—"An attractive, poignant new dance-theater piece…Through The Wall originated as one of the Source Festival’s Artistic Blind Dates — collaborations among artists of different disciplines — in 2017. Life is change, but when artistic soulmates get together, their ideas can have a little staying power.” -The Washington Post, on Through The Wall by Chelsea Thaler, choreography by Meredith Barnes, music by Mark Platenberg, 2018
— “Grab your closest friends, make a post-show dinner reservation, and head to Capital Fringe’s Good & Kissed for a night out that will make you laugh, cry, and spur your own stories of loss and redemption. Good & Kissed is an autobiographical one-woman show performed and written by Miranda Jonte, with direction and script development support from Chelsea Thaler… This show has the makings of something truly wonderful.” -DC Metro Theater Arts, on Good & Kissed by Miranda Jonte, 2019
—“A white door frame does a terpsichorean turn alongside human dancers in Through the Wall, an attractive, poignant new dance-theater piece. Collaboratively created by writer-director Chelsea Thaler, choreographer-director Meredith Barnes and composer Mark Platenberg. Presented by DanceArtTheater, the 50-minute work muses on the idea of change. The doorway, which the gray- and black-clad dancers pass through, pose in and generally manhandle, is a visible metaphor for the motif.” -The Washington Post, on Through The Wall, 2018
—"Chelsea Thaler’s direction is seamless...She keeps the audience engaged the entire way through with subtle and evocative use of space"-DC Theatre Scene, I Am The Gentry by Cara Gabriel, 2015
—"Chelsea Thaler’s direction keeps things moving smoothly as we follow Gabriel’s youthful, optimistic house hunting days, to run-ins with prostitutes, pit-bulls, and police."-DC Metro Theater Arts, on I Am The Gentry, 2015
“Chelsea Thaler’s video is an altogether different experience. From the first few seconds, where the grainy close ups in black and white begin to lay out the elements of her story and underneath the long bowing of strings building in tension, one is drawn in emotionally, captivated by this performer-filmmaker’s confidence and command of her craft.” DC Metro Theater Arts, The Decameron, Synetic Motion Pictures 2020
“Thaler’s work is all the stronger for its minimalism…She doesn’t “thump” rhetoric. Her physicality evokes; she doesn’t preach. But as her character walks away from the camera and into the sea, my imagination begins to ask the big question: Is the current pandemic a sign that we have run our course as masters of the universe or at least have we lost whatever moral imperative we thought we had as Leaders of the “Free World?” The work is a gem.” DC Metro Theater Arts, The Decameron, Synetic Motion Pictures 2020
Acting
—"In the role, Chelsea Thaler brings to the production a much- needed dose of unconditional, judgment-free love." DC Theatre Scene, 2016
—"Sixteen year-old Savannah, played with a fun sense of youthful impetuosity by Chelsea Thaler, takes it all in stride." DC Metro Theater Arts, 2016
—"Goading one minute; endearing and profound the next, Thaler captures the mysterious paradox of the American adolescent." MD Theatre Guide, 2016