University Of Iowa College Of Public Health

When a mumps outbreak hits a small progressive school in Berkeley, California, parents who once agreed on everything find themselves suddenly divided. Eureka Day, a play by Jonathan Spector, uses humor and heart to explore the messy intersection of personal choice, public health, and community trust. In this episode of Plugged into Public Health, we talk with Kathleen Johnson, Director of Outreach and Education at Riverside Theatre and the director of Eureka Day in Iowa City. Kathleen shares how the production connects with real-world public health issues—especially vaccine hesitancy and communication across different beliefs—and why theater can sometimes say what data alone can’t. From PTA politics to social media comment sections, this conversation dives into how we navigate disagreement, how empathy shapes public dialogue, and what it means to keep communities healthy and connected. Show link: https://riversidetheatre.org/eurekaday/ A transcript of this episode is available at https://www.public-health