WAKING US UP TO WOKENESS
Playwright Jonathan Spector makes an impressive Broadway debut with Eureka Day, a strikingly relevant and well-crafted production that convincingly captures the complexities and contradictions of contemporary cultural debates. His ability to balance humor and drama to address divisive issues such as political correctness resonate strongly well after the 100-minutes are up at Manhattan Theater Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
Bill Irwin, Thomas Middleditch, Amber Gray, Jessica Hecht, Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz
Directed with a solid hand by Anna D. Shapiro, the performances, particularly Jessica Hecht’s impeccable comedic timing and Bill Irwin’s nuanced delivery, elevate the production, bringing the audience into a world both familiar and exaggerated. The inclusion of a real-time online townhall with scrolling parental comments is a show-stopping moment, adding an interactive, almost immersive layer to the theatrical experience.
Jessica Hecht and Amber Gray
It’s fascinating how a play originally written in 2018 has gained even more relevance in 2024, showcasing the foresight of the playwright and the adaptability of the material. The blend of comedy, satire, and heartfelt moments ensures that Eureka Day leaves the audience both entertained and contemplative — a hallmark of truly impactful theater. Spector’s dialogue, sharp and true-to-life, serves as a mirror to today’s progressive conversations, eliciting laughter tinged with cringey discomfort. The humor feels even more biting in 2024, prompting reflection on whether such familiar rhetoric played a role in the recent shift toward conservative political victories.
Amber Gray and Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz
In Berkeley, California, the same location as Aurora Theatre Company, which commissioned and originally produced the one act, the Executive Committee of a private school, Eureka Day, debates in the library whether to include the term “Transracial Adoptee” in the dropdown menu of the school’s online enrollment application. Is its inclusion empowering or offensive? The committee’s deliberations capture the peculiarities of first-world, far-left debates, delivered with painstakingly polite political correctness.
Bill Irwin
Leading the discussion is Don (Irwin), the head of school who masterfully navigates the school’s core principle: “Everyone should feel seen by the community.” Irwin’s careful delivery and pauses, brimming with guarded anticipation, are delightful. Anti-vaxxer Suzanne (Hecht), the longest serving on the executive committee, is a white, wealthy, and deceptively soft-spoken (OK, passive-aggressive) parent volunteer and committee member who gets some of the sharpest comebacks, including gems like, “There’s no benefit in Feeling Seen if you’re simultaneously being Othered.”
Amber Gray and Jessica Hecht
The other committee members are Carina (Amber Gray), a Black woman and pragmatic newcomer to the committee who is pro-vaccine; stay-at-home dad Eli (Thomas Middleditch); and Asian-American single mother Meiko (Chelsea Yakur-Kurtz), all of whom are proud that Eureka Day students are the ones at a soccer game who cheer when the other team scores. Sitting on electric blue plastic chairs, each actor embodies their characters with authenticity. While Hecht’s habit of frequently breaking the fourth wall to glance at the audience occasionally disrupts the immersion, her final monologue about the journey from liberal ideals to antivaxxer beliefs is undeniably powerful and very moving.
Thomas Middleditch
The central conflict arises in the second scene, when a student is diagnosed with mumps, sparking a larger outbreak. The committee must craft an email to inform parents, igniting humorous but tense debates on vaccination from both sides. Scene three introduces an online town hall meeting where scrolling parental comments steal the show, their absurdity and hilarity overshadowing the live dialogue, which was no doubt Spector’s intention. It’s one of the funniest scenes on stage in recent memory and evokes non-stop laughter.
Thomas Middleditch, Amber Gray, Bill Irwin, Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz, and Jessica Hecht
While the play is consistently funny, it also delves into serious issues such as antivaccine rhetoric, school closures during outbreaks, and the growing disparity between private and public education. The newly written dialogue for this production’s ending is a highlight, delivering some of the funniest closing lines of any play on the boards. The resolution provides a heartwarming conclusion that serves as a hopeful model for navigating modern challenges.
Amber Gray, Bill Irwin, and Chelsea Yakura-Kurtz
The design team for this timely dramedy delivers outstanding work: Todd Rosenthal (scenic), Clint Ramos (costumes), Jen Schriever (lighting), David Bengali (projections), and Rob Milburn & Michael Bodeen (original music & sound design).
photos by © Jeremy Daniel
Eureka Day
Manhattan Theatre Club
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 West 47th Street
ends on February 2, 2025
for tickets, visit MTC
