Photos: Center Repertory Company Presents EVERY BRILLIANT THING

Center Repertory Company will ring in the new year with the remarkable, resplendent hit solo performance Every Brilliant Thing. See photos from the production!

Making a list of things that make life worth living would get different responses, and what would be at the top? Ice cream? Family? The even-numbered Star Trek films? For the lead character in this uplifting show, it’s his mother. This surprising and immersive theatrical experience by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe delves into the human experience with playfulness and love. With poignant humor and joy, Every Brilliant Thing takes audiences on a journey through favorite moments such as falling in love, as well as grief, healing, and (re)discovering all that life has to give. Directed by celebrated Bay Area director Jeffrey Lo and starring Oakland Theater Project Co-Artistic Director William Thomas Hodgson, the story is filled with opportunities for warm, fun audience participation. 

Center REP offers Pay What You Can tickets (suggested price of $25) for the January 6-14 performances of Every Brilliant Thing, increasing access to theatre and inviting audiences to see the show at whatever price they can afford. ASL interpretation for deaf and hard of hearing patrons is offered at the 7:30 pm performance on Saturday, January 13, 2023.

Premiering at Ludlow Fringe Festival then performing Off-Broadway at Barrow Street Theatre where it was filmed for HBO, Every Brilliant Thing was deemed a “heart-wrenching, hilarious play” by The Guardian and Time Out London lauded it as “gloriously funny and exceptionally warm.” The Independent said the work “finds a perfect balance between conveying the struggles of life, and celebrating all that is sweet in it.” The New York Times called Every Brilliant Thing “captivating,” while Theatrely heralded it as “a theatrical gem that seamlessly blends impactful storytelling with audience interaction, creating an unforgettable and immersive experience.”

Oakland Theater Project Co-Artistic Director and Bay Area theatre veteran William Thomas Hodgson makes his Center REP stage debut with this tour de force solo performance. Hodgson served as the movement director for last season’s Red Bike. He has appeared onstage at theatres including La Jolla Playhouse, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Shotgun Players, Oakland Theater Project, Mixed Blood Theatre, and Berkeley Playhouse. 

Every Brilliant Thing features sound design by Gregory Robinson, lighting design by Spenser Matubang, and props design by Alyssa Tryon.

Every Brilliant Thing will perform January 6-28, 2024 at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek. For tickets ($35-$40) and more information, the public may visit LesherArtsCenter.org or call the box office at (925) 943-7469 (open Wed-Sun, 12:00pm-6:00pm).

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