Every Brilliant Thing – a play focused on suicide prevention – will be presented at Arkansas City High School March 28 through April 1.
Shane Schrag, a 2011 Ark City High alum, stars as the narrator and will interact directly with the audience in this intimate performance surrounding mental health themes. Roger Moon, retired Professor of Theatre from Southwestern College, is directing the show.
There will also be two free evening performances that community members may attend. One will be the evening of March 28 so that community members or parents who wish to preview the show prior to their student, may do so. The other will be the evening of Friday, April 1. The performances will start at 8 p.m. each night. Seating is limited and may be reserved by calling Ark City High School at 620-441-2010.
1.Ice Cream; 2. Water fights; 3. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV. This is the start of a list of one million things that prove life is beautiful and worth living in the play “Every Brilliant Thing”, by Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donahoe.
The play features this list, curated over a lifetime by the show’s narrator who started it as a child after their mother attempted suicide.
“Mental health is always so hard to talk about. It makes us feel vulnerable and for some, weak – but how this play addresses the topic shows us that talking about it is okay,” Schrag said. “It’s more than okay because we are not alone when the darkness grows.”
He thinks “Every Brilliant Thing” makes a heavy topic lighter to talk about.
“Throughout the narrator’s life, people have added many more brilliant things to the list,” Schrag said. “What’s special is that every brilliant thing is specific to you, but also gives hope for others to find their brilliant things.”
This opportunity, which is made possible through a grant from The VJ Wilkins Foundation and Legacy Regional Community Foundation, allows every Ark City High School student the chance to watch “Every Brilliant Thing” live during school. In the days surrounding the performances, students and staff will participate in a variety of activities and conversations pertaining to mental health and suicide prevention.
Ark City High School Principal Jeremy Truelove said the school’s leadership and counseling teams are excited about the program they’ve developed to complement “Every Brilliant Thing.”
“We want to help guide students through the often difficult conversations surrounding suicide and depression,” Truelove said. “Our intention is to equip our staff, students, and their families with the resources to address mental health concerns through conversation and wellness activities.”
Truelove acknowledged that the high school has been greatly impacted by suicide in recent years and that while comedy is woven throughout the play, the topics discussed are still heavy. With that in mind, counselors from all USD 470 schools and Four County Mental Health will be at the high school to provide support for students and staff members during that week.
“For years we didn’t discuss this topic, let alone bring it within the classroom,” said USD 470 Superintendent Dr. Ron Ballard. “Then, we recognized the resulting loss of youth, their emptiness, and the fear. It’s time for all of us to reach out and make kindness and care part of our daily routine and effort. These young people are our most prized possession – and they represent our potential for continuing success. Let’s recognize – the loss of only one…is far too many.
Yazmin Wood, Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Regional Community Foundation, said using socially-conscious theater as a catalyst for important conversations can help us to find adaptive solutions and take action.
“Many organizations are working collectively in addressing mental and behavioral health in our community,” Wood said. “Efforts to host community discussions, put books focusing on mental health awareness and recommended styles of interaction into the hands of law enforcement and teachers, strengthening programming for our youth, and sharing the lived stories of those experiencing barriers to equity and justice are just a few of the projects unfolding in our community in the coming months.”
Legacy, with the help of VJ Wilkins Foundation, also plans to continue implementation of Nitty Gritty Theatre to aid in growing the social and emotional intelligence of our young people.
Another community group working to reduce mental health stigma and ultimately decrease the number of deaths by suicide is the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Cowley County (SPOCCC) led by Ark City Police Chief Eric Burr.
“The Suicide Prevention of Cowley County Coalition is a group of concerned residents who have a passion for reducing death by suicide and increasing the overall mental wellness of everyone in Cowley County,” Burr said.
Burr said the coalition is working closely with community partners to explore ways to make a positive impact with the youth of Cowley County. One approach involves investigating school-based programs that are led by the students themselves.
“Creating ownership for mental health among students can greatly impact the effectiveness of any program. The coalition is also in the process of planning community-based events to raise awareness,” Burr added.