Tracee Ellis Ross Makes Her Broadway Debut in ‘Every Brilliant Thing’

Tracee Ellis Ross is embracing simple joys in her life, such as the click of a curling iron or the taste of olives. Her current project requires this mindset as she takes the stage for her Broadway debut in the play “Every Brilliant Thing,” an uplifting production despite its focus on depression.

The play centers around a narrator who compiles a list of life’s pleasures to uplift their depressed mother. The list includes delights like ducklings, spaghetti Bolognese, and dancing in public. Number 999,996 on the list is “Peeling off a sheet of wallpaper in one intact piece.” Ross remarks, “When you start noticing these things, the world changes.”

Audience Participation

Ross follows in the footsteps of Daniel Radcliffe and Mariska Hargitay in this solo show. Audience members play a significant role, participating by reading from scraps of paper, pretending to drive, or acting as the narrator’s parent. As part of her role, Ross selects audience members to join her, seeking those who exhibit kindness or even a bit of reluctance. “A little reluctance adds something special,” she says.

“It is a sense of being of service to the material,” Ross explains.

Personalization and Performance

“Every Brilliant Thing,” written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, is adaptable. The narrator ad-libs and tailors the “brilliant things” to suit their background. For instance, Radcliffe’s “wearing a cape” transforms into “tutus” for Ross. Macmillan notes, “The list must feel authentic to the performer.” The play undergoes rewrites for each performer, adjusted to reflect their age and experiences.

Despite being only 70 minutes long, the play challenges Ross with continuous crowd interaction and memorizing a 40-page monologue. With just three weeks of rehearsal, she likens the process to “swallowing a whale.”

A Career Milestone

Ross studied acting at The William Esper Studio and graduated from Brown University. Known for roles in TV shows like “black-ish” and “Girlfriends,” she always aspired to perform on Broadway. This play meets her ambition for impactful storytelling. “It’s about real struggles told through what makes life worth living,” she shares.

Ross consciously avoided watching Radcliffe or Hargitay’s portrayals to avoid bias. Asked for a personal “brilliant thing,” she mentions the special glances shared with her siblings when only they understand a moment’s significance.