Every Brilliant Thing Shows That Laughter is the Antidote to All Things

Orlando Shakes’ 33rd season opens September 22 with an uplifting story that explores the joys in life, and the lengths we will go to for those we love.

ORLANDO, Fla. — You’re six-years-old. Mom’s in the hospital. Dad says she’s “done something stupid.” She finds it hard to be happy, he said. So you start to make a list for her of everything that’s brilliant about the world. Everything that’s worth living for. 1. Ice cream. 2. Kung Fu movies. 3. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV. 4. The color yellow. You leave the list on her pillow. You know she read it because she’s corrected your spelling.

Soon, the list will take on a brilliant life of its own.

With help from a live audience, Every Brilliant Thing — running from September 22-October 16 at Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF, and presented by AdventHealth — tells the uplifting story about a daughter, her parents, her spouse, depression, resilience, and the lengths we will go to for those we love.

This is an amazing show that will have you laughing, thinking, and remembering all the brilliant things that there are in the world.

Director Anne Hering

Orlando’s Suzanne O’Donnell stars as the story’s narrator. A fixture in Central Florida’s arts scene, the veteran actor has performed with Orlando Shakes since 1993, when she played Rosalind in As You Like It and Adriana in The Comedy of Errors. Since then, she has acted in numerous Shakespeare plays, while also giving life to characters in many new productions at Orlando Shakes. A member of the Actors’ Equity Association, O’Donnell has also performed with prominent regional theaters throughout the country.

In Every Brilliant Thing, O’Donnell just might face her most unique setting as a professional actor. The story, while mostly scripted, is told in collaboration with the live audience. Which, at a moment’s notice, challenges the performer’s comedic and dramatic improvisational skills as she and the audience tell the story together.

“That is just one of the many things that makes this play so special,” Hering said. “Each performance can be different from the next performance, depending on each night’s audience. But it is not to be confused for an improv show. Many of the touching, emotional, and comedic moments that make Every Brilliant Thing such a feel-good story happen because the audience is so invested. It truly is a remarkable theatrical experience to enjoy and be a part of.”

The three-week run will be held in Orlando Shakes’ Margeson Theater, inside the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, located at 812 East Rollins Street, Orlando, 32803. For more information, visit OrlandoShakes.org.

Additional Notes, Quotes & Anecdotes

The creative team consists of:

Director: Anne Hering
Scenic Designer: Kurt Bippert
Lighting Designer: Delonte Smith
Sound Designer: Britt Sandusky
AEA Stage Manager: George Hamrah

The cast consists of:

Narrator: Suzanne O’Donnell

Children under five will not be admitted into the theater.

Engage in a livestream [virtual] talkback with the creative team behind this production. Tune in on Facebook LIVE on September 23 at 6 p.m.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at this production at our pre-show chat with the creative team on September 24 at 6:30 p.m.

In-depth post-show talks re: the content of our show with our Official Healthcare Partner AdventHealth will be held September 26 at 4 p.m. and October 3 at 4 p.m.

Join the cast, along with AdventHealth, for our cast post-show talk on October 10 at 4 p.m.

Orlando Shakes will continue to follow CDC, local and federal government, and the Actors’ Equity Association [professional union for actors and stage managers] guidelines regarding safety protocols throughout the season and will communicate any changes through our website. We are also providing a special section in the upper mezzanine for patrons who wish to be distanced from other parties.

Previous Reviews

“[A] heart-wrenching, hilarious play… One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression–and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop.” — The Guardian (UK)

“…Very charming…offers sentimentality without shame…guaranteed to keep your eyes brimming…[The script] balance[s] acuity and affability…with unobtrusive artistry…captivating…” — The New York Times