“Admissions” Reviewed by Frank Meccia

[rating=3]When I first saw the flyer for the new play by Joshua Harmon, thought of his past hits “Bad Jews, and Significant Other” I thought, how could he already do a play about college admissions scandal, when it just hit the news. Needless to say, this has nothing to do about parents paying to get their kids into college, but about the perils of privilege and whiteness.

How far will a parent go to help their child? Sherri’s mission in life is about Diversity, it’s her obsession as the admission counselor for a second-tier college prep school. Her goal for the past 15 years is to get their diversity program to 18% or higher. But Sherri and her headmaster husband Bill are put to the test when their outstanding son and student Charlie, who dreams of going to Yale, learns his application has been deferred.

This play for 90 minutes, make you squirm in your seat, even thou its humor helps with the show. Sheri played by Meighan Gerachis, is the type of mother who you can tell is demanding, domineering, and in charge. Her husband played by Stephen Walker is the father who enjoys having his wife take charge, who wants his kid to be just a kid, with no responsibilities. And Charlie played by Kyle Curry, is remarkable in the role, totally believable as a high school privileged senior into believing he has been discriminated against for being white. The best parts of the show are when Sherri is arguing with Roberta played by Judi Schindler to be more diverse with her pictures in the school’s application brochure. One moment she argues that there are not enough pictures of minorities, next she is arguing there are too many pictures, and then she argues as what a minority should look like.

The play can be difficult because it’s a combination of humor with social justice and drama, and you find yourself sitting on the fence deciding which side you are on. For a play that deals with diversity, there is no diversity in the actors, and the director Jeremy Wechsler, explains that after the show, when he has a sit down with the audience about the meaning behind the show.

I really enjoyed the clever staging and sets of this show, they work great, and help keep everything moving smoothly between the home and the school.

This play will really make you think and will add to your conversation at dinner afterwards.

ADMISSIONS is playing till May 12^{th with performances as follows:}

Price: $25-$42

Show Type: Drama

Box Office: 773-975-8150

Running Time: 1hr, 40mins

www.theaterwit.org

and while you at Theatre Wit, check out being a member, they have one of the most generous member programs in Chicago. It even includes free valet parking.

Theatre Wit, is located at 1229 w. Belmont, Chicago

To see what others are saying, visit www,theatreinchcago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Admissions”