***** For almost 30 years, Chicago audiences have learned a great deal about history while being entertained by Timeline Theatre Company. I know I have! While they are without a home while building theirs in Uptown, they are teaming up with other venues to continue bringing their quality work to Chicago theater audiences. They are presently doing a production of “Eureka Day” ( a multi- Tony Award winner) at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. I must tell you this is 100 minutes ( no intermission) of theater perfection!

“Eureka Day” written by Jonathan Spector and directed by Lili-Anne Brown is a look at a private day school and those who are on a board to ensure that the school be one that is highly ranked and very “special”. The play takes place in the school library where the board is meeting relative to a situation involving Mumps and vaccine. Should all children be vaccinated? There are five people on this committee/board and the rule about making any changes to the school rules is that it must be all who agree on any items. The town or city that they are in is one of privilege, and each of the personalities is unique with their own agenda.

The leader of the group is Don ( played to perfection by PJ Powers) who is always trying to keep the peace and make all of the other participants feel the need to work as one. The others in the group are Eli ( deftly handled by Jurgen Hooper), Meiko ( Aurora Adachi-Winter), Suzanne ( Rebekah Ward) and Carina ( Gabrielle Lott-Rogers) who is the “new member”. I should tell you that Carina is African-American which in many ways is a part of the story being told. The policy of the board is that each year a new parent is added in order to cover all their bases. However, they never talk about why they still only have 5 members. When the play ends you will meet the next new member (Caroline Chu).

The story is done in multi scenes with most of them taking place in the school library with the situation escalating to the point that they have to close the school. One of the zaniest scenes in this comedy/drama is what I might call the “zoom scene”. The board goes online with the parents of their students relative to the vaccine situation and the school having to do certain things to re-open. This is a scene that will have you laughing hard at how the parents chime in as Don attempts to calm  and inform them. The parents chime in on the subject as well as any other topic that is on their mind and one parent, Leslie Kaufman ( watch the reaction on this one) has a response to every item brought up. This scene is worth the price of the ticket alone, but the entire 100 minutes is an escape from our cold weather as well as bringing some knowledge about the vaccine situations we know today. NOTE: This play is prior to the Covid 19 crisis.

This cast is dynamite and blends together, working with and off each one. I will tell you that there is an affair on the group, there is some class and race mention , and of course, one of the characters feels far above everyone else and knowing that  they must ALL agree on every decision, feels that she will always have her way. With all the ups and downs, what happens in the final two scenes will truly “make your day” !

Ms Brown’s direction on a wonderful set by Collette Pollard is smooth as silk. The actors move the furniture and items around and there is a wall that rotates allowing a change of set in seconds. The flow of the 100 minutes is never broken, and the costume changes ( costumes by Yvonne L. Miranda) are amazingly fast. The lighting (Jason Lynch) and sound ( Willow James) are perfect and Amy Peter has done an amazing job of assembling props. I truly feel that this should be on your “must see” list. In fact, if it was possible, I might give this one ****** ( but I would have to alter my rules to do that, wouldn’t I?).

“Eureka Day” will continue Thru – Feb 22nd with performances as follows: