Peter Thomason and Scott Treadway in Jeeves Saves the Day, 2020
North Carolina (NC) Stage Company presents Every Brilliant Thing, opening Wednesday, February 1, and running through Sunday, February 26. Performances take place Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
“I saw a production of this play pre-pandemic and it struck me as delightful and heartwarming with a little bit of bite,” says NC Stage Company artistic director Charlie Flynn-McIver. “I thought immediately how I’d love to direct Scott Treadway in it.”
Local actor Treadway (seen at NC Stage in many plays including the Jeeves series, Stones in his Pockets, Boeing-Boeing and Don’t Dress for Dinner) stars in the one-man show, telling the magically funny and uplifting story with help from the audience. Written by English playwright and director Duncan MacMillan, Every Brilliant Thing chronicles the life of a man who—at age seven while processing his mother’s suicide attempt—begins a list of all the tiny moments that make life worth living. The list grows throughout his life and becomes crucial in helping him face his own heartache and darkness as he ages, eventually reaching one million items. This is a life-affirming story of how to achieve hope through focusing on the smallest miracles.
“Our goal as actors is always to do a script justice, in this case, a script that takes a tough subject and addresses it impactfully through humor,” says Treadway. “Tears through laughter are precious.”
Every Brilliant Thing was first produced in 2013 at the Ludlow Fringe Festival in England. The show created such a powerful draw for audiences that it enjoyed a run in New York beginning in 2014, a worldwide tour and an eventual adaptation for HBO starring Irish comedian Jonny Donahoe.
NC Stage Company is Asheville’s only professional Equity theatre and is celebrating its 20th season producing plays for the Asheville community. Founded by Charlie and Angie Flynn-McIver, the theatre has been twice recognized for artistic excellence by the prestigious American Theatre Wing and was, most recently, awarded the Hardee Rives Award for Dramatic Arts by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
“We’re thrilled to still be around, especially with everything that’s happened in the world recently,” says Charlie Flynn-McIver. “Every Brilliant Thing is a perfect celebration and recognition of all that is brilliant, and difficult, in our world right now.”
North Carolina Stage Company is located at 15 Stage Lane in downtown Asheville. Tickets are $26-$46. Student tickets are $10 (with ID). Opening week specials start at $13. Tickets and more information are available at NCStage.org or 828.239.0263. Every Brilliant Thing is recommended for audience members 14 and older.
