‘Every Brilliant Thing’ engages audiences, explores mental health

“Our upcoming show, ‘Every Brilliant Thing,’ is one of the funniest and most heart-warming shows we’ve done,” said Georgia Meyers of the Port Angeles Community Players.

“It’s also one of the most important. It deals with the serious issue of depression and suicide.

“But don’t let that make you think it’s a depressing play, it isn’t. It’s a play about love, hope and struggle, with a never-ending love for life and all it offers.”

This one-person cast production by playwright and musicophile Duncan Macmillian that encourages audience interaction is set for three evening shows (7:30 p.m.) Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 15-17, and two matinees (2 p.m.) on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17-18. Performances are at Studio Bob, 118½ E. Front St., Port Angeles.

“The script encourages adaption in nearly every facet,” actor Emma Jane Garcia explained. “Macmillan wrote it in in a way that allows the production to resonate with each unique audience. Small changes were made to the music, timelines, settings, and characters to allow the audience to feel this story unfold directly in their day-to-day lives.”

Said Garcia, “This experience is all-at-once playful, hilarious, joyful, and heart wrenching. I think people will be surprised how entertaining and poignant a show about mental health can be. We really feel that this experience is important as it sheds a compassionate, heartfelt light on mental illness.”

Director Mindy Gelder said that as a thespian and a mental health professional, it blends two passions in her life “perfectly.”

“Every one of us lives with the reality of mental illness at some point in our lives, whether it be growing up with a struggling family member, suffering from anxiety or depression at some point, or living with a chronic mental illness oneself,” she said. “Every Brilliant Thing’ is based on a true story about a child learning how to cope with her mom’s mental illness and her own fears, by composing a list of every brilliant thing in life.”

This list, Gelder said, evolves as the character goes through different developmental stages in life, as does the purpose of the list itself.

“Drawing audience members into the story, the actor uses improvisation to create a hilarious, entertaining experience,” Gelder said. “Attendees become part of the story, rather than watching from a distance. It is a show that says, ‘To struggle is okay.’ It is real. It is part of life and life is messy, raw, and sometimes ‘brilliant.’”

Coinciding with suicide awareness month, tickets for “Every Brilliant Thing” are $15 and are available at pacp.ludus.com/19970. Audience members will be required to wear masks, though cast will be unmasked so the audience can hear them more clearly.

“The effects of suicide spread far beyond those that choose to kill themselves, which means that nearly every person will be impacted by suicide in their lifetime,” said Garcia. “In order to spread hope and circulate resources for those at risk, it is crucial that we bring conversations around suicide out of the shadows and directly into the light.

“It is integral that people understand that they are not alone in experiencing suicidal thoughts. Gathering in a creative space to discuss the intricacies of the highs and lows of life can make all the difference in the life of someone who feels unable to share this aspect of themself with their community.

“When you walk away from this experience, you will have a picture of all of the people who are standing firmly in your corner.”

Preview

A small audience of about 30 people, primarily mental health professionals, seated themselves in comfortable chairs and couches in a theater-in-the-round at Studio Bob in late August for a preview of “Every Brilliant Thing.” They were asked if they would be willing to participate in the play. Those who agreed were given cards with numbers and words on them and some of them were later asked to join Garcia to play important characters in the protagonist’s life as she journeyed in recollection from childhood to her present age.

“Audience members are asked to contribute to the story in a variety of ways throughout,” said Garcia. “It ends up being pretty low pressure, as the situations explored are all so close to real life and there is a distinct intimacy and trust created in the space. It doesn’t take acting or public speaking experience to feel comfortable jumping in.

“It’s amazing how quickly the audience begins to feel like they are deeply familiar with the others in attendance that evening. The contributions are mostly light in nature and audience members have so far done a great job reacting to the scenes just as they would in real life.”

Garcia’s had to memorize more than an hour and a half of monologue as well as specific numbers reaching past the thousands from the list, and instead of having cast members to dialogue with, she had to lead audience members to improvise along with her.

Beyond the words, she spoke the entire time with her body, conveying her age in gesture. Her hands spoke most eloquently.

“I could not have chosen a better actor for this,” Gelder said. “She has a real strength in connecting to the audience and playing off what people give her. That was great to see. You don’t know that from an audition. It’s been wonderful to see how she blossoms up there when she has more people to interact with. It’s a monologue plus an improvisational reality — she has to be very strong in both. I think she’s pulling it off beautifully.”

Participant Kimberle Ykema said, “Not only did I enjoy the show, but I was intrigued by Emma Jane’s ability to make a bunch of regular people feel like part of the action.”

Said Ken Winters, a participant, “I found the show fabulous. I was very impressed with how personable Emma Jane was in both the story telling and her audience interactions. It really felt like she was telling her own life story. Most people will relate to various parts of the story.

“The laugh out loud humor of the audience participation was great … Her ability to guide me, and the other audience volunteers, was masterfully handled. No coercion or awkwardness, just a lot of fun that really helped tell the story.”

Garcia said later that directly addressing the audience in this way was challenging.

“I think a huge anchoring point comes in the way the audience responds with so much compassion and empathy,” Garcia said. “I find myself feeling like I’m just sitting down over a meal recounting life experiences to trusted friends. That comparison continues throughout the performance as I notice audience reactions and it directs me to new directions.

“There are so many subtle, wordless, micro interactions that I share with the audience that end up affecting the direction of the performance — nearly as much as the larger improvisations and contributions.”

“I loved the performance,” participant Sklya Baker said. “I did not know this script or story-line before I attended, and was not sure how they were going to handle the weighty subjects of depression and suicide ‘with humor’ and without triggering some audience members. But I found it powerful and sensitive at the same time. The script is well thought-out and compelling, and the interactive nature of the performance itself seemed to endear the audience to the character in real ways that observing from a self-protective distance might not have.”

Said Nicolina Miller, “I ran through a lot of emotions when I arrived there and realized it was a participatory event … but I was soon lost in the play itself … Emma Jane takes us on a wild ride of emotions. There were many times I was brought back to my younger self and experiencing past moments anew as E.J. was going through her own challenges. It was really heart-opening. And once we were all reeled into the heart of it, you could tell as an audience that we just surrendered and went along for the ride. When EJ came to me to play the role of Sam, I was nervous, but I felt like I was in good hands. She made it effortless to play my part since she prompted me so well.

“I am impressed that Emma Jane could create that kind of comfort and intimacy. I could see it between her and the other impromptu players as well. Being brought into the play in such a way made me feel even more a part of the story and more invested in what happened. I identified with the crazy happy moments and the exposition about how those ups and downs are a part of life for everyone … I’m so glad that I was asked to participate now.

“I’m no longer nervous about going to more plays set up like that. And that’s a testament to a mental health play — it helped me move through that social anxiety into a brighter, more expansive place.”

‘Every Brilliant Thing’

One-person, interactive production addressing mental illness

When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15-17, 2 p.m. Sept. 17-18

Where: Studio Bob, 118 1/2 E. Front St., Port Angeles

Tickets: $15; available at pacp.ludus.com/19970

Note: Masks will be required; vaccination cards not required (cast will not be masked so audience can hear them clearly)

Director Mindy Gelder looks on as the play “Every Brilliant Thing” comes alive at Studio Bob in Port Angeles during a preview in August. The show runs Sept. 15-18.

Sequim Gazette photos by Emily Matthiessen Emma Jane Garcia invited Nicolina Miller out of the audience of “Every Brilliant Thing” to play a part. Miller said, “It was pretty incredible looking up into a smiling face and knowing that I was beaming just as I would if I were really proposing to my love. I am impressed that Emma Jane could create that kind of comfort and intimacy.”