Eureka Day – Play – Review – Manhattan Theatre Club & Samuel J. Friedman Theatre – Shows I've Seen

@showsiveseen Jonathan Spector's "Eureka Day" #play by the @Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman #Theatre. Funny poignant looking glass of #woke #socialJustice #liberals. Delicious awkward drama between protective #school #parents. Jessica Hecht was a delight! Review: showsiveseen.com/11090 Director: Anna D. Shapiro Stage Manager: Charles M. Turner III & Denise Cardarelli #showsiveseen #broadway ♬ Get Skool'd – Franko Gonzo

Elevator Thoughts (aka Tweet): Jonathan Spector’s Eureka Day play by the Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Funny poignant looking glass of woke social justice liberals. Delicious awkward drama between protective school parents.

Recommendation:
See it, especially if either 1) you’ve lived in a liberal oasis like Seattle 2) you’re okay with plays that are more dialogue than action 3) or you liked The Thanksgiving Play.

Was This the First Time I Attended a Production of this Show? Yes

Would I See It Again 3 Years from Now? Probably not, but it was good.

Mainstream Appeal: Medium

If A Random Stranger Asked What Show They Should See This Weekend, Would I Mention This Production? Probably

My Synopsis (No Spoilers): The play takes place during several board meetings at Eureka Day, a progressive California school where the culture is so idealistically woke that students “cheer when the other team scores.” This peaceful consensus is disrupted when a measles outbreak reminiscent of COVID-19 forces parents into a fierce conflict over how to best handle the situation. It’s parents acting like children!

Synopsis from the Licensor or Theatre Company: Wildly relevant and bitingly funny, Jonathan Spector’s play comes to MTC in an all-new production following an acclaimed London run. Eureka Day is a private California elementary school with a Board of Directors that values inclusion above all else—that is, until an outbreak of the mumps forces everyone in the community to reconsider the school’s liberal vaccine policy. As cases rise, the board realizes with horror that they’ve got to do what they swore they never would: make a choice that won’t please absolutely everybody.

Type: Play

World Premiere: No

Several or Few Scenes: Several

Several or Few Settings/Locations: Just a school library and a hospital hallway

Static (Stationary) or Dynamic Set: Static

Prior Exposure/Knowledge Required: No, but you’ll probably appreciate this more if you’ve lived in a liberal oasis like Seattle

Defined Plot/Storyline: Yes-ish, but it was more dialogue than action

Union Actors: 6

Total Actors: 6

Perceived Pace of the Show: Medium speed

Was there an intermission? No

Length (Including Any Intermission): 100 minutes

Other Rave(s) Not Mentioned Above

Zoom Call: The audience ate up the hilariously unhinged chaotic Zoom call between the school board, anti-vaxxers, Karens, crunchy granola “woo-woo” parents, and rational-yet-protective parents. It was so chaotic that I struggled to follow both the actors and the Zoom chat simultaneously. I ended up paying more attention to the Zoom chat, feeling a bit of FOMO for missing what the actors were saying. Perhaps that was the intention, as it’s something that often happens in video conference calls at work. Additionally, considering that many modern Broadway productions like Sunset Blvd and Tammy Faye incorporate live video, it would have been nice to see an actual Zoom call window with live video to make the experience even more realistic.
Script: As a native Texan now living in Seattle, I think this would be a perfect piece to stage in the Pacific Northwest. It was a mirror poking fun at what overly progressive culture appears to outsiders what with our aimless navel gazing, social justice warriors, the bewildering concept of “holding space”, our obsession with knitting, or the shaming of using disposable products. Additionally, the annoyingly confusing West coast expressions “yeah, no” and “no, yeah” were spot on! Much like the Pacific Northwest, the characters in this play constantly slyly “out-woke” each other, all while attempting not to offend anyone. It was a tightrope act of good writing. The audience seemed to agree since I even overheard a patron purchasing the script (something I’ve never witnessed before) as I was leaving the theatre.
Suzanne: I absolutely loved Jessica Hecht’s portrayal of Suzanne, especially her expertly delivered awkward audible non-verbal expressions. It reminded me of the subtle, yet charged, dynamics between WASP-y PTA alpha moms.
Scenic Design: Todd Rosenthal designed a highly realistic set that captured the authentic look and feel of a school library.
Anti-vaxxer’s Story: One of the characters delivered a compelling, monologue-like story explaining their opposition to vaccines. As a healthcare professional who is unapologetically pro-medication and pro-Western medicine, I don’t pretend to fully understand the anti-vaccine perspective. However, the thought-provoking storytelling provided a moment of empathy, allowing me to pause and consider the emotions and concerns that drive their stance.

Other Musing(s) and Observation(s)

Sixth Actor: It’s always a bit strange when an actor is introduced to the audience late in a musical or play, which also happened in Edgar and Annabelle. In both cases, the late introudction was completely integral to the plot, but I can’t help but imagine how frustrating it must be for the actor to wait throughout the entire production to deliver their scanty lines. The experience reminded me of “Diva’s Lament (What Ever Happened to My Part?)” from Spamalot. How much are these actors with less than 5 minutes of airtime paid per performance compared to those with a full range of lines to deliver?
Real School Administrators: Can I just say kudos to the school administrators/teachers tasked with “herding cats” in addressing the demands of concerned parents who are ultimately never completely satisfied? It sounds awful.

Theatre Company: Manhattan Theatre Club

Venue: Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

Venue Physical Address: 261 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

Venue Classification: Broadway

Price Range: $74-321

Ticket Affordability Options: Download the TodayTix app for digital rush tickets. You can only purchase the digital rush tickets on the app and not the website. You can also likely buy discount tickets at the TKTS booth.

Dates: First preview was 11/25/24 and opening night was 12/16/24. As of 1/11/25, the closing date is 2/16/25.

Seating: Assigned Seating

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Pictures: See production pictures below by Jeremy Daniel.

Cast and Production Team: See after pictures below.