Group Chats

Eureka Day

Welcome to the beginning of a new school year at Eureka Day, a fictional, privately run, very liberal elementary school in California. As the curtain rises, five parents who comprise this year’s Advisory Board are discussing the concerns of another parent. It seems they have offered some suggestions for changing the wording in the school’s admission form. As always, the group’s consideration is always for equality, inclusion and diversity in every element of the school. The decision for amending the document must be a unanimous vote, as dictated by Eureka Day’s bi-laws. The school prides itself on showing respect and offering open arms to one and all. There’s a promise that the voice of every staff member, parent and student will always be heard and respected in every situation.

Directed with her usual artistry and brilliance by Lili-Anne Brown, the laughs in Jonathan Spector’s comedy continually erupt as we watch five school Board members over the course of  several meetings and group chats. Forever tip-toeing around sensitive situations, striving to continually be politically correct and always desiring to be inclusive of everyone, these passionate characters ignite laughter with their boundless enthusiasm. And even though the play is set in 2018, just before the Covid Pandemic, the situation becomes especially timely when an outbreak of mumps threatens the school population. 

The recent upheaval that’s taken place in America’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, particularly the removal of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, brings to mind today’s headlines. As Eureka Day’s Advisory Committee tries to come up with a document that defines the school’s policy on vaccination requirements, the topic opens up a whole new can of worms. The Board eventually decides to encourage live debate with all the parents. They do this online in the form of a group chat zoom call. But between the Board members jockeying to be seen and heard on camera, and the dozens of typed comments and emojis provided by the various parents, this fiasco quickly turns into the play’s funniest scene.  

The Advisory Board is led by Suzanne (played with smooth sophistication by Rebekkah Ward), a parent whose children have all attended Eureka Day over the years. She’s a veteran of this institution. As such, Suzanne understands the school’s objectives and is the epitome of the confident, affluent and overly-concerned parent. Suzanne is a model for the kind of person who enjoys her power over others. Suzanne knows that, with carefully chosen words and a plate of tasty scones, she can always bulldoze everyone else, in order to get her own way. Suzanne can come off as a phony, smiling broadly as she stabs her friends in the back. But the woman will never back down or ever show her vulnerability—that is until near the end of this entertaining and enthralling one-act. In one emotional monologue, Ms. Ward opens up to show us the sorrowful mother lying beneath the smiling facade.

Every year Eureka Day Elementary School invites a new parent to join the other four members of the Advisory Board. This year, Carina (exquisitely portrayed by Chicago favorite, Gabrielle Lott-Rogers) joins the committee, since her child is a new student at the school. Carina is the only African-American member of the Advisory Board. At first she remains reticent, tactful and accommodating, but we can see that Carina’s not going to become another pawn for Suzanne. This lady is one smart cookie and, just when it counts the most, Carina finds her voice and makes her views known concerning the Board’s effectiveness. When Suzanne and Carina finally face off near the end of the play, we suddenly learn a lot more about both women that we didn’t know before.

The other three parent advisors include Meiko (talented Aurora Adachi-Winter), as a single, sassy, Asian-American mother of a little girl; Eli (the always wonderful Jurgen Hooper), as an exuberant stay-at-home father of youngster, whose son enjoys play dates with Meiko’s daughter; and Don (played by the gifted actor and Artistic Director of TimeLine Theatre, PJ Powers), as the sensitive and caring Principal of Eureka Day Elementary. As administrator, Don valiantly tries to be all things to all people at his school. Caroline Chu has a cameo role as Winter, another new parent and member of the Advisory Board. Both as individual characters and as a collective and supportive ensemble, this cast of talented and experienced actors is unparalleled.

The play primarily takes place in the gorgeous, handsomely detailed library of Eureka Day School. Collette Pollard’s meticulous Scenic Design is both stunning and realistic. The large classroom sports a high-beamed ceiling, a cozy fireplace and an array of dark wooden bookcases, all flanked by two floor-to-ceiling windows. Through them we can see the trees and other lush greenery growing in the schoolyard. The bookshelves are all filled with hundreds of colorful children’s books on display, thanks to the careful Properties and Set Dressing provided by Amy Peter. And all of the various child-size, elementary school style furniture is spot-on perfect. 

A special shoutout goes to two other talented designers. Projections Designer Paul Deziel has created moving typed text messages shown on a large, overhead screen. They allow the audience in on the zoom call between the parents and the Advisory Board. And kudos to Costume Designer Yvonne L. Miranda for her stylish contemporary wardrobe that further define each of the characters. Also, with each costume change, the costumes remind the audience that another day has passed.

Although first presented in 2018, Jonathan Spector’s hilarious EUREKA DAY feels as timely as if it had been written yesterday. With the current controversy raging in America over the shocking new medical advice and regulations placed upon immunization, Spector’s comedy hits home hard. Astutely Directed by Lili-Anne Brown, this gifted cast works well together, like the gears of a finely oiled time piece. Each actor has his or her own moment to chime, but it’s in the group chats where all the humor, humanity and harmonious insight rings forth most clearly.       

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented January 13-February 22 by TimeLine Theatre and Broadway in Chicago at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago.

Tickets are available at all Broadway in Chicago box offices, the BIC Ticket Line at 800-775-2000 or online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.