Bribing, scheming, and scrambling for admission into one of Manhattan’s elite private preschools is not usually the premise for a widely relatable story.  Add an underpinning of questions on sexual and gender identity, however, and New School for Drama alumnus Daniel Pearle’s new play takes on a very real, and current, social issue—garnering a rave review from New York Times in the process. Lauded as “smart” and “fluent,” Pearle’s A Kid Like Jake opened on Monday night at the Claire Tow Theater at Lincoln Center, with vetted actors like Carla Gugino and Peter Grosz giving “layered and honest” performances as title character Jake’s parents.

Beyond the harrowing process of vetting—and of course being vetted—for entrance into one of these exclusive havens, the play’s plot weaves through issues in raising a son whose actions often confront gender stereotypes. This theme, in turn, poses more questions than answers, as stress unveils the layered difficulties in parenting, education, and marital relationships. Read the full review here.

A Kid Like Jake runs through July 14. For tickets, visit https://www.telecharge.com/home.aspx or call 212.239.6200