Jennifer Avery and Steve Key/Photo: Liz Lauren

The sixties were defined by passion: to stop an unpopular war, to create lasting social change. It was a fervor that almost pushed an entire generation of youth to madness. That passion is completely missing from Victory Gardens’ “Class Dismissed.”

An act of civil disobedience forces Ron (Aaron Roman Weiner in a REALLY distracting wig) and Pete (Steve Key) to retreat with their friends to Ron’s Vermont family home. There, the group encounters infidelity, unplanned pregnancy, terminal illness, creative failure, disloyalty and financial betrayal. Jeffrey Sweet’s script is awash in conflict, yet each life-changing obstacle receives nothing more from the text than a detached, tepid “oh well.”

The cast tries valiantly to recreate the humanity and humor of the era: Jennifer Avery is appealing as the sardonic hippie-chick; the ever-reliable Marc Grapey can make throat clearing funny. But the sixties’ success can be measured by its conflict resolution. This bunch does nothing. (Lisa Buscani)

At Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln, (773)871-3000. Through April 26.