Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Artistic Director Braden Abraham, continues its 2024/25 Season with Every Brilliant Thing, written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, directed by Kimberly Senior, and starring Jessie Fisher. Every Brilliant Thing will run October 31, 2024 – January 5, 2025 in the Gillian Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 7:30pm.
“1. Ice Cream. 2. Water fights. 3. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV.” This is how a six-year-old child begins a list of all the things that make life wonderful. They're making the list for their mother, who suffers from depression. As life goes on, and the challenges faced morph from childhood to adulthood, the list continues to grow and take on a life of its own. By shining a hilarious and compassionate light on life’s small abundant joys, this big-hearted play—told in gentle collaboration with the audience—is a loving tribute to resilience and the lengths we will go to for those we love.
Every Brilliant Thing stars Jessie Fisher, who is returning home to Chicago after appearing on Broadway in A Beautiful Noise, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Once. Director Kimberly Senior returns to Writers where she previously directed Buried Child, The Scene, Marjorie Prime, The Diary of Anne Frank, Hedda Gabler and The Letters. She directed the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winning play Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar on Broadway.
The designers are: Izumi Inaba (scenic and costume design), Jason Lynch (lighting design), Angela Baldasare and Mikhail Fiksel (co-sound design), and Rae Watson (props design). The creative team includes Faith Hart (assistant director), Erin Shea Brady (dramaturg) and Julie Jachym (stage manager).
Tickets are now on sale at Writers Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org. Seating is General Admission.
Artistic Director Braden Abraham comments, “We are thrilled to return to producing in our Gillian Theatre with Every Brilliant Thing, a remarkable piece of theatre that plays to the unique strengths of our beloved black box space. The play is in many ways a testament to the everlasting power and boundless potential of theatre in its most unvarnished form; an unexpected collaboration between performer and audience yields an unforgettable shared experience. We can think of no better pairing of artists than Kimberly Senior and Jessie Fisher to take us on this theatrical adventure with kindness and care.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Duncan Macmillan (Playwright)’s plays include: People, Places and Things (2015-2017, National Theatre / Wyndham’s Theatre, West End); 1984, adapted from George Orwell (2013-2017, Headlong / Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company, West End, Broadway, international tours, co-adapted/co-directed with Rob Icke); Every Brilliant Thing (2013-2017, Paines Plough / Pentabus Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, UK and international tours, HBO); City Of Glass, adapted from Paul Auster (2017, 59 Productions, HOME, and Lyric Hammersmith); 2071, co-written with Chris Rapley (2014-2015, The Royal Court / Hamburg Schauspielhaus); The Forbidden Zone (2014-2016, Salzburg Festival and Schaubühne Berlin); Wunschloses Unglück, adapted from Peter Handke (2014, Burgtheater Vienna); Reise Durch Die Nacht, adapted from Friederike Mayröcker (2012-2014, Schauspiel Köln, Festival d’Avignon, Theatertreffen); Lungs (2011-2016, Paines Plough and Sheffield Theatres / Studio Theatre, Washington, DC); and Monster (2006, Royal Exchange Theatre).
Kimberly Senior is a freelance director whose award winning work has been seen in 15 states in over 200 productions. She directed the Broadway production of the Pulitzer Prize, Tony nominated Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar. Kimberly directed the HBO special Chris Gethard: Career Suicide and her work in audio has ranged from Marvel’s The Wastelanders to C13’s Ghostwriter. She is a member of the Goodman Theatre’s Artistic Collective and has taught at a number of universities. She is a proud union member of SDC and even prouder mother of Noah (18) and Delaney (16). She is the author of What Would a Person Do?: Thoughts on Directing and Living, available on Amazon.
Jessie Fisher is delighted to make her Writers Theatre debut. Broadway: Girl in Once, Delphi in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (OBC), Jaye in A Beautiful Noise (OBC). Regional: Grounded, What the Constitution Means to Me (Milwaukee Rep), Constellations, Of Mice and Men (Steppenwolf), Othello, The Heir Apparent, Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare), 33 Variations (TimeLine), The Pride, Abraham Lincoln was a F- (About Face) and work with The Hypocrites, ATC, Chicago Children’s Theatre and The Gift. TV: Chicago Justice, Chicago PD, Boss. Jessie is a teacher, composer, improviser and birth doula. She stays busy, curious and hopeful.
Fact Sheet / Every Brilliant Thing
Title: Every Brilliant Thing
Written by: Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe
Directed by: Kimberly Senior
Featuring: Jessie Fisher
Dates: First performance: October 31, 2024
Press opening: Friday, November 8, 2024 at 7:30pm
Closing performance: January 5, 2025
Performance Schedule:
- Wednesdays: 3:00pm (November 13 & 20 and December 11 only) and 7:30pm (except December 25 and January 1)
- Thursdays: 7:30pm (except November 28)
- Fridays: 7:30pm
- Saturdays: 3:00pm (except November 2) and 7:30pm
- Sundays: 2:00pm and 6:00pm (except November 3, 17 & 24 and December 15)
Open Captioned Performance: Thursday, November 14 at 7:30pm
Location: The Gillian Theatre; 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Prices: All tickets are $70. Seats are General Admission.
Box Office: The Box Office is located at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; 847-242-6000; www.writerstheatre.org
WRITERS THEATRE 2024/25 SEASON
The 2024-25 season launched with the Chicago premiere of the acclaimed musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, recipient of two Tony Awards and nominated for 12 Tony Awards, which reunited director/choreographer Katie Spelman and music director Matt Deitchman after their previous collaboration on WT’s twice extended sold out run of Once. Kimberly Senior returns to Writers to direct the hilarious and compassionate one-person play Every Brilliant Thing. Acclaimed writer and performer Vanessa Severo will star as both herself and legendary Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in her searing new play Frida...A Self Portrait, directed by Joanie Schultz. Next spring, Braden Abraham brings Brian Friel’s touching Irish drama Translations to the Writers stage before the season concludes with the World Premiere of Dhaba on Devon Avenue, directed by Chay Yew, co-produced with TimeLine Theatre Company.
This season, Writers Theatre is offering multiple subscriptions with an option for every theatregoer. Each subscription includes a deeply discounted ticket price for one ticket to the five-play series, Flex subscriptions, with options for either four, five or six tickets, are available.
Flex subscriptions are available for the remaining shows in the season and range from $260 - $325. Season package subscribers receive exclusive benefits including complimentary ticket exchanges by phone and mail (upgrade fees may apply), access to special play readings and lectures, special “subscriber-rate” prices on additional tickets, discounts at the bar, on Writers Theatre merchandise, event rentals, and more. For a complete list of benefits visit writerstheatre.org.
Season Packages are available online at www.writerstheatre.org, and at the Box Office by calling 847-242-6000.
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
WT offers Open Captioning on select dates for each production. Please visit writerstheatre.org/accessibility for more information.
Throughout the season, Writers Theatre offers a variety of audience enrichment and special programming. This includes regularly occurring offerings like the Family Matinee Series, The Green Room artist interview series and podcast, and The Final Word Audience Discussion Series. Please visit writerstheatre.org/events for a full listing of upcoming offerings.
ABOUT WRITERS THEATRE
Writers Theatre boldly looks to the future as it begins its 33rd season. Having captivated audiences for years with its dedication to creating the most intimate theatrical experience possible, the theatre is now a major Chicagoland cultural destination with a national reputation for excellence, being called “America’s finest regional theater company” by The Wall Street Journal. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, the company is charting a path forward for the next 30 years.
Since its founding in 1992, Writers Theatre has stayed true to its core values: valuing the power of the written word and uplifting the artists who bring that word to life. The company has produced over 140 productions—everything from inventive interpretations of classics to groundbreaking new work. In 2016, Writers Theatre opened a new, state-of-the-art facility designed by the internationally renowned Studio Gang Architects. The new facility has allowed the Theatre to accommodate its growing audience, while maintaining its trademark intimacy.
Writers Theatre now welcomes more than 60,000 patrons each season and has helped establish the North Shore of Chicago as a premier cultural destination. Through its Literary Development Initiative, which has been responsible for the nurturing and premiering of over 30 world premieres, the theatre has established itself as a major originator of new theatrical works. Serving as an extension of the Writers Theatre mission, WT Education programs engage an average 10,000 students each year with active learning opportunities centered around the written word.