Ross will headline the one‑woman production through August 9, following in the footsteps of our other beloved fictional Olivia, Mariska Hargitay, in this staging.
Every Brilliant Thing, penned by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, follows a person who tries to assist a parent wrestling with depression while assembling a personal list of reasons to stay alive. The interactive, audience‑participation–driven performance ensures that no two nights are alike.
Before stepping into the role, Macmillan foresaw Ross as the ideal fit for the show, lauding the Black‑ish star for her wit and her gift for engaging with spectators. It’s that same ability to connect with audiences that helped fans adore her as the endearingly romantic, compulsively organized, yet irresistibly funny Joan Clayton on Mara Brock Akil’s acclaimed television series.
The gathering of all four women felt like a final bow for Girlfriends fans, as the show—on the air for eight seasons from 2000 to 2008—was abruptly canceled without a proper ending. (For the record, yes, we still crave a conclusion, though a modern-day reboot would be welcome.)
Before Issa put her stamp on Insecure and before Camille and the Harlem crew stepped into the spotlight, Girlfriends—following the path laid by the women of Living Single—represented the kind of Black female friendship many of us dream of in real life, so it’s reassuring to know that Joan, Toni, Mya, and Lynn truly stand by one another through thick and thin.
