NEWS: Final Eureka Day casting announced

Joining previously announced Olivier award winner Jenna Russell (Hello, Dolly! London Palladium; Piaf, Nottingham Playhouse) as Suzanne, founding member of the Eureka Day Elementary School, is Jonathan Coy (Noises Off, West End; Downton Abbey, ITV) as Don, the hard-pressed principal.

The remainder of the progressive school board are made up by Hayley Doherty (Moonlight & Magnolias, Nottingham Playhouse; Peaky Blinders, BBC) as Winter, a brand new parent with a fresh perspective; Matt Gavan (As You Like It, Theatre Royal Bath; Masters of the Air, Apple TV) as Eli, a wealthy former tech bro; Adele James (The Comedy About Spies, Noel Coward Theatre; Underdog, The Other Other Bronte, National Theatre) as Carina, the newest member of the school board; and Kirsty Rider (Further Than the Furthest Thing, Young Vic; Such Brave Girls, BBC/Disney) as Meiko, a single mother with a secret lover.

 The UK regional premiere of Jonathan Spector’s razor-sharp comedy Eureka Day sees friendships challenged when an outbreak of mumps reveals that not everyone is on board with the school’s approach to public health. The Executive Committee of well-meaning parents and teachers at a progressive Californian elementary school fall apart, as their selfless paradise crumbles and meetings are derailed by parental hysteria.

 This laugh-out-loud play observes how easy it is to abandon lofty principles when reality hits, and how the results can lead to complete turmoil. Eureka Day won a prestigious Tony Award in New York earlier this year for Best Revival of a Play.

James Grieve (Fisherman’s Friends The Musical, UK Tour; The Invincibles, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and New Wolsey Ipswich) will direct Eureka Day, and commented:

“It is an incredible privilege to share a rehearsal room with this exceptional cast. Jenna, Jonathan, Kirsty, Adele, Matt and Hayley have the skill, wit and dexterity to match the finely crafted comedy of Jonathan’s writing and I can’t wait to see them bring these unforgettable characters to life. I think Nottingham Playhouse audiences are in for an absolute treat.”

James was formerly joint Artistic Director of Paines Plough, where he directed new plays by writers including Mike Bartlett, James Graham and Kae Tempest.

Other creatives on Eureka Day include East Midlands based Designer Eleanor Field; Lighting Designer Elliot Griggs; Sound Designer and Composer Lee Affen; Video Designer Matt Powell; Casting Director Ginny Schiller CDG; Voice and Dialect Coach Aundrea Fudge and Intimacy Coordinator Rosie Fletcher.