Tracee Ellis Ross Debuts on Broadway in “Every Brilliant Thing”

Tracee Ellis Ross is finding joy in life’s small pleasures, such as the click of a curling iron or the taste of olives. As an actor and producer, these observations have become part of her new routine, especially with her Broadway debut in “Every Brilliant Thing.” The play starts staging on Tuesday and is recognized as an uplifting piece, despite exploring the theme of depression.

The play follows a narrator who creates a list of joyful things to convince their depressed mother that life is worthwhile. Items on this list include ducklings, spaghetti Bolognese, and dancing publicly. One item, No. 999,996, is “peeling off a sheet of wallpaper in one intact piece.” Ross emphasizes that this play can change one’s perspective on the world, enhancing awareness of previously unnoticed joys.

Originally performed by Daniel Radcliffe and later by Mariska Hargitay, Ross is stepping into the solo role. The engaging nature of the play involves audience participation, where some audience members read from scraps of paper or act out scenes. Ross will interact with them, selecting participants as they arrive.

“It is a sense of being of service to the material and a little bit of reluctance is actually a special quality in the roles that we need to cast,” Ross says.

Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, the play allows a degree of ad-libbing, adapting to the performer’s background. Radcliffe’s version had “wearing a cape,” whereas Ross can choose “tutus.” Macmillan notes that the list must feel authentic, shaped by the performer’s life experiences.

The play is brief, running 70 minutes, but demands much from Ross. She memorizes a 40-page monologue, working with the audience continually. Reflecting on the rehearsal process, Ross compares it to undertaking a monumental task, learning to “digest it through my fingers and through my body and through my voice and through my heart.”

Ross, a graduate of Brown University and an alum of The William Esper Studio, began her career auditioning for theater, film, and television. Known for her roles in “black-ish” and “Girlfriends,” she always aspired to perform on Broadway. Starring in “Every Brilliant Thing” fulfills that aspiration by allowing her to connect deeply with audiences.

Ross describes the play as hitting her “sweet spot,” as it deals realistically with themes many face. She refrains from watching previous performances by Radcliffe or Hargitay, to keep her interpretation unique. When asked about her own “brilliant thing,” Ross mentions a special moment shared with her siblings, knowing something only they understand.