“To write about O’Keefe, one must try, however lamely, to elevate one’s language to his level. His words caress, cajole, assault and run in bleeding retreat to a place where words cannot hide.”
– Jacob Clark, Metro LA

“O’Keefe’s play evokes other writers, from Sam Shepherd to Eugene O’Neill, but his strange, tormented, quasi-religious vision is very much his own, leading to a shattering finale, swept by literal and emotional tornados.”
– Neal Weaver, Stage Raw

“John O’Keefe’s style is sharp and pared to essentials, favoring quick blackouts and sliced scenes, the nuance instead of the obvious.”
– Mary Dedanan, Pacific Sun

“John O’Keefe takes a largely forgotten tragedy of the Holocaust and exploits it to devastating effect.”
– F. Kathleen Foley, Los Angeles Times

“O’Keefe’s two-character tragedy shrewdly uses dark humor to punctuate a mounting sense of dread.”
– LA Weekly, Pick of the Week

“Mr. O’Keefe can snare his audience with his imagistic audacity and demonic narrative momentum with the gut-grabbing pull of a horror movie.”
– Ben Brantley, New York Times

AWARDS

John’s work has received multiple award, including those from the Los Angeles Weekly, the Bay Area Drama Critics’ Circle, Hollywood DramaLogue, Glickman Award, Los Angeles Times, NY Dance & Performance and Dallas Critics’ Circle.

GRANTS

John’s has received multiple grants, including those from NEA, Gerbode Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Buck Fund, California Arts Council and Pew Foundation.