Carousel
“…truly captivating, as is beautiful Maliha Sayed, who makes her MTW debut as Julie Jordan. What a voice, what an actress! (…) In this production Ms. Sayed is remarkable as a moving and feisty young woman who’s not afraid to go after the man she loves, but can’t speak those words until he’s no longer with her. These two shining stars give heartfelt performances. They take their duet ‘If I Loved You’ to another level, creating a sumptuous treat for the eyes and ears that audiences won’t soon forget. Julie’s hauntingly melancholy, ‘What’s the Use of Wond’rin’ is sung with such soul and feeling (…) Both Mr. Jordan and Ms. Sayed are top-notch performers, and I can’t wait to see them again in future productions.”
— Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review
“The gorgeous voices and thoughtful performances of Sayed and Jordan are highlights. The famous ‘bench scene’ where Billy and Julie sing ‘If I Loved You’ is filled with pain and longing as much as hope for understanding.”
— Kerry Reid, Chicago Reader
Sondheim Tribute
“Sayed has an impressive emotional range. Early in the revue, her light soprano vocals perfectly capture the youthful yearning of ‘The Glamorous Life’ which are later nicely contrasted by her defiant belts in ‘There Won't Be Trumpets.’”
-Zac Thriffiley, Broadway World Chicago
“Maliha Sayed nails both the high-soprano child’s song, ‘The Glamorous Life,’ from A Little Night Music and the rueful-adult ‘No One Is Alone’ from Into the Woods.”
-Kelly Kleiman, Chicago Reader
“Maliha Sayed’s rendition of ‘There Won’t Be Trumpets’ is an explosive take on an underrated gem.”
-Seth Wilson, Chicago Onstage