Bright Ideas
by Eric Coble
I never know what I will receive as a favorite book from our
Tisch students, but, in this case, a play was the reading option of
choice. The play is called Bright Ideas by Eric Coble. The story focuses on the life of Josh and Gen
Bradley, parents of three-year-old Mac who will be entering daycare. Mac’s parents are hyper-sensitive, thinking
about every single thing needed for their son to be successful and prepared for
the world after daycare. Josh and Gen
become neurotic after visiting one center, realizing it isn’t the best one in
town. The best in town, called Bright
Ideas, has a 98% placement rate into Ivy League colleges! The couple takes the
shocking step of poisoning a parent whose child goes to Bright Ideas to open a
space for their son as he is next on the waiting list. After getting Mac into Bright Ideas, the
parents do whatever is necessary for their child to win the “Golden Pony”
excellence award. They go so far that they almost kill Mac’s teacher by
loosening the blades on her lawnmower! The book is a social commentary on the
lengths parents will go to get their child to be a superstar at all costs. Very dark humor with a gentle message: let
kids be kids. Interesting note, my MFA
Directing faculty member was the Artistic Director for the show’s first
production at the Cleveland Playhouse in 2002. A total overboard on many levels of what is
happening. Fun to see staged, I’m sure.
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