Celebrate 2019 With Poignantly Funny Play EVERY BRILLIANT THING

Poignantly Funny Play EVERY BRILLIANT THING Performed as Fundraiser for Kid in the Corner, An Organization Created to Erase the Stigma of Mental Illness in Phoenix Area Schools

Kid in the Corner, along with Theater Artists Studio and Greasepaint Youth Theater, announces its second annual fundraiser with the production of the highly-praised Off-Broadway play, Every Brilliant Thing, December 28, 2019.

Scottsdale based non-profit Kid in the Corner is an organization created to start conversations in area schools about mental illness, remove the stigma surrounding it, and inspire kids to build peer connections through education, awareness and simple acts of kindness. Started in 2017, Kid in the Corner was created by Francine Sumner who lost her 16-year-old son Zach to suicide. "If only he could have seen the outpouring of love and support for him after his passing," says Sumner. "It wasn't that nobody cared. It was that nobody knew what to say. When people don't know what to say, they say nothing." Kid in the Corner gives kids the words; to speak up about their own mental illness, and to support those around them who may be struggling. In just over two years, Kid in the Corner has been in over 20 area schools and hopes to expand its reach into many more. Proceeds from the December 28th event will support this growth.

This year's Kid in the Corner fundraiser surrounds a funny and deeply moving production of the one-person play Every Brilliant Thing, which takes the audience on a journey through grief, healing, falling in love, and (re)discovering all that life has to give. Starring award-winning actress Debra Rich Gettleman, Every Brilliant Thing has been called a "high wire act that maintains a fragile balance," (NW Daily News) and "tender magic" (Chicago Tribune). Tickets are $100 and include a buffet dinner, dessert and wine reception, and a seat at either the 4:00 pm or 7:30 pm showing of Every Brilliant Thing. Every dollar raised allows Kid in the Corner to reach more kids in more classrooms, more parent groups, and more teachers and school administrators.

For information and tickets: https://www.kidinthecorner.org/everybrilliantthing

Additional Information: Unable to attend? Please support Kid in the Corner by purchasing tickets to A Brilliant Raffle. You can enter tickets for a chance to win your choice of 7 incredible, high-end prizes. All winners will be announced on Facebook Live on Sunday, December 29th at 12:00 noon MST. Purchase raffle tickets here: https://rafflecreator.com/pages/33767/a-brilliant-raffle-benefitting-kid-in-the-corner

On June 13, 2017, Francine Sumner lost her 16 year old son, Zach, to suicide. This heartbreaking tragedy rocked the community to its core. In the days and weeks that followed, stories emerged about how Zach was always looking out for and reaching out to the kid in the corner, those kids who felt alone and isolated. He touched more people in his short life than most people ever do. Zach was a giver with a keen eye for those in need. Yet sadly, he didn't feel the reciprocation when he himself became the kid in the corner. We believe that through education, awareness, kindness, and community connectedness, we can help change the story for the next Kid in the Corner. Our vow to Zach is to honor his legacy by continuing the incredibly important work he started.

About Debra Rich Gettleman: Debra Rich Gettleman is a professional actor, producer, playwright, and award-winning journalist. Past acting credits include Masha in Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, in both Phoenix and Seattle, the premiere of The Wizards of Quiz in Chicago, The Heidi Chronicles in Los Angeles, and back in Phoenix, Gina Gionfriddo's Pulitzer finalist, Rapture, Blister Burn, and Heidi Shreck's Grand Concourse. Her most recent play, Resisting Irrelevancy enjoyed a successful run at Theatre Artist's Studio earlier this year and her holiday farce, Twist of the Magi played to sold-out houses in both Phoenix and Washington. Her plays and short films have been featured in festivals around the country. Debra was a long-time radio host in Los Angeles and a political commentator for MSNBC and The Fox News Channel. She currently resides in Oklahoma City and is still trying to figure out why.

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