Hangar Theatre will stage Jonathan Spector's "Eureka Day" from July 25 through August 2 in Ithaca, bringing a Tony Award-winning comedy about a private-school community confronting a mumps outbreak and bitter vaccine debate.
The play follows a progressive Berkeley school board whose commitment to consensus is tested when a health crisis forces members to weigh facts against deeply held beliefs, according to a release from the theater.
The production opens with a preview at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25, followed by an opening performance at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 26. Additional performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. July 28-31; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.
A cast talkback will follow the July 28 performance. A panel titled "Meaningful Conversations in a Viral World: Understanding the Science and Policy on Vaccines" will follow the July 30 show.
Panelists will include Kara Rode Webber, director of Vaccination Conversations with Scientists; Ana Bento, a Cornell University professor of infectious disease ecology; Jamie Loehr, a local family medicine doctor and former member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; and William Klepack, medical director of Tompkins County Whole Health.
Katherine McGerr directs the production. The cast includes Kate MacCluggage, Greg Bostwick, Michelle Courtney Berry, Craig Wesley Divino and Erica Murphy.
Berry described the play as a funny examination of consensus, community and the difficulty of reaching agreement. McGerr said the story complicates the audience's assumptions as its characters confront the outbreak and one another.
"Eureka Day" premiered in 2018 and won the 2025 Tony Award for best revival. Hangar Theatre Producing Artistic Director Shirley Serotsky served as dramaturg for a 2019 Washington, D.C., production of the play.
The production contains adult language, sexual references and adult themes and is recommended for ages 13 and older. Hangar Theatre is at 801 Taughannock Blvd. in Ithaca.
Pay What You Will tickets are available at the door or by calling 607-273-2787. The program allows patrons to choose what they can afford to pay for performances in the theater's Mainstage and KIDDSTUFF series.
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