Every Brilliant Thing at North Carolina Stage Company

Every Brilliant Thing

by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe

You’re six years old and your mom’s in the hospital because, as your dad says, she “finds it hard to be happy”. You start making a list for her of all the wonderful things in life.

No. 1 “Ice cream”

No. 6 “Rollercoasters”

No. 517 “Knowing someone well enough to get them to check your teeth for broccoli”

The list grows as you do, taking on a life of its own, eventually morphing into a million items and the very thing that helps you find light during your own darkest moments.

No. 999 “Sunlight”

No. 10,000 “Waking up late with someone you love”

No. 999,997 “The alphabet”

Every Brilliant Thing is a heart wrenching and hilarious one-man play that will have your belly laughing and your eyes brimming. Based on true and untrue stories and told with the help of the audience, it is a life-affirming story of how to achieve hope through focusing on the smallest miracles of life.

One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression—and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop…There is something tough being confronted here—the guilt of not being able to make those we love happy—and it is explored with unflinching honesty.” —The Guardian (UK)

Directed by Charlie Flynn-McIver

Featuring Scott Treadway

Live performances at 15 Stage Lane in downtown Asheville, NC AND streamed via Stellar Tickets

Content Warning: Although the play balances the struggles of life while celebrating all that is wonderful in living each day, Every Brilliant Thing contains brief descriptions of depression, self-harm, and suicide. It is recommended for audience members 14 and older. 

If you or somebody you know is struggling, please call 988, The Suicide & Crisis Hotline.