The Utah Shakespeare Festival’s tour of “Every Brilliant Thing” has been formally recognized by the Utah State Legislature for its work in suicide prevention and mental health awareness among high school students. The 2024 leg of the tour, directed by Britannia Howe, began in January and will hold its final performance on Saturday, March 24, at Southern Utah University.
The plot of “EBT” follows a young person’s journey with depression as they transition into adulthood. The main character of the story creates a list of every brilliant thing in the world as a gift to their mother, who also struggles with mental illness. to highlight the positive things in life.
The Utah State Legislature provided USF with the funding for the tour after passing an appropriation bill in 2022. The money provided by the state has allowed the tour to connect with a large number of schools and communities across the state. Recently, the team of “Every Brilliant Thing” traveled to the State Capitol to converse with the Legislature about the impact they’ve been able to make with this funding.
“We got to visit with four different legislators in each chamber, and we got to talk to them a little bit about both what’s going on with “Every Brilliant Thing” and what’s going on with the legislation they’re working on,” tour manager Jordan Simmons described.
Simmons was joined by stage manager Kathryn Whilden as well as actors Marco Vega and Angelique Archer on this trip to the Utah State Capitol. Simmons said that it was a meaningful experience to visit with the individuals who backed USF’s initiative.
“It speaks to the ability of the state to support the arts,” said Simmons. “The festival and SUU, for that reason, is one of those entities that really stands as a beacon for what the arts can be doing in the state of Utah.”
Although the “EBT” team is not composed of mental health professionals, the tour has partnered with SafeUT, a mental health program designed to connect students with proper resources.
“We know the power of theatre, and we know the power of art,” Simmons explained, “and so, for us, it’s about sharing a story that prompts people to think differently about mental health.”
“‘EBT’ is about saving lives,” Simmons claimed. “The show itself offers hope, humor and an opportunity to connect.”
The goal of the “Every Brilliant Thing” tour is to activate dialogue and increase awareness about mental health issues between high school students, educators and parents. More information about the tour can be found on the Utah Shakespeare Festival website. Admission for the final performance is free and open to the community at 1:30 p.m. in the Auditorium.
Author: Heather Turner
Photos courtesy of the Utah Shakespeare Festival
Editor: Tessa Cheshire
arts@suunews.net
