Much of that immersion comes from the production’s bold scenography, from Gillian Gallow’s velveteen, gold-framed set and elegant costumes to Deanna H. Choi’s claustrophobic sound designs, which amplify everything from the food in Nora’s mouth to the whispers spat between characters in secrecy.

GLOBE AND MAIL (CRITIC’S PICK)

Powell’s Torvald is blithely unaware of how condescending he is to his wife. When push comes to shove near the end, he explodes in a fury that is terrifying but also telling (look for Kevin Lamotte’s lighting and Deanna H. Choi’s sound design to heighten the emotion of this scene).

TORONTO STAR (★★★★/4)

Love You Wrong Time is sharp, urgent, engaging social commentary in the tradition of Margaret Choi, Ali Wong, [and] Kate Rigg.

GLENN SUMI (★★★★)

Deanna H. Choi and Maddie Bautista prefer to kick the door down with laughter and a song. This is their ship, and beneath the raucous humour lies a depth of pain, rage, and hard-won power honoured by the two captains. […] Choi’s spunkiness and at times deadpan humour are complemented by Bautista’s jovial delivery, and their vocal prowess is more than enough to serve their music.

(ROBERT KUANG)

"[Set designer Jean] Chan and lighting designer Will Monks deliver a luminous scene in which Beegu plays music on the playground’s railings, wonderfully accompanied by Deanna H Choi’s compositions."

THE GUARDIAN

"Adding extra sparkle to proceedings are Choi’s irresistible, ravey electronic tunes..."

THE STAGE UK (★★★★)

...Deanna H. Choi’s sound design brings various worlds to life without being obvious.

TORONTO STAR (★★★★/4)

Deanna [H.] Choi and Michael Wanless’s sound design, meanwhile, feels like another character altogether.

GLOBE AND MAIL

…the audience waits in darkness for what feels like an eternity, listening to the disquieting din of cicadas, encircling the Lafayette estate, like the repressed family histories that have risen to the surface. (The superb sound design is by Deanna H. Choi and Michael Wanless.)”

TORONTO STAR (★★★½ of 4)

“…sound designers Deanna [H.] Choi and Michael Wanless conjure a tactile nighttime soundscape dominated by cicadas. This drawn-out aural cocoon demands the audience members turn their minds away from the overwhelming digital drone of contemporary metropolitan life and give themselves over to the coming art.”

NEXT MAGAZINE

The entire production is also heightened by Deanna H. Choi’s sound design and scoring. From the realistic opening thunderstorm and other meticulously well-timed sound effects, to seamlessly integrated voiceovers, to atmospheric sci-fi synths and cinematic underscoring of the play’s climactic scene, Choi’s work adds both atmosphere and heart.

INTERMISSON

Choi’s music is captivating and goes a long way in supplementing the beautiful cinematography of the whales, the ocean, and the affecting dialogue of the researchers and advocates.

THAT SHELF

Well-meaning scientists, conservationists and citizen advocates explain the human-made perils facing these marine creatures, backed by lovely ocean photography and a stirring soundtrack.

NATIONAL POST

This moment is heightened by Deanna H. Choi’s sound design and an ensemble of snarling, beastlike actors swarming around [Emilio] Vieira.

TORONTO STAR

The rot is palpable in Camellia Koo’s scenery, the two-level interior of a wooden house where the white posts and stairs are grimy with what may be fire damage and the rooms look dirty and dishevelled. The set is on a turntable whose slow, creaking movement is echoed by Deanna H. Choi’s sound design of rasping strings. You feel as if the Weston homestead is literally on the verge of falling apart.

GLOBE AND MAIL

The original music and vocals by Pura Fé, combined with Deanna H. Choi's sound design, created a fulfilling palate of sound to fill the silence when needed and guided the audience through a serene auditory journey.

BROADWAY WORLD

Choreographed passages between the scripted scenes are electric to watch as dynamically lit by [Jareth] Li and underscored by Deanna H. Choi’s sound design and composition. All aspects of Lancaster’s production broadcast confidence, strong decisions, esprit de corps.

TORONTO STAR

Most impactful of all, the perpetrator’s name is never uttered, replaced instead by a haunting sound effect

NOW MAGAZINE