Goodman Theatre: Covenant
Ashli René Funches
Goodman Theatre Presents COVENANT Review - Who Made The Deal with the Devil?
TLDR: The return of a rising Blues star to a religious small town in Georgia brings rumors and speculation of deals with the devil. The women of the White family and their close friend are affected by seemingly supernatural occurrences when he does and through understanding their deepest secrets, we see their perspectives color their views.
Jaeda LaVonne and Debo Balogun
Secrets, Secrets Are No Fun
…unless they’re shared with us audience members seeing Covenant at Goodman. We’re in a small Georgia town where everybody knows everybody's business, so nothing goes unnoticed in the gossip mill. With the return of Johnny James, not seen for two years but in that time has become a rising Blues star, rumors circulate about how he got so talented in such a short amount of time. Was it always a hidden talent? Is it all just smoke and mirrors? Or is it something more sinister, did he make a deal with the devil? His arrival causes a stir for one family and sets off a chain of events and seemingly supernatural occurrences follow.
The lights dim and the stage goes dark. We hear the strike of a match and a small ball of light illuminates a woman’s face. The stage remains dark as Ruthie (Ashli René Funches) steps into a pool of blue, swirling light and tells us that everyone has a secret, most of the time locked away deep within us. Our other characters’ secrets are revealed to us throughout the production as they each step into the same swirling pool of light.
When Debo Balogun and Jaeda LaVonne as Johnny and Avery have their moments of sharing, they start by telling us they heard this particular story about another person. We listen to what they tell us, this story about a boy and his brother or the one about a girl visiting two sisters, and our heads cock to the side in suspicion. These stories hit too close to home to be about anybody else.
Anji White as Mama has us gripped with her monologue. White has each beat of her tragic story perfected so that she makes it feel like this is her own story she can roll right off her tongue.
Through their divulged secrets along with Ruthie’s and Violet’s (Felicia Oduh), we see how all their pasts are connected and color their perspective of events happening before us.
Anji White, Ashli René Funches, Felicia Oduh, and Jaeda LaVonne
Religion And Witchcraft
In this Southern town, religion is everything. The set of Covenant is a half building structure with a giant cross hung front and center on the wall set in the middle of a wheat field. It acts as both church and the White family home, both run strictly by the rules of the Church. Every evening the White family eats dinner at the same time, bowing their heads in prayer, followed by evening washing and prayers.
While prayers might seem commonplace enough to not raise an eyebrow, the theatrical treatment turns this routine into a ritual. By lamplight, the women set a bowl of water on the floor and chant religious texts (read as: singing “Take Me To The Water”) while “cleansing themselves.” And what seems like a passionate moment overcome by the Holy Spirit, appears like possession as the women are overcome with movement around the house, eyes rolling back into their heads.
Throughout Covenant, the lines between religion and witchcraft/occult workings are blurred and leads to the final culminating act where we see how both feed into each other in different ways.
Jaeda LaVonne, Anji White, and Felicia Oduh
The After Party Thoughts
Absolutely no spoilers, but the specific way all the theatrical elements and direction of Covenant is done creates a reveal for us audience members that makes us gasp at what was hidden before us in plain sight. Suddenly all the pieces come together and we recall every single significant moment and see it through a different lens.
The story itself is enough of a mystery that keeps us intrigued. Is it witchcraft? Is all this pure misfortune? Are they crying wolf where there is none? But it’s not as much of a horror story as I feel it’s marketed to be. Yes, there’s some illusions (in the similar vein as Paranormal Activity a few months ago at Chicago Shakes) that give us a few jump scares and make it feel like there’s supernatural forces at work, but to me the story is more about the theme of secrets and rearranging the idea of religion. Plus there’s plenty of humor involved, so those who identify as scaredy cats won’t be hiding behind their hands the whole time.
If you’re not a fan of shows about religious small towns thinking people are in cahoots with the devil, this show might not be for you. However, if you like shows where it feels like a puzzle and you’re slowly putting the pieces together thinking you know what it will be but are absolutely gobsmacked at the final picture, Covenant will be a good fit for you!
RECOMMENDED
Felicia Oduh, Jaeda LaVonne, and Anji White
When
Now through June 7, 2026
Where
Goodman Theater
170 N Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60601
Runtime: 1hr 40min, no intermission
Tickets
$24+
Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at (312) 443-3800 or through the Goodman Theatre website
Photos
Hugo Hentoff
Find Allie and The After Party featured on Theatre in Chicago
Jaeda LaVonne and Debo Balogun
CAST
Debo Balogun (Johnny James)
Ashli René Funches (Ruthie)
Jaeda LaVonne (Avery)
Felicia Oduh (Violet)
Anji White (Mama)
Kristin E. Ellis (Understudy Mama)
Charence Higgins (Understudy Avery)
Josh Mayo (Understudy Johnny James)
Marlene Slaughter (Understudy Ruthie / Understudy Violet)
CREATIVE
York Walker (Playwright)
Malkia Stampley (Director)
Evelyn M. Danner (Costume Designer)
Ryan Emens (Set Designer)
Gina Patterson (Lighting Designer)
Shokie Tseumah (Assistant Scenic Designer)
Levi J. Wilkins (Assistant Lighting Designer)
Dee Etti-Williams (Sound Designer)
Isaac Jo (Assistant Sound Designer)
Mike Przygoda (Music Director and Composer)
Shadana Patterson (Voice and Dialect Coach)
Benjamin Barnes (Co-Illusion Consultant)
Tyra Bullock (Co-Dramaturg)
Tor Campbell (Associate Director and Movement)
Jyreika Guest (Intimacy)
Trent James (Co-Illusion Consultant)
Lena Romano (Line Producer / Co-Dramaturg)
Trent Stork (Original Casting)
Lauren Port (Additional Casting)
Nykol DeDreu (Stage Manager)
Mia Maccarella (Floor Manager)
Lauren Westfahl (Production Assistant)