'Eureka Day' review — a needle-sharp vaccine comedy
Read our review of Eureka Day on Broadway, a comedy written by Jonathan Spector and starring Jessica Hecht, Bill Irwin, Thomas Middleditch, and more.
No one is safe from playwright Jonathan Spector's jabs in Eureka Day, a sharp satire of well-meaning but misguided liberalism. All five of his main characters — the complete membership of a private elementary school's board — are introduced to us almost as caricatures as they debate one unseen parent's suggestion to amend the school's admission form. They insist that their decision must be unanimous and tiptoe around meaningful debate with phrases like "We're trying to make sure we're holding space for everyone." It's clear that this is the board's true goal: keeping the peace.
But what happens when keeping the peace becomes impossible, and actually tough decisions must be made? The board finds out firsthand when a mumps outbreak means they might have to, for the first time, require vaccinations for students — which many parents, including some on stage, are strongly against. The short answer is that all hell breaks loose, and Eureka Day picks up steam as that happens, crescendoing at a midpoint scene where the board invites the whole school community into a virtual town hall. Overlapping dialogue among the board members and increasingly cruel comments, projected onto the set, from parents on both sides of the debate make for a chaotic mess that's also one of the funniest moments on Broadway right now.
But as both the comedy and the severity of the debate increase, the characters deepen beyond caricatures, too. Jessica Hecht's Suzanne — a well-off, anti-vax white woman harboring a thinly veiled insistence at getting her way — is excellently grating until a late-stage monologue invites unexpected compassion. Amber Gray also stands out as newcomer Carina, the board's only Black member and the one most willing to call out the board's ineffectiveness. Bill Irwin, Thomas Middleditch, and Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz round out the cast of characters who, when all is said and done, can at least agree on one thing: Once they finally make their surprising final decision, they're glad they'll never have to go through such an ordeal again. Right?
Eureka Day summary
The play is named for a fictional private elementary school in Berkeley, California, that prides itself on radical inclusion. The perspective of every single student, parent, and staff member is — supposedly — welcomed, heard, and respected. That approach causes trouble when a mumps outbreak sweeps the school, and Eureka Day's board — consisting of the head of the school and four parents — must decide whether to alter the current vaccination requirements, of which there are none. Making such a decision means that, for the first time, not everyone will support it.
Eureka Day premiered in 2018 in Berkeley. Manhattan Theatre Club presents the play's Broadway premiere, directed by Anna D. Shapiro.
What to expect at Eureka Day
Nearly the entire play takes place in the school's state-of-the-art library, outfitted with massive windows, amply filled bookshelves, and posters that say things like "Equality, diversity, inclusion" and "Your opinion matters." This excellently detailed set (by Todd Rosenthal) is complemented by equally cheerful scene transition music (by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen) that sounds plucked straight from Sesame Street. It conveys the vibe of Eureka Day before anyone says a single word — and once they do, it is immediately and inherently funny to watch adults fiercely debate thorny topics from tiny, brightly colored kiddie chairs.
What audiences are saying about Eureka Day
Audiences are giving Eureka Day high grades, with 81 reviews on the review aggregator Show-Score combining into an 85% approval rating.
- "In Eureka Day, teachers (like myself!) will recognize the absurdity that grows out of crises — how committees grow impossible, how parents grow callous, and how there is very little civil discourse when children are involved and adults do all the talking." - Show-Score user GirlFriday
- "While it has a tendency to move in circles, it never stops being funny and tense for a moment." - Show-Score user Theatre-Cat
- "I went into this production thinking it might be a bit dated, given the subject matter. But the discussion about vaccines really just serves as a basis for looking at differences of opinion/perspective and how people arrive at them. The arguments on both sides of the vaccine debate were impressively nuanced, and the acting was very good all the way around. I'm not 100% sure what perspective the play landed on -- and it's very possible that there is no easy resolution to the argument -- but I appreciated the journey and the difficult questions the play raised." - Show-Score user Jimbob 4057
- "A funny pro/con vaccine comedy that feels dated. The arguments are still valid, and humans will be humans, but the battle line [sic] have been redrawn." - Show-Score user aka
- "Only criticism is the sound quality- very difficult to hear the opening scene especially and many lines lost over audience laughter." - Show-Score user Jeanne Dennison
Read more audience reviews of Eureka Day on Show-Score.
Who should see Eureka Day
- Fans of Abbott Elementary, a comedy that also tackles topical issues in an elementary school, will love Eureka Day.
- Teachers and parents of students — not just elementary school ones — may find the play's subject matter relatable — if not the specific situation, then its handling of the struggle to do right by the next generation of students more broadly.
- See it if you liked Just for Us, Alex Edelman's hit stand-up comedy show (from Broadway and now on HBO Max) that also dealt with clashing with people who have different opinions — and how much empathy we're willing, and able, to show them.
Learn more about Eureka Day on Broadway
Eureka Day feels timelier now than ever, fleshing out all sides of topical debates on the big stage with an excellent cast.
Photo credit: Eureka Day on Broadway. (Photos by Jeremy Daniel)
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