I was blown away by the comedic timing of...Custodio in her "Karen" persona. Her characters are overdone to the point of perfection and the audience sits in the palm of her hand.
-Daily Utah Chronicle
Olivia Custodio (Caren/Pioneer Lady) absolutely and without a doubt steals the show. Custodio does (these roles) brilliantly. I don't want to say much, except, be prepared to laugh until you have to hold your insides together... As over-the-top as her characters are, Custodio somehow manages to add a human element to them.
-Jason Hagley, Front Row Reviewers
That was the case with La voix humaine. Custodio owned the role. Through her considerable and impressive acting skills she brought depth, definition and clarity to her portrayal of a desperate woman who refuses to give up her lover. It was quite honestly heart wrenching to see her downward spiral.
Her singing was no less remarkable. Custodio’s voice has the power and brilliance to convey the drama convincingly, while possessing the right amount of lyricism to underscore the expressiveness of her part. It was a tour de force performance that was mesmerizing.
-Ed Reichel, Reichel Recommends
Plan-B Theatre's efforts in inclusion and diversity establish an undeniable position as leader in the artistic community. Two of this year's top 10 moments come from this extraordinary small theatre company. The first comes from Olivia Custodio's short play Driver's License, Please, that premiered last season as part of ...Of Color, featuring four short works by playwrights of color. A writer with natural comedic gifts, Custodio delivered the production's most audacious, ribald moments, riffing handily off the classically unpleasant experience of renting a car, the setup for a scene as women get justice for the wholly obnoxious behavior of a chauvinist male. Likewise, her short play Bombastic Blue with three characters in an underground shelter after a nuclear bomb attack brought roars of laughter in late August at the 8th annual Rose Exposed! show.
-Les Roka, The Utah Review
As for the performance itself, Custodio billed it as a show based partially on prompts from the audience. Extinguished was a show about the trials and challenges of dating. And wow, did she cover that material well. Both my teenage daughter and I chortled as Custodio described lowering her standards to fit with those that she happened to be matched with on any number of dating apps. Custodio impressed us with her improv skills based on the prompts my daughter gave her with annoyances from my daughter's life, as well as other fun prompts written down on cue cards from the audience.
Custodio also took a more dramatic turn remembering a moment when a relationship had failed, and she surprised me with how she could quickly turn from wit and humor to serious reflection and sorrow. That is the mark of a professional, and Custodio can connect with an audience on a deeper level and show the ability to access an array of emotions within a small amount of time. She used that moment to full advantage, and I found myself moved.
-Maren Sriven, Utah Theatre Bloggers Association
The second premiere in the digital shorts series comes from actor, singer and playwright Olivia Custodio, who sets a rigorous benchmark for the other films. If It's Good Enough for Costco snaps with the peppery sass familiar in Custodio's writing. To say much more would be a disservice to this great short, which is worth watching more than once.
-Les Roka, The Utah Review
There are several standouts...but the best of the bunch is Custodio, who is particularly hilarious as Mother Thorla delivering the flannel-board Family Home Evening message.
-Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune
Custodio, this time as another mother, Thorla, again blows the doors off the place.
-Jennifer Mustoe, Front Row Reviewers
The Lady of the Lake (Olivia Custodio) brings down the house with powerful vocals, what a belt! Custodio fills the role of the overacting diva to the enth; it takes true skill to play around and poke fun at campy musicals with such range as she has, very impressive.
-Jennifer Mustoe, Front Row Reviewers
My favorite was Custodio as the Lady of the Lake, whose comedic skills were well-worthy of the nutty lyrics. She handled her ensemble and solo moments with great panache, infusing "Find Your Grail" and "The Diva's Lament" with her own brand of bold and brash hilarity.
-Elise Hanson-Barnett, Utah Theatre Bloggers Association