love letter from Olivia was the highlight of the entire night, as Howley’s vocal and physical acting stole the show….he drew roaring laughs from the audience. Howley also captured intense upset and hurt, rare for a Shakespearean comedy…Howley’s dramatic performance illuminated just how sorrowful Malvolio’s fate was, reminding the audience that not everyone got a happy ending.”

— Emma Burris, Gina Brown, Jack Rado; Bwog

“As Claudius, rising star Howley participated fairly little in the production’s circus acts or dance scenes, staying grounded in the playtext and looming over the action (actualized by projecting his face onto the back wall of the stage). And yet, his delivery of Claudius’ soliloquies garnered just as much applause as the airborne circus tricks. The character’s firm fixture in the text came in part from Howley’s facility with Shakespearean language.”

— Maya Weed, Blue and White Magazine

“Howley, especially, was effective in his portrayal of Claudius’ guilt and shame: his soliloquy, near the end of the first half, captivated the audience as he struggled to pray for forgiveness for his misdeeds.”

— Grace Novarr, Bwog

“John R. Howley delivered a standout performance as Lucky. For most of his time on stage, he stood in the back of the theater, tottering on two legs with an exhausted, tortured, captivating expression. His one monologue impacted the audience paradoxically—some members erupted into laughter, while others felt devastated by the tragedy of his character’s situation and physical state. Lucky simultaneously invoked humor and anguish in the audience, a nuance that is hard to perfect but exigent for the play’s purpose.”

— Emma Burris, Bwog

“Some standout performances to note are John [R.] Howley (CC ‘25) as Dance Teacher Pat, who perfectly encapsulated the creepy, intense dance teacher vibe that somehow causes young girls to froth at the mouth for…approval. He had incredible comedic timing as the so-called ‘villain’ of the show and created a character that so many of us who grew up in the arts met in our younger lives.”

— Rory Collins, Bwog

“John R. Howley’s readings of Pirandello’s manipulative letters to much younger actress Marta Abba, played by Ava Markhovsky (BC ‘25), and Marta’s reactions were particularly striking. These started marginally obsessive, escalated to threats of suicide, and ended with the final letter being performed as Pirandello literally dragged himself across the stage.”

— Isa RingswaldEgan, Phoebe Mulder; Bwog