MFA student Hayley Cartee in a performance of “Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, directed by Tom Quantaince (Photo by HuthPhoto)
What gives your life meaning?
“Every Brilliant Thing,” a one-actor performance by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, explores this question through theater and delves into topics of mental health and well-being.
Performances of the show, hosted by PlayMakers Repertory Company and UNC Student Affairs, are part of a campus-wide effort to destigmatize conversations around mental health. Students, faculty and staff attended public performances of “Every Brilliant Thing” at Current ArtSpace & Studio Jan. 10-16, 2024, at no cost, thanks to a UNC System grant intended to build resiliency among the campus community.
MFA student Saleemah Sharpe in a performance of “Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, directed by Tom Quantaince (Photo by HuthPhoto)
“Every Brilliant Thing” is an intimate, interactive performance designed to bring audiences together in celebration of the little things that make life worthwhile. The immersive experience blends comedy, improv and audience interaction to tell the story of someone learning to grapple with their own life experiences in the shadow of their mother’s struggle with suicidal depression.
Following the public performances, “Every Brilliant Thing” is traveling to every school at Carolina and to various University units from mid-January until early February 2024. Each performance features Master of Fine Arts students enrolled in the Professional Actor Training Program.
First-year graduate student actor Matthew Donahue said the performance destigmatizes conversations around mental health and does so in a comedic and accessible way.
MFA student Matthew Donahue in a performance of “Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, directed by Tom Quantaince (Photo by HuthPhoto)
“It is an honor to be able to tell this story,” he said. “I hope the audience will walk away feeling like they don’t have to struggle alone.”
Vivienne Benesch, the producing artistic director of PlayMakers, said she hopes the performances will continue to integrate the arts as a dimension of mental health. “We hope these performances strike a chord in our community and lead to additional transformational projects to support health and well-being.”
MFA student Sanjana Taskar in a performance of “Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, directed by Tom Quantaince (Photo by HuthPhoto)
Amy Johnson, vice chancellor for Student Affairs, said this initiative launches a new semester and continued opportunities to showcase the abundance of mental health resources at Carolina, including the Heels Care Network.
“We are enthused about this approach as a new avenue, and a creative, artistic channel, for continuing our dialogue about mental health and well-being at Carolina,” she said.
The UNC School of Social Work and its Mental Health First Aid programming will support research efforts and facilitate brief post-show discussions. Additional support will come from counselors and from peer support resources.
“Every Brilliant Thing” is made possible in part through a generous gift from UNC-Chapel Hill alum Alan Weinhouse.
Written by Elizabeth Poindexter, Student Affairs
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