BWW Previews: SOLO SHOW 'EVERY BRILLIANT THING' MARKS RETURN OF TampaRep

Best known for his dramatic roles on stages throughout Tampa Bay, local actor Ned Averill-Snell will be interacting in a solo dramedy with a socially distanced, outdoor audience in TampaRep's return to the stage since the pandemic closed their doors.

TampaRep will present Every Brilliant Thing in an outdoor open-air setting at Ybor City Museum State Park on June 3-12. A generous grant from The Gobioff Foundation enables the theatre company to provide free tickets, though registration is required.

"I feel like what all the companies have been doing is priming the pump. With the distancing, you can't really seat enough people to cover your costs, but theatres recognize that they've got to get people back out, and this is the first step. Having big crowds comes later," said Ned.

In Duncan MacMillan's and Jonny Donahoe's off-Broadway play, Ned narrates the story of a young child trying to support his depressed mother. The play tackles the heavy theme of mental illness and depression with heart and humor in a gentle, lighthearted way.

"I think it's the right kind of play at the right time. It is a man telling a story starting in his childhood of coping with his mother's attempts at suicide. He tries to write a list of all the things worth living for to cheer his mother up. At the core of it is trying to discover the thousands and thousands of things that make life worth living when life seems at its bleakest. I think with the disruption of the pandemic, both disruption of routines and having a lot more free time, it's been an introspective time. People are asking these questions: 'having had my life disrupted, how do I want to change how I go back to it? What makes life worth living? What are the most important things to focus on? How do I lead a fulfilling life?' This play slots very well into that mindset, asking what it's all about, what makes it worth it, what makes it joyful?' "

TampaRep has partnered with the Crisis Center to provide information for anyone who asks for it. On the second Thursday of the performance, the Crisis Center will be part of a talkback following the production.

"This is an uplifting, delightful solo show. It's interactive with the audience, so it's very communal. It really does feel like an outdoor gathering. This is our first live audience since the pandemic. We are finally able to offer a live performance with live human beings in real-time," joked Emilia Sargent, Producing Artistic Director. "This is in part to the Gobioff Foundation, who were inspired by our concept for a socially distanced, outdoor production.

It's a difficult subject at the heart of it, so you might wonder how it's a comedy. While the play deals with depression and suicide in a sensitive manner, it focuses on bringing our attention to the infinite number of things we have to be grateful for and the importance of hope when things look dark. I'm confident that people will be smiling when they leave, feel a little lighter, and be talking about some of the brilliant on the list and some of the brilliant things in their own lives."

Every Brilliant Thing is appropriate for all ages, staged in the paved courtyard space at the Ybor City Museum Stage Park on June 3 - 12. General admission seating will follow all CDC recommendations for outdoor gatherings at the time of the performance. The show begins at 8:30 pm. Tickets are free, but space is limited, and registration is required at tamparep.org/every-brilliant-thing.