Displaying items by tag: Jonathan Spector

Lake Forest's Citadel Theatre has announced the full cast and crew for its season opener - the satirical comedy EUREKA DAY, which examines the frequently contradictory practices of a fictional, highly progressive private school located in Berkeley, California. The play, which premiered in Berkeley in 2018, deals with topical subjects like vaccinations, privilege, and communication, utilizing sharp wit, farce, and intense dialogue to create laughter. It was produced on Broadway in the 2024-25 season and won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Revival of Play. Scott Westerman, the director of such Citadel hits as MISERY, A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN, THE MOUSETRAP, THE CHRISTIANS, and SEX WITH STRANGERS, will direct. 

 
Leading Westerman's cast as Don, a member of the school's board who tries to keep the peace when the debate over whether or not the school should require vaccinations becomes heated, will be Steve McDonagh, who recently earned raves for his performance as "Man in Chair" in Theo Ubique's THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. The school's founder, Suzanne, will be played by Jennifer Ruffner, seen earlier this year in Citadel's ADMISSIONS. Cast as Carina, the parent of a black student at the school, is Alexis Primus, who appeared in TUTA Theatre's THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER in 2024 and 2025. Ethan Check, of 2023's GODS AND MONSTERS at Theater Wit, has the role of Eli, a stay-at-home dad. Carmen Liao (Raven Theatre's A DOLL'S HOUSE) will be Meiko – a single mother who deeply opposes vaccinations. Kristin Weed, seen recently on the North Shore in HAIRSPRAY with Uptown Music Theatre, will play Winter – one of the parents on the school's executive committee. Understudies are Jason Clark (u/s/ Don), Amy Yulish (u/s Suzanne), Kristin Weed (u/s/ Carina), Austin Rambo (u/s/ Eli), and Stephanie Fongheiser (u/s/ Meiko).

The production team is Scott Phelps (Producer), Ellen Phelps (Producer), Kate Espinoza (Stage Manager), Bob Knuth (Set Design), Devin Meseke (Scenic Charge), kClare McKellaston (Costume Design), Jodi Williams (Lighting Design), Petter Wahlbäck (Sound Design), Mitchell Pollitt (Master Carpenter), Randy Rozler (Properties Design), Kira Nutter (Intimacy Director), Devon Carson (Assistant Director), Kristin Weed (Run Crew).

Season subscriptions are available for the full four-show season at $140.00, or as flex passes that can be used for the patron's choice of either three shows for $115.00 or two shows for $80.00. Preview flex passes are also available for $45 (two shows), $55 (three shows), or $65 (four shows). Subscriptions and single tickets priced at $50 (plus ticketing fees) are now on sale at www.citadeltheatre.org. 
 
Citadel Theatre is in residence in the West Campus of the Lake Forest School District at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Further information and ticketing is available on the company's website at www.citadeltheatre.org.

EUREKA DAY
By Jonathan Spector
Directed by Scott Westerman
Friday, September 11 – Sunday, October 11, 2026
(Preview September 9 at 7:30 pm)

Preview ticket prices $27.15 including ticketing fee. Regular run prices $53.40 including  ticketing fee. Discounts available for groups, seniors and students.
Citadel Theatre, located in the West Campus building of the Lake Forest School District, 300 S. Waukegan Rd., Lake Forest, IL.
Tickets available online at www.citadeltheatre.org or by phone at 847-735-8554, ext. 1
 
In this hilarious 2025 Tony Award-winning satire, an elite private school is thrown into crisis when a mumps outbreak divides parents and board members over vaccines. As debates intensify and facts grow slippery, every solution only deepens the conflict. EUREKA DAY asks us to fully recognize the humanity of those we disagree with.

Let’s face it – in today’s world, “vaccinations” are a hot-button topic. More than ever, anything around health has become highly politicized, and for some, can elicit a deeply emotional reaction. Therefore, consensus is even harder to come by, and for some, even entering the debate feels impossible.

Despite all of that, leave it to Playwright Jonathan Spector to do the impossible and turn a play about vaccinations and consensus into a laugh-out-loud comedy. If you’re anything like this Opening Night audience, you might even find yourself gasping for air as you try to work through the laughter enough to absorb whatever witty one-liner comes next.

Spector’s Eureka Day takes place at a highly progressive private school where all decisions are made by consensus. However, when a mumps outbreak takes over the school, the Executive Board is going to find that artisanal scones are not always going to provide enough band aid for differing opinions.  Chaos ensues as parents clash in opinions over vaccinations and research, leaving the community unsure of how the school will ever recover.

Directed by Lili‑Anne Brown, Eureka Day is a witty, fast‑paced production presented by TimeLine Theatre in partnership with Broadway in Chicago. The work of Brown’s talented creative team immediately transports us into an elementary school library – particularly that of Scenic Designer Collete Pollard. The combination of picture books, colorful bean bags, and small chairs is sure to leave you feeling nostalgic as you think back to a time when you perhaps inhabited spaces like this.

Brown’s production features a strong ensemble with spot-on comedic timing. PJ Powers as Don, Eureka Day’s principal, elicited great laughter at this performance through his deep need to smooth over any debate. With every sigh or pause, he had the audience in the palm of his hand – wondering how he was going to try and navigate that particular rough patch. Jürgen Hooper expertly strikes a delicate balance with his approach to Eli, a character that walks a line as he tries to embody the stereotypical “white, woke man.”  Aurora Adachi-Winter has an authentic, genuine approach to her Meiko – the mom so many of us will recognize as the one who does not want to ruffle feathers, but also only has so much farther she can be pushed before she simply has to let her anger explode.

You might find that part of the cleverness of Spector’s story is its ability to invite an audience to empathize with both sides of the vaccination debate. Much as one might expect – not every parent meets eye to eye. As the school navigates the decision on whether or not to mandate the mumps vaccine for their students, we receive a window into the personal experiences of families on both sides.

In one particular scene, it is only Suzanne (Rebekah Ward) and Carina (Gabrielle Lott-Rogers) on stage. It is clear at this point that while Carina is pro-vaccination requirements, Suzanne is very much against. There is a great deal of silence, and the discomfort can be felt in the audience. While I do not wish to give away all of the details, I can say this – both actors treat their sides of the debate with a delicate grace. There is an openness and generosity from both Lott-Rogers and Ward that allows the audience to understand where they are each coming from. Regardless of which side of the debate on which you fall, you might just find yourself moved by the scene – and the ability for both characters to let down their walls and help each other understand their side of a highly personal topic.

A witty script with a lot of heart makes Eureka Day an absolute must-see. The topic alone is timely, and the ensemble brings it to life in a way that will stick with you for days.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Eureka Day runs through February 22, 2026 at Broadway Playhouse – 175 E. Chestnut Street. For tickets and information, see the Timeline Theatre website.