Review: ADMISSIONS at Players Circle Theater

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said “The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”  Psychologists, however, call the same thought pattern cognitive dissonance. Either of these definitions could be the subtitle for Admissions, now on stage at Players Circle Theater.

Sherri, played by Carrie Lund Cacioppo, is the admissions officer at a pricey prep school whose main objective is to increase the percentage of students of color in the school’s population. Her husband, played by William Mahone, is the head of the school. They are comfortable in their virtue signaling until their only child isn’t accepted into his ivy league college of choice, and hypocrisy rears its ugly head.

Harvey Evans gives another extraordinary performance as their son. He rants a monologue of roughly a million words and delivers it at breakneck speed with no loss of articulation.

A lot of “isms” come into play as the story unfolds: racism, elitism, idealism, and even a bit, dare I say it, of ageism. Sherri condescends to her long-suffering assistant Roberta, played with wide-eyed innocence by Kelly Jo Madoian, who provides some welcome comic relief.

Artistic Director Bob Cacioppo told the audience that although this is billed as a one act play, conversations afterward would constitute a second act. I bet he was right.

Admissions runs through January 26. For tickets, call 239.800.3292. But before you do, dust off your critical thinking skills. You’ll need them.

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