By Kimberly Rau
If your new year’s resolution is to consume more art that fully captures the modern human experience, has Gamm got a show for you.
If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, then the advisory group for Eureka Day School, a private academy in the San Francisco Bay Area, should probably pack some air conditioners. For they are all so very well-intentioned, so achingly earnest to make sure no one feels excluded or unheard, that they can’t even get a sentence out without interrupting themselves. Or each other. There is no point too small to leave unexamined. But when the school’s problems go from hypothetical and small to pandemic-level and tragic, the group finds itself at odds with each other.
The show, which was written prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, takes a hard look at what it means to be inclusive. Do all view points carry the same validity? Should everyone always be accommodated? And when the choice comes down to protecting many or a few, who wins? Does it matter if “the few” hold more sway?
It sounds like heavy material, but playwright Jonathan Spector makes sure to include enough humor (dark as it may be) to keep the audience from sinking too far, and director Tony Estrella keeps things moving at a brisk pace. The wit is sharp, self-deprecating and completely on point, as evidenced through the disaster that is the virtual Q&A session the school tries to hold in the wake of a mumps outbreak. The comments come in, fast and ignorant, until the head administrator loses his grip and shuts the whole thing down. “Stop typing!” he screams. The keyboard warriors ignore him. The advisory group begins to fracture, and it becomes clear that there will be no unity in whatever happens next.
Estrella has assembled a terrific cast for this production. Gabriel Graetz plays head administrator Don, an affable man whose kindness makes up for what he lacks in backbone. Graetz is just the right amount of hapless in this role, turning Don’s turmoil into an ever-present, palpable energy. You bring the conflict, he’ll have the eggshells.
Deb Martin plays Suzanne, one of the school’s first parents who finds herself in the center of the show’s ultimate conflict. But that’s no surprise, because you understand from her first lines that Suzanne is always at the center of things, a true force to be reckoned with. She wants to do the right thing, but she’ll retreat to old habits when threatened, up to and including taking her ball and going home. Martin, always a powerful presence on stage, is the right choice for this role.
Daraja Hinds is Carina, a parent whose son has just enrolled at Eureka Day. Carina clearly wants to get along with her new cohort, but also isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. Hinds plays the role of newcomer well, and it is through her choices that we are able to clearly see how codependent the others have become.
Meiko is a more established Eureka Day parent, with a longer tenure on the board and a history of being involved with the school’s development. We also get the sense she is sick of being pushed around by Suzanne. Played beautifully by Jihan Haddad, Meiko finds her voice over the course of the play, until we see she has the potential to be the next force of nature.
Finally, there’s Eli, a school dad who’s the progressive variety of toxic masculinity. He’ll shout over you, but then he’ll apologize (before doing it again). He’ll respect his wife’s wishes…to a point. And he’ll take a stand, but quickly waver. In other words, Eli knows the right thing to do, and, as long as it requires no effort outside of his norm, he’ll do it. He’s a maddening character, but Ben Grills does a great job with it.
The story primarily unfolds in the school library, a bright, cheerful room designed by Patrick Lynch. It’s the kind of place you’d be happy to send your kids to every day. And Amanda Downing Carney has done a wonderful job with the costumes, which are perfectly suited to each character.
“Eureka Day” is the kind of show everyone can relate to, regardless of where life has taken them. You either love the characters, or hate them, but on some level, we’re all them. Because of this, it’s easy to find yourself immersed in the story, with your own opinions on what should happen next. This is definitely one you’ll be discussing with your plus-one after bows.
“Eureka Day” runs through Feb. 1, 2026, at The Gamm Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. Tickets may be obtained at the box office, online at gammtheatre.org or by calling 401.723.4266.
