'Eureka Day' review — a needle-sharp vaccine comedy
8 / 10
Eureka Day feels timelier now than ever, fleshing out all sides of topical debates on the big stage with an excellent cast.
8 / 10
Eureka Day feels timelier now than ever, fleshing out all sides of topical debates on the big stage with an excellent cast.
4 / 10
Jonathan Spector’s 2018 comedy Eureka Day mostly loses in its bright and bubbly Broadway premiere. The first monster it encounters is thematic. As with last season’s The Thanksgiving Play, which mocked a well-meaning elementary school drama teacher’s attempt to mount an even-handed history of the holiday, there are only so many laughs you can wring out of liberal cluelessness. Here, it’s the board members of a bougie California day school when faced with a mumps outbreak among its students. They’re the sort of people for whom things like “holding space” and “feeling seen” are paralyzing conundrums instead of useful frameworks in the fight for equity. The jokes at their expense start off strong but lose steam quickly, despite strong performances from a cast including Jessica Hecht and Thomas Middleditch.
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Amber Gray |
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY | Anna D. Shapiro |
| 2025 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play | Jessica Hecht |