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

• Mar 12, 2026 – Opening at Hudson Theatre with Daniel Radcliffe.

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• Feb 21 – May 24, 2026 – Radcliffe’s run ends; he earned a best-revival nomination.

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• May 26 – July 5, 2026 – Mariska Hargitay takes over.

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• July 7 – Aug 9, 2026 – Tracee Ellis Ross headlines, marking her Broadway debut and the fourth extension. Casting announced by Second Half Productions, Seaview, and Gavin Kalin Productions.

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“Every Brilliant Thing” is a solo, audience-participation drama by playwrights Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, directed by Jeremy Herrin. The piece follows a narrator who, amid a mother’s mental-health crisis, compiles a list of “brilliant things” that make life worth living; the list expands as the narrator confronts their own mental-health challenges, with audience members shouting entries from slips of paper.

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• Daniel Radcliffe – Originated the role; received a nomination for best revival of a play.

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• Mariska Hargitay – Continued the solo format after Radcliffe.

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• Tracee Ellis Ross – Six-time Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner, known for “Black-ish,” “Girlfriends,” and the film “American Fiction,” now leads the production.

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Second Half Productions, Seaview, and Gavin Kalin Productions emphasized the show’s sustained popularity and its ability to support multiple solo performers. The producers highlighted the play’s “electric, communal energy” and its capacity to “create an electric, communal energy between performer and audience, no matter the venue.”

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• “I’ve been a fan of Tracee’s work for a long time and knew her quick-wit, intelligence and emotional depth would be the perfect fit for Every Brilliant Thing,” — Duncan Macmillan, Playwright

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• “We are beyond thrilled that she has chosen to make her Broadway debut with us this summer. We can’t wait to welcome her to the Hudson Theatre, and for audiences to experience her unique take on the play.” — Duncan Macmillan, Playwright

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• “Watch on Deadline Every Brilliant Thing is “an exhilarating and heartwarming play, in which its central character looks back at their life and the glimmers of hope that carried them through—all told through a list of every wonderful, beautiful, and delightful thing that makes life worth living.” — Production Press Release

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Ross’s debut brings a Black actress known for *Black-ish* and *Girlfriends* to a solo work that foregrounds mental-health themes, adding a Black performer to Broadway’s lineup. The interactive format invites communal storytelling, highlighting the play’s focus on mental-health struggles.

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Ross’s engagement ends on August 9. The production may continue with new performers, following its pattern of extensions, though future casting has not yet been announced.

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