Tracee Ellis Ross’s Uplifting Broadway Debut
Tracee Ellis Ross is beginning to find joy in everyday moments. She cherishes the click of a curling iron or the flavor of olives. This awareness aligns with her current project.
The actor and producer is making her Broadway debut in the play “Every Brilliant Thing,” opening Tuesday. The play is joyful and uplifting, even as it explores depression.
“Every Brilliant Thing” tells the story of a narrator who lists small joys to show a depressed mother that life is worthwhile. Items on this list include ducklings, spaghetti Bolognese, and public dancing. Item No. 999,996 on the list reads: “Peeling off a sheet of wallpaper in one intact piece.”
Ross explains, “You start to notice things you never thought of before. These moments are everywhere, and that’s why the play is so beautiful: it offers a new perspective on life.”
Audience Interaction
Ross takes over a role previously performed by Daniel Radcliffe and Mariska Hargitay. Although a solo show, the audience participates. Members might read from scraps of paper or act in various roles, such as the narrator’s parent.
Ross helps select audience members and chats with them as they arrive. She looks for kindness and even relishes a bit of resistance. “A little reluctance is a special quality for the roles we need to cast,” she says.
A Unique Performance
Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, the play allows the narrator to ad-lib, adjusting the list of brilliant things to reflect their personal experiences. “The list needs to feel authentic,” Macmillan notes. Therefore, the play changes with each performer, reflecting their age and background, including childhood favorites and memorable movies.
Macmillan adds, “The actors connect with the material for personal reasons. They’re funny, generous, and humble people we root for.”
The play lasts 70 minutes, with Ross never breaking character as she interacts with the audience. She memorized a 40-page monologue in a three-week rehearsal period. “It felt like swallowing a whale,” she notes, describing the challenge.
Personal and Professional Milestones
Ross, a Brown University graduate who studied at The William Esper Studio, began auditioning for theater, films, and TV early in her career. Known for roles in “black-ish” and “Girlfriends,” she has long wanted a Broadway role.
Starring in a hopeful, meaningful play aligns with her ideals. “It’s a story about something real, something many of us face. It’s told through the perspective of life’s joys — similar to a bucket list.”
She refrained from watching others in the role to maintain her unique interpretation. “Once I get someone else’s performance in my head, it’s hard to shake,” she admits.
When asked for one more personal brilliant thing, Ross, one of five siblings, responds quickly. “That moment when you and your siblings glance at each other, knowing exactly what’s happening. It’s a connection only the five of us share.”