Justin Jarzombek, Tim Walsh, and Susie Steinmeyer Photo courtesy of North Shore Camera Club

Mom, Sherri Rosen-Mason (Susie Steinmeyer), is head of admissions at a prestigious prep school and takes pride in having dramatically increased diversity during her tenure. Her well-intentioned efforts frequently collide with the perspective of her assistant, Roberta (Elaine Carlson), who insists she is "color-blind," literally struggling to understand how race should factor into admissions materials. Sherri's husband Bill (Tim Walsh), the school's headmaster, shares her progressive ideals. But those ideals are tested when their son Charlie (Justin Jarzombek), a senior at the school, is deferred from Yale while his best friend Perry, who is one-quarter Black, is accepted. Suddenly, the family must confront the uneasy tension between their public values and their private ambitions.

This strong cast tackles Harmon's razor-sharp script with confidence, allowing the playwright's words to land exactly as intended: often funny, often uncomfortable, and always thought-provoking. As director Beth Wolf notes in her program statement, the play invites audiences to "look within, to consider the ways in which, even with the best intentions, we remain complicit in the perpetuation of something that we simultaneously abhor." It is nearly impossible not to reflect as each scene peels back another layer of contradiction: Roberta expressing confusion over how many pictures of diverse students is the right number; Charlie delivering a blistering monologue questioning how race is defined and who gets to decide; and Perry's mother Ginnie (Tina Shelley) mourning both a fractured friendship and the burdens placed on people of color even in supposedly progressive spaces. All of these actors are perfect in their roles.

Jarzombek is the standout as Charlie, capturing with startling authenticity the volatility and uncertainty of a teenager struggling to define himself in a morally complicated world. His extended monologue following the Yale deferment is electrifying, the kind of moment that alone could justify a return visit. The other characters match Jarzombek's strength, with each one helping with the confusion. The other cast members match his strength beautifully: Carlson's Roberta provides sharp comedic timing and perfectly calibrated awkwardness; Shelley brings warmth and emotional depth to Ginnie's growing heartbreak; and Steinmeyer and Walsh allow us to see loving parents whose convictions begin to fracture under pressure.

I always love seeing how the intimate Citadel space is transformed, and Bob Knuth's unified set combining office and home is perfect. Danielle Reinhardt's creative costuming fits each character but is spot on for Sherri Mason, shifting from professional blazers to comfortable home layers, subtly underscoring the character's dual roles as administrator and mother, a detail that resonated deeply with me as a parent navigating my own child's college journey. Wolf's direction is equally skillful, not only in drawing out both the humor and tension in the performances, but in the fluid staging that keeps the dialogue-driven play visually engaging.

Admissions is ultimately a "thinking play" in the truest sense. It challenges audiences across the political spectrum, confirming some beliefs while unsettling others. Around me, I saw heads nodding, neighbors whispering, and expressions tightening as the story unfolded. I left without clear answers, only deeper questions about privilege, fairness, and how we reconcile our ideals with our personal desires. And for me, that lingering discomfort is precisely why I loved this show.

Admissions runs through March 15, 2026, at Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan Rd., Lake Forest IL. For tickets and information, please visit www.citadeltheatre.org.