“Every Brilliant Thing” Brings Suicide Prevention to Center Stage
What makes life worth living? It’s an admittedly simple question, but it can be a fascinatingly difficult question to answer. Perhaps we find reasons to live in every brilliant or simple thing in our lives. For one, it may be the warmth from a load of laundry fresh from the dryer; for another, the beauty of snow-covered mountains in the winter or the taste of their favorite ice cream.
The Utah Shakespeare Festival’s Production of “Every Brilliant Thing” was funded by the Utah Legislature to hit the road in October 2019. The production is travelling to high schools throughout Utah in order to address the topic of suicide and depression as well as mental health awareness with our state’s youth through a life-affirming, intimate and uplifting lens.
The audience will learn, from the beginning of the production, that the narrator’s mother suffered from depression and attempted suicide. The narrator creates a list of everything that is brilliant and worth living for. The list begins with simple things like ice cream, water fights, staying up past your bedtime and continues to one million “things.”
Studies show that many youth in Utah have been impacted by suicide in some way. According to the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention, Utah has the highest rate of suicide for youth ages 10 to 24 years old and ranks fifth highest for overall suicide rates in the nation. According to the Utah Department of Health, two youth in Utah are treated for suicide attempts every day in Utah. In 2014, suicide was the leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 17 years old.
The production brings to youth a message of hope, helping them recognize everything brilliant and worth living for and creates a platform of discussion for a heavy subject. In a Utah Shakespeare Festival press release, Donn Jersey, the director of communications and development, said the tour is a public service effort to be proud of.
“The hope is this endeavor starts a conversation and removes the secrets that can cause suffering,” he said in the press release, “so healing can be a real possibility for those affected by depression and suicidal thoughts.”
“Every Brilliant Thing” is anticipated to have more than 150 school showings as well as 10 public performances from October 2019 through February 2020. The production will likely reach over 75,000 students.
Preventing suicide starts by reaching out to those around you. The resources below provide free and confidential support to people in distress as well as sources for prevention and crisis for those around you.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-8255
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-Utah
888-333-2377 • 212-363-3500
NAMI Utah-Programs for Mental Illness
801-323-9900