TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS Comes To Open Stage, April 21- May 7

Open Stage, a theatre company in downtown Harrisburg, will present Tiny Beautiful Things in its Studio Theater from April 21 - May 7. Directed by Producing Artistic Director Stuart Landon, this raw performance is adapted from the book of the same name by Cheryl Strayed.

Tiny Beautiful Things is a stage-adapted play about Sugar, an anonymous advice columnist who relates to her own complicated and dark life experiences to give beautiful and alarmingly open advice to strangers. Her advice is blunt, but also empathetic and realistic. Her life experiences and traumas serve as a framework for her responses to those seeking advice on subjects like the heartbreak of miscarriage or sexual assault; to marriage and relationship issues; to the importance of healing, self-love and forgiveness.

Tiny Beautiful Things was originally published as a collection of essays in 2012 by Cheryl Strayed. The essays are based on Strayed's life experience writing for an advice column called "Dear Sugar." Strayed wrote for the column pro bono for The Rumpus, an online literary magazine, under the pseudonym of "Sugar."

Culturally significant, touching on intense and complex topics, audiences will come to understand why Sugar's column was so popular. On this journey, Sugar becomes your friend, your therapist and your teacher. Asking for advice can be difficult and it takes courage to expose the deepest parts of who we are.

"Tiny Beautiful Things is just gorgeously raw," said Landon. "Our small but mighty cast is beautifully vulnerable and intimate allowing the powerful and honest story to communicate for itself. Touching on topics that expose the darkest parts of person will really resonate with the community. We want to be open and learn and grow together and I think this play will do that."

The production features Karen Ruch as Sugar. Joining Ruch will be Chris Gibson, Joellen Terranova and Jasmine Graham as the "Letter Writers."

Strayed might be best known for her best-selling autobiographical novel Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, which details her fight with drug abuse and personal trauma to her journey of self-discovery. In 2014, the novel was made into a highly praised film, Wild, featuring Reese Witherspoon.

Tiny Beautiful Things was adapted to the stage in 2016 by Nia Vardalos, of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame, and ran in New York at The Public Theatre starring Vardalos for a sold-out run. The cultural significance of this story continues to spread. As of this April, Hulu will run the first season of a screen adaptation starring Kathryn Hahn.

Performances of Tiny Beautiful Things will take place in Open Stage's Studio Theater at 7:30 p.m. on April 21, 22, 28, 29 and May 4, 5, 6 and at 2 p.m. on April 23, 30 and May 7. The show on April 28 will be an ASL-interpretated performance. There will be a lobby talk post-performance discussion following the matinee on Sunday, April 30.

For tickets to Tiny Beautiful Things, visit openstagehbg.com.

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