REVIEW: Coal Mine’s Eureka Day offers a nuanced portrayal of medical mistrust
iPhoto caption: Sophia Walker in 'Eureka Day.' Photo by Elana Emer.
Back in 2020, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Toronto, where I learnt the basics of vaccinations, how they work, and their efficacy. Soon after, I experienced the mid-pandemic wave of mistrust that arose surrounding the very science that I dedicated years of my life researching. What could possibly urge people to deny experts, doctors, and researchers at the risk of their own life — and the lives of their children? These thoughts swirled through my brain as I entered Coal Mine Theatre to watch the compelling piece of art that is Eureka Day.
In Jonathan Spector’s Eureka Day, the titular private school’s board members deal with an unexpected mumps outbreak in their community. When Eureka Day’s usual policy of radical acceptance no longer suits every family, the board attempts to find a way forward without leaving anybody behind.
As I stepped into the theatre, the set immediately caught my attention. Designers Steve Lucas and Beckie Morris style the stage like an elementary school classroom, with posters on the wall featuring alphabetic sayings like “F is for Feminism” and shelves of books discussing social justice topics. I could sense the school’s atmosphere from these elements alone. The choice to use a raked stage is subtle but effective in creating a perspective that balances each board member’s position when they all sit in a circle.
The first scene of the production efficiently presents this idea of balance, with board member Eli (Jake Epstein) analyzing the race options on an application form’s dropdown menu. Eli reads out the extensive range of choices (including Pacific Islander, South Asian, Southeast Asian, East Asian, and other) and argues for the addition of “trans-racial adoptee.” Though the topic seems inconsequential, the board argues about it with intense seriousness. Director Mitchell Cushman plays up the characters’ commitment to inclusion for laughs, using the juxtaposition between a trivial topic and the actors’ fervent delivery. Though lighthearted, this scene sets the tone for a more significant decision about the school’s libertarian approach to vaccination policy.
The genius of this dramedy lies in its range of character perspectives, and the cast’s ability to humanize them. Every board member has a different view on what needs to be done to keep the school running. Sophia Walker gives her character, newcomer Carina, an assertive but kind inflection; she’s only willing to move forward if mandatory vaccinations become the new policy. Sarah McVie, on the other hand, portrays Suzanne as passionate but stubborn; she believes that forcing parents into a non-choice goes against the school’s value system, and is therefore not right for their community. The other three provide a spectrum between these extremes, with Eli suggesting vaccinating on a delayed schedule, Meiko (Stephanie Sy) believing in naturopathic medicine, and board chair Don (Kevin Bundy) staying neutral beyond his goal of keeping the school operational.
Nowadays, the term “anti-vaxxer” is politically loaded, and the director’s note from Cushman acknowledges the contemporary association with the Trump administration and the far-right. But when Spector wrote the play, he couldn’t have predicted how important these conversations about misinformation would soon be.
Eureka Day was first produced in 2018 in Berkeley, California, where the story is set. Yet, while watching, I was blown away by the accuracy with which Spector portrays medical mistrust, school shutdowns, and the divisive nature of the internet — ideas which should still feel relatable to Canadians. There’s a particularly hilarious scene portraying a chaotic Skype call between disagreeing parents spewing insults, misinformation, and a periodic thumbs-up emoji. In 2026, it’s easy to lump the anti-vax movement with other, more problematic opinions, but in 2018, these parents would have no way of knowing that their fears would be used alongside a right-wing agenda.
Again, I’m fairly well versed in the science that makes vaccinations possible. But, even with this background, I understand hesitancy around trusting others who might not have your best interests at heart. There’s a population of people who do not trust doctors due to historic and systemic problems around racism, ableism, and misogyny. There are real, good-hearted human beings that do not, and will not, trust what scientists advise.
The show does not portray these specific reasons to oppose vaccinations but it does offer similar, layered perspectives. What Spector and Cushman do so spectacularly is present each person as nuanced. No one is demonized — and yet the play does not portray every perspective as equally valid. When it all comes down to the wire, the school must make a choice on how it moves forward. And hopefully, while watching, audiences will too.
Eureka Day runs at Coal Mine Theatre until March 1. More information is available here.
Melissa Avalos wrote this review as part of Page Turn, a professional development network for emerging arts writers, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts and administered by Neworld Theatre.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Melissa Avalos
Melissa is a multidisciplinary artist, young reviewer, box office aficionado, and Toronto-born Filipina-Latina woman. She studied at The University of Toronto and earned a degree in biochemistry and linguistics, but her love of theatre outweighed her need for a job in a stable industry. She wants to change the culture of Toronto theatre to be more inclusive and accessible. Her biggest goal is to become a producer of the arts, or to win Jeopardy (whichever comes first).
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