‘Eureka Day’ at City Theatre (Wed., 3/18/26)

EUREKA DAY by Jonathan Spector. City Theatre. Through March 29.

At a small, private day school, one which prides itself in equity and diversity, a select committee of parents convenes to discuss a recent outbreak of mumps and, proactive to its likely spread, update the school’s abiding policy on vaccination. Four parents along with the school’s principal must be unanimous in their decision; that’s the school’s policy, too. And for purposes of inclusivity, the committee is required to consider all parents’ input, at least (here) addressed in text messages (projected on stage.) In Eureka Day, playwright Jonathan Spector is clearly staging the kind of socially progressive, free-for-all meeting any parent—liberal or conservative—would cringe to join. But the confluence of parental opinion is the stuff of riotous comedy, both satirical and farcical. Could the cure possibly be more dangerous than the diagnosis? Does consensus-building have any role in a school devoted to personal achievement? Oh, but maybe this will be another Eureka Day! The comedy premiered in Berkeley, California, in 2018, well before COVID-19, and after playing the Old Vic in the West End, was staged on Broadway where it won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Directed by Andil Monsoor, City Theatre’s production is a master class in comedy worth staying after school. 1 and 7 :30 p.m. 1300 Bingham St., South Side. (C.P.O.)

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