Virginia Stage Company Presents EVERY BRILLIANT THING

Virginia Stage Company closes its 43rd Season of live theatre with Every Brilliant Thing written by Duncan MacMillan and Johnny Donahoe, sponsored by Sentara Healthcare at The Historic Wells Theatre (108 E. Tazewell Street, Norfolk VA) from May 18th to June 5th, 2022.

This production marks the end of VSC's first season returning to live in-person performances. This production, directed by Producing Artistic Director Tom Quaintance, brings together a team of talented designers, all of whom have had their work featured at VSC previously. Scenic Designer McKay Coble (Matilda), Lighting Design Christina Watanabe (Guys & Dolls), and Sound Designer Steven Allegretto (A Merry Little Christmas Carol, Dreamgirls), join VSC's resident costume designer Jeni Schaefer. We are pleased to unite a team of frequent collaborators with Mr. Quaintance.

Every Brilliant Thing tells the transformative story of finding joy in the small details of life in the face of mental illness and suicide. This powerful story is told from the perspective of our narrator, a single performer. An immersive storytelling experience, limited seating is entirely onstage at the Wells, performed in the round. The play blends comedy, improv, and audience interaction to tell the story of someone growing up in the shadow of their mother's struggle with suicidal depression, and learning to grapple with their own journey. This 75-minute tour-de-force will feature two actors alternating performances. Jeffrey Meanza and Kathryn Hunter-Williams, both joining us from PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, have been long-time friends and collaborators of Mr. Quaintance and are excited to join him on this creative endeavor.

Kathryn Hunter-Williams (B.F.A., UNC School of the Arts; M.F.A., UNC-Chapel Hill) is a Teaching Associate Professor in the Department of Dramatic Art, Company Artistic Associate for PlayMakers Repertory and Associate Director for Hidden Voices. As Associate Director of Hidden Voices, Kathryn co-created performances with undocumented immigrant youth, families escaping violence, military spouses, survivors of sexual assault, African-American communities facing gentrification, refugees, and the currently incarcerated.

JEFFREY MEANZA An actor, director and educator, Jeffrey Meanza has spent the last 15 working at two of the country's most celebrated regional theatres overseeing the artistic, educational and community engagement efforts of the organizations. As a member of PlayMakers' resident acting company he has appeared in ANGELS IN AMERICA, INTO THE WOODS, Lisa Kron's WELL, AMADEUS, ASSASSINS and THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (co-directed by Tom Quaintance), among others. Since 2015, he served as the Guthrie Theater's associate artistic director, overseeing the theater's education and community engagement initiatives, the literary team, casting, and the theater's professional training programs, as well as helping to guide the work on the Guthrie's three stages. During his tenure, Meanza managed the expansion of educational programming to serve over 35,000 students annually, including the creation of an artist residency program that puts full-time teaching artists in high school classrooms throughout the state of Minnesota. In addition, under his leadership, the Guthrie piloted a new Fellowship program that offers paid training opportunities for emerging leaders to experience work at one of the nation's leading regional theaters. In 2021, JEFFREY MEANZA returned to PlayMakers Repertory Company as Associate Artistic Director, charged with overseeing the artistic, educational and engagement operations of the theater. He holds an M.F.A in Acting from the Professional Actor Training Program at UNC-Chapel Hill and a B.A. in Theater and Performance Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Virginia Stage Company recommends patrons wear masks inside the theatre, unless to consume food or drink. To review our full policy, visit:https://www.vastage.org/entry

Performances of Every Brilliant Thing are scheduled Wednesday - Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 3pm and Sundays at 2pm at The Historic Wells Theatre, located at 108 E. Tazewell Street, Norfolk Va. Tickets range from $15 - $35 and will be general admission on-stage seating.

Theatre On Demand packages and single tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (757) 627-1234 Monday through Friday from 10am - 5pm or visiting https://tickets.vastage.org/packages

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Sound Design - Top 3

1. Adam Fisher - The Lost Boys

31.8% of votes

2. John Shivers - Chess

14.7% of votes

3. Kai Harada - Ragtime

7.7% of votes

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