Dezart Performs

Every Brilliant Thing

by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe

EVERY BRILLIANT THING takes the audience on a unique theatrical storytelling experience that is both intimate and immersive, performed as theatre-in-the-round. Imagine that you’re six years old. Mom’s in the hospital. Dad says she’s “done something stupid.” She finds it hard to be happy. So you start to make a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world. Everything that’s worth living for. 1. Ice cream. 2. Kung Fu movies. 3. Burning things. 4. Laughing so hard you shoot milk out your nose. 5. Constructions cranes. 6. Me. You leave it on her pillow. You know she’s read it because she’s corrected your spelling. Soon, the list will take on a life of its own. A play about depression and the lengths we will go for those we love.

Directed by Deborah Harmon

Approximate running time: 75 minutes. There is no intermission. Note that this show is performed theatre-in-the-round.

IMPORTANT COVID-19 POLICY: For the health, safety and well-being of our patrons, staff and artists, Dezart Performs’ COVID-19 policy requires guests to be fully vaccinated. Upon arrival at all events, guests must present a photo ID along with proof that they meet the CDC definition of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, either in the form of a physical vaccination card or a photo of the card.

For complete information about our COVID-19 policy, click here.

DESERT THEATRE LEAGUE NOMINATIONS:

Outstanding Director of a Comedy – Professional, Deborah Harmon

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy – Professional, Joel Bryant

Outstanding Sound Design – Professional, Clark Dugger

DESERT THEATRE LEAGUE AWARDS:

Outstanding Director of a Comedy – Professional, Deborah Harmon

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy – Professional, Joel Bryant

[EVERY BRILLIANT THING] IS WELL PRODUCED, WELL ACTED, AND, WELL, FUNNY AND HEARTWARMING!

-Kay Kudukis, BroadwayWorld.com

[EVERY BRILLIANT THING] IS NOTHING SHY OF AN AMAZING EVENING OF THEATRE!

-Stephen Radosh, Gay Desert Guide

GO SEE EVERY BRILLIANT THING. [IT] IS A POWERFUL PLAY!

-Bonnie Gilgallon, CV Independent

[EVERY BRILLIANT THING] WAS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SHOWS PRESENTED THIS SEASON!

-Dee Jae Cox, CV Weekly

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

Dates

Apr 01 2022 - Apr 10 2022

Show Times

Fridays and Saturdays: 7:30 PM
Saturdays and Sundays: 2:00 PM

Location

Pearl McManus Theater
at the Palm Springs Woman’s Club
314 S Cahuilla Road
Downtown Palm Springs, CA 92262

The Cast

Joel Bryant (Narrator)

Joel Bryant is thrilled to be back with Dezart Performs after winning the Desert Star Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy for MAYTAG VIRGIN in 2019. He was also nominated for three Desert Star Awards for FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE, LATER LIFE and 2 ACROSS (all with Coachella Valley Rep.). Originally from Albuquerque, NM, his career has taken him around the world. On stage, he’s played the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Texas Shakespeare Festival and numerous roles in Southern California. He has a number of TV, streaming and film credits (HEARTBREAK KID, MONK, L.A. MACABRE, YOU ARE NOTHING, CRIMINAL MINDS), he is a coveted live event host who’s been the Main Stage MC at the last 6 Super Bowls as well as Fortune 500 corporate events and charity functions around the globe from Singapore to Cancun and he’s also a standup comedian, having started at age 16, which has included stints at The Comedy Store, Improv and Laugh Factory, a number of headlining gigs throughout Europe and trips to entertain the troops in the Middle East. He also loves to travel, which makes sense the way things are going. He dedicates this performance to Mom. www.JoelBryant.net