‘Every Brilliant Thing’ normalizes mental health issues

     You have just one weekend to catch a powerful one-woman show at Starlighters II Theatre!

   “Every Brilliant Thing” will hit the stage Friday, May 9, and run through Sunday, May 11.

   The show is directed by Steve Clemmons, and assisted by Presley Tapken (a 2109 graduate of Monticello High School). Tiffany Zarifkar, owner of Mount Vernon Family Counseling, is the one and only charter. (Tapken is also an intern at Mount Vernon Family Counseling.)

   The show has its highs and lows, comedic moments and drama.

   “It’s OK to laugh, even at the hard stuff,” said Zarifkar.

   “‘Every Brilliant Thing’ is a poignant, uplifting one-person play by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe. It tells the story of an individual who, as a child, begins compiling a list of everything that makes life worth living to help their mother cope with depression. From simple joys like ‘ice cream’ and ‘staying up past your bedtime’ to deeper connections like ‘the feeling of being understood,’ the list evolves as the narrator grows up, navigating love, loss, and their own mental health journey.

   “Told with humor, warmth, and audience interaction, the play invites viewers to reflect on life's beauty, even amidst challenges. It's a celebration of resilience, human connection, and the power of small joys. Through the narrator’s personal yet universal story, ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ reminds us all that hope can often be found in the simplest of things.”

   This is Clemmons and Zarifkar third show together at Starlighters. It was seeing Zarifkar in “Flannigan’s Wake” where Clemmons truly got to witness her stage presence and her knack for improvisation.

   “There was no better answer to see one’s self in the character and story,” Clemmons said of Zarifkar’s dedication. “And it was a great script.”

   Clemmons happened upon the script and knew he had to direct it and offer it to those at Starlighters.

   “It was as simple as that,” he said. “It’s an excellent script.”

   Preferring a small cast in which to direct, Clemmons joked you can’t get much smaller than a one-woman show.

   “In my young journey as a director,” he added, “this is what I can handle.”

   He said it also comes down to the message told in “Every Brilliant Thing” that he feels everyone could benefit from.

   This show was originally told in the United Kingdom and has been adapted to the U.S.

   “The playwright encourages you to adapt it to your town,” Clemmons said, which is quite rare with stage productions. “They want you to make it personal to your community.”

   In the U.K. version, the narrator goes to London. In the Starlighters’ version, the narrator goes to Des Moines. Other Iowa references include Casey’s General Store pizza and tater tot casserole.

   With her background in mental health, Zarifkar said she knew she had to do this play.

   “There are personal ties to my life that I don’t get to talk about because of HIPAA,” she said of her professional job. “This is a wonderful opportunity to being my passion to the stage and to talk about real issues facing everyone.

   “In my day-to-day life, I deal with mental health issues; I listen to a lot of people’s personal experiences. Dealing with these tough issues, there are no easy fixes. That’s the reason I became a counselor. I want to help people create meaning out of their own experiences to decrease the stigma of mental health.”

   This play also relies heavily upon audience participation, which is why Clemmons and Zarifkar hope to see plenty of people during the three days of performances, May 9-11. This is where Zarifkar’s improv comes into play, not knowing how the audience might respond to her prompts.

   “The actor directly talks to the audience,” Clemmons explained. “There’s not fourth wall (that separates the actor from the audience) in this show. And it helps let the audience see their own personal story in this play.”

   Following the conclusion of the show, Tapken and a representative from RISE Counseling & Consulting in Anamosa will take part in a talk-back with the audience about the content of the play.

   “Every Brilliant Thing” is meant for adults. Zarifkar urges parents to use their discretion in terms of bringing their children to a performance.

   “My own daughter, who is 11, has been helping to rehearse my lines,” she offered. “There is some difficult content with this. It’s also about the heavy conversations we have with our kids.”

   Performance times are 7:30 p.m. on May 9 and 10; 2 p.m. on May 11.

   You can purchase tickets for “Every Brilliant Thing” at www.starlighters.org/buy-tickets or via phone at 319-462-4793.