Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Kitchen Theatre Company continues its 2017-2018 Season with the regional premiere of Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, a funny and moving new play about the lengths to which we will go for those we love. It is an immersive experience, as members of the audience are called upon to help tell the story. You'll want to see it more than once! Performances of Every Brilliant Thing begin at the Kitchen Theatre Company in The Percy Browning Theatre on November 11 and run through December 10.

When a boy's mother lands in the hospital after a suicide attempt, he begins a list: every "brilliant thing" that makes life worth living. As he gets older, the list grows, and it has a powerful impact on his life and on others. Every Brilliant Thing tells this simple story in a most unexpected way, involving the audience that's in the theater that very night. No two performances will be the same! Playing the central character in the play is Karl Gregory, an Ithaca- and New York City-based actor who has appeared in over forty productions at the Kitchen. Wendy Dann, director of many plays at the Kitchen and writer of last season's Birds of East Africa, directs.

"If you've ever seen Karl on stage, I'm sure you can imagine the number of times that name got mentioned, dropped into conversation, even written on secret notes passed my way as I got started here at the Kitchen," says M. Bevin O'Gara, the Kitchen's new Producing Artistic Director. "Since then, I've had the great honor of getting to know Karl as an artist and as a friend. He is such a generous, honest, and captivating person. I could not be prouder to have him as part of my first season. And Wendy too! Getting to work with this sensitive, astute, and kind director brings me so much joy. I strongly believe the role of the regional theater is to represent the region and to bring them the best of what is happening on the national level. And in Wendy and Karl, we get both."

"I'm so happy to be working with Wendy Dann on another one person show," says Karl Gregory. "Our last one, Buyer & Cellar, was a great success for the KTC, so I'm thrilled to tackle this show with her. It's a very different theatrical experience, as there is a lot of audience involvement, and I can't wait to share it with our audiences!"

Every Brilliant Thing asks you to notice the little things. The brilliant things. And that's something worth reminding us all to do right now. It also asks important questions about how a community can come together to heal an individual, to heal each other, and to re-learn how important it is to be there for one another. It's served up with a large dose of the best medicine: laughter.

A team of designers and assistants all hailing from Ithaca area schools are working behind the scenes to make Every Brilliant Thing a reality. Scenic and lighting design is by Steve TenEyck, assisted by Indigo Shea. Sound design is Don Tindall, assisted by Sean Woods. Costume design is by Lisa Boquist. The Props Designer and Scenic Artist is Megan Parker. The assistant director is Aaron Roberts. The Production Stage Manager is Jennifer Schilansky.

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