EVERY BRILLIANT THING

October 13 - November 14, 2021

Written by DUNCAN MACMILLAN WITH JONNY DONAHOE
Directed by MEREDITH MCDONOUGH

A PLAY THAT CELEBRATES LIFE AND UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN CONNECTION.

Could you name a hundred things that make life wonderful? A thousand? How about a million? In response to their mother’s attempted suicide, our narrator starts a list of things to live for. From “Ice Cream” to “the Alphabet”, EVERY BRILLIANT THING shines a hilarious and compassionate light on dark corners of the human condition.

Told in collaboration with the audience, EVERY BRILLIANT THING reminds us of the life-affirming joy and wonder that exists alongside the pain and strife.

*EVERY BRILLIANT THING will be general admission seating

In most EVERY BRILLIANT THING shows the role of the Narrator will be played by JuCoby Johnson. Joy Dolo will be stepping in for special Thursday performances throughout the run (indicated as the yellow boxes in the calendar graphic).

October 13 — November 14, 2021

From the Press

"Sometimes subdued like a cool spring then bubbly like uncorked Champagne, Johnson brings a zest for life to the role. His performance is honest, charming and marked by a joy tempered with appreciation. Bad things happen to people. He inhabits the character physically and psychically as he moves all around the stage, reveling in soul music, painting and books...Johnson's performance is sweet, endearing and wholly absorbing."
Star Tribune, Multifaceted 'Every Brilliant Thing' exults in living, READ MORE

"If you have yet to return to live theater, I can't recommend a better place to start than Jungle Theater's Every Brilliant Thing...this play truly exemplifies everything we love about theater and have missed so greatly, and that just can't be replicated over zoom - the shared humanity of laughing, crying, breathing in a room with friends and strangers, sharing the communal and ephemeral experience of live theater."
Cherry and Spoon, "Every Brilliant Thing" at the Jungle Theater, READ MORE

"I like the idea so much that I’m going to start my own list right now. The first thing on my list of brilliant things is Joy Dolo’s performance in Every Brilliant Thing. There simply is no actor more engaging and welcoming with the ability to make you laugh and cry in the space of seconds."
The Stages of MN, Every Brilliant Thing at the Jungle Theater is Dead Brilliant!, READ MORE

It is a show that feels brand new, but rooted in the core of theater that is story telling and community…If you are thinking about getting back to the theater, go see this show. It is perfect way to dip your toes back into the great theater that our community has to offer. And as the days are getting shorter and colder and we are nearing Thanksgiving it is a great way to reflect on all the brilliant things around you.
Twin Cities Stages, Every Brilliant Thing at the Jungle, READ MORE

“Johnson — who inhabited the role the night I attended — is a winning performer with a sense of ease in interacting with the crowd.”
Pioneer Press, Theater review: ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ gets a homey, intimate staging at Jungle Theater, READ MORE

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

This season the Jungle is excited to implement PAY AS YOU ARE pricing this season, developed by our friends at Theater Mu.

PAY AS YOU ARE pricing asks those who routinely pay $45 for theater tickets to pay that amount; it is the actual fair market value of the ticket. If an audience member needs to pay less, they can choose to pay less. Those who can pay more than the market price are welcome to do so, and their generosity will help cover the cost of someone else’s ticket as well.

Phone: 612.822.7063

PREVIEW NIGHTS October 13 & 14
OPENING NIGHT October 15

ASL INTERPRETED PERFROMANCE November 2
AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE November 4

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES WITH JOY DOLO
October 21 & 28, November 4 & 11

Learn more about community and cohort events below.

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RUN TIME 60 Minutes | No Intermission

CONTENT / TRIGGER WARNINGS: Every Brilliant Thing contains descriptions of depression, self-harm, and suicide. The show briefly describes a character’s attempted suicides and her death by suicide and includes the specific means that were used.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line: Text MN to 741741
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911
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Concerns about COVID-19 are top of mind for everyone, and when joining the Jungle for a performance, we want you to feel confident in your time with us. Please click here to learn more about our response to the coronavirus.

More from the Jungle

EVERY BRILLIANT THING Coloring Event

Community coloring event co-hosted with Draw
Located at the LynLake Brewery
October 10, 14, 15, & 16

To celebrate the return of live theater to the Jungle Theater and the LYNLAKE community, the Jungle, Draw by You, and LynLake Brewery are coming together for a special EVERY BRILLIANT THING-themed coloring event on October 10, 14, 15, and 16! Located across the street from the theater at LynLake Brewery, this event will feature coloring sheets inspired by the play, as well as the opportunity to draw your own "brilliant thing."

This event is FREE and open to the public. We hope you join us in creating this colorful and unique list of everything that makes life brilliant!

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A Brilliant Moment — A Postshow Meditation

Postshow Wednesdays & Thursdays throughout the run

Join James Rodriguez, one of the members of the newly formed Artistic Cohort at the Jungle, Wednesdays or Thursdays as he leads audiences in a brief post-show experience: a short mediation on gratitude and other themes explored in EVERY BRILLIANT THING.

This post show experience will make space for audiences to take in and dig deeper into their experience of the performance.

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Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)

Friday, October 22, Noon - 1:30pm
A free, virtual suicide prevention course from NAMI

Learn the three steps anyone can take to help prevent suicide. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught gatekeeper training program in the United States, and more than one million adults have been trained in classroom settings in 48 states. This 1.5 hour class is for members of the community over the age of 16 who want to learn best practices in suicide prevention.