Every Brilliant Thing


Date: May 8, 2025 — June 1, 2025
Days & Times:

Thursday - Saturday at 7:30 pm
Sunday at 2 pm
Special Preview May 7th at 7:30 pm
In the Barn

Running Time: 80 min
Price: $40, 25 and under $25

By Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donahoe
Directed by Julie Allen Hamilton


Summary

1. Ice cream. 2. Kung Fu movies. 3. Burning things. 4. Laughing so hard you shoot milk out your nose. Every Brilliant Thing invites audiences into the world of a son’s handwritten list of simple joys, crafted with love and humor to uplift a struggling mother. Embark on this transcendent coming-of-age journey, with its unique blend of heart-wrenching moments and laugh-out-loud comedy. Every Brilliant Thing stands out as one of the most engaging and relatable plays of this century, capturing the essence of what it means to navigate life’s challenges with humor and grace.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING was first produced by Paines Plough and Pentabus Theatre, on 28 June 2013 at Ludlow Fringe Festival. The play had its North American premiere at Barrow Street Theatre, New York, on 6 December 2014, where it was presented by Barrow Street Theatre and Jean Doumanian Productions.

Content advisory:  The character in this play references tragedies in his childhood including the death of a family pet and the suicidal depression of his mother.  No matter how honest, joyful and compassionate, it is not recommended for children.

Sponsored by:

Cast

X

Lewis D. Wheeler* Cape Rep: Our Town; Dear Jack, Dear Louise; The Tuna Goddess; Rough Crossing. Regional: over 70 productions at Huntington Theatre, American Repertory Theater, SpeakEasy Stage, Merrimack Rep, American Stage, Lyric Stage, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Gloucester Stage, New Repertory Theatre, Nora Theatre, Underground Railway Theater, Greater Boston Stage Company, Publick Theatre, Wheelock Family Theatre, Vineyard Playhouse, Payomet, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater. Founding member of Harbor Stage Company. Film/TV: Don’t Look Up, Manchester by the Sea, Black Mass, Little Women, Pink Panther 2, Brotherhood, City on a Hill, Louisa May Alcott, The Company Men, NOS4A2. BA Cornell University, MFA American Film Institute. www.LewisDWheeler.com


Creative

Director
X

Julie Allen Hamilton is an associate artist at Cape Rep and has been a member of the Cape Rep company as an actor and a director since 1993. Directorial credits at Cape Rep: The Tempest, Macbeth, Robin Hood, How I Became A Pirate, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Regular Singing. Julie also coaches and directs Cape Rep’s Bold Company (BoldCo), a free acting program for people aged 55+ who are curious and passionate about theater, and who are looking for community and collaboration. Past BoldCo productions: Tiny Beautiful Things, Everybody, As You Like It, and Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. Extra special thanks to her incredibly supportive family: Jak, Ian and Nell.

Lighting Design
X

Susan Nicholson (Lighting Design) is a northeast based lighting designer. Her theatrical work has been seen at Cape Rep Theatre (19th season), Prospect Theatre Company, Collage Dance Collective and many others. Her corporate work has been seen all over the country and world including events such as US Open Hospitality, John Wick Cast and Crew Party, Conservation International Gala, United Nations Day Concert at the UN, the Oculus Holiday Kick Off Party, Coldwell Banking Annual Meeting at Radio City Music Hall and Headliner’s Acts on the Norwegian Prima. She is works for Creative Technology. She has a BA from Purdue University and MFA from the University of Memphis. Member USA 829. Check out her work at susanmnicholsondesign.com.

Costume Design
X

Robin McLaughlin (Costume Design) When Robin was 5 someone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, “A designer,” she said, and she has been sewing and creating ever since. Moving to Southern California at 21, Robin started her career as a costumer in film when there were 3 networks and it was TV vs film. After 2 years in Australia and following the birth of her daughter Leanne, they relocated to Cape Cod, where Robin has worked as an acclaimed costume designer for theaters across the Cape and Islands for the last 25 years.

Sound Design
X

Maura Hanlon (Sound Design) Mo is the Associate Artistic Director at Cape Rep Theatre, where she has directed many, many plays, acted in several more, written a few and sound designed frequently. Most recent sound design credits include Our Town, The Heart Sellers, Prelude to a Kiss, Miss Delta Township (which she also directed) and Dear Jack, Dear Louise. Favorite sound designs include all of the YoCo shows, A Cloud of Canvas, Topdog/Underdog, My Name is Asher Lev and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Stage Manager
X

Chelsey Jo Brown (Stage Manager) is a Cape based performer, choreographer and teacher. Stage Manager credits include Cape Rep’s production of Tumacho. Chelsey has performed in over a dozen shows at Cape Rep. She is a teaching artist at Cape Rep Theatre and Cape Cod Theatre Company where she loves sharing her passion for musical theater with young artists! She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Montclair State University. Much love to her husband, daughter and greyhound for all their love and support.

Photos courtesy of Bob Tucker/Focalpoint Studio.

  • Box Office: (508) 896-1888
    3299 Main Street, P.O. Box 1305, Brewster, MA 02631
    contact@caperep.org (Emails may not be answered in a timely manner. Please do not email for ticketing requests or issues.)

    © 2024 Cape Rep Theatre