NEW YORK—Mariska Hargitay is heading to Broadway.

The Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning star of NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” will make her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing, stepping into the acclaimed solo play after Daniel Radcliffe completes his run on May 24, 2026. Ms. Hargitay begins performances May 26 at the Hudson Theatre, where the production has extended its limited engagement through June 28, 2026.

Tickets are available at https://everybrilliantthing.com/

Mariska Hargitay. Photo: Emilio Madrid.

A New Star Takes the Stage

Earlier this season, Mr. Radcliffe helped launch the Broadway, earning praise for his performance. Now Ms. Hargitay takes over the one-person play, bringing a different kind of presence to the intimate, audience-driven piece.

“I read Every Brilliant Thing and cried, rejoiced, laughed, cried some more, and loved it so much,” Ms. Hargitay said. “It feels like an extraordinary gift to make my Broadway debut…with a play that affirms life so emphatically.”

She is best known for her long-running portrayal of Olivia Benson on NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”  Now, Ms. Hargitay now returns to her theater roots with her first Broadway appearance.

A Play About Finding Light

Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe and directed by Jeremy Herrin, Every Brilliant Thing follows a narrator reflecting on a life shaped by love, loss, and resilience—all told through a list of the small things that make life worth living.

The production thrives on audience interaction, creating a shared, communal experience that shifts each night. That intimacy has helped the play resonate worldwide, with productions in more than 80 countries and a recent West End run before its Broadway transfer.

A Production That Resonates

The Broadway production opened in March to strong reviews, with critics praising its emotional clarity and inventive structure. StageZine.com awarded the production four stars in our review, noting:

“Every Brilliant Thing takes the sensitive, stigmatized topic of mental health and makes it accessible and approachable for a broad audience, and that’s one of the truly brilliant aspects of the show. Moreover, it is refreshing to encounter a production like this in a world currently torn apart by war and political division. One leaves the theater deeply moved, with a renewed faith in both humanity and the power of theater.”

With Ms. Hargitay stepping into the role, the production continues to evolve while maintaining the intimacy that defines it.

The Creative Team

The Broadway staging features set and costume design by Vicki Mortimer, lighting design by Jack Knowles, and sound design by Tom Gibbons. Casting is by Jessica Ronane, with general management by TT Partners.

The production has also partnered with Project Healthy Minds.  The organization expands access to mental health resources through audience initiatives tied to the show’s themes.

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‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING
Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe
Directed by Jeremy Herrin & Duncan Macmillan
Through August 9, 2026
Hudson Theatre
141 West 44th Street
https://everybrilliantthing.com/

Editor’s Note: Mariska Hargitay assumed the lead role on May 26, 2026. Tracee Ellis Ross begins performances July 7, 2026.

By Scott Harrah

Daniel Radcliffe is a true master of the stage, and his many gifts are in fine form in the Broadway solo show Every Brilliant Thing.

In Every Brilliant Thing, Daniel Radcliffe carries a 70-minute one-man show about depression and suicide with a level of ease and connection few actors could sustain. His approach to such dark subject matter feels deeply personal and powerful, and he keeps audiences engaged with each word he utters. That ability has developed over time. This reviewer first described his work in Equus back in 2008 as “consistently riveting,” a performance that marked a clear departure from his Harry Potter films.

Since then, he has steadily expanded his range across Broadway and the West End. His credits include Martin McDonagh’s quirky The Cripple of Inishmaan in 2014 and the 2023 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along (he won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Charlie Kringas). One of his strongest dramatic roles came in The Lifespan of a Fact in 2018, where his sharp delivery and commanding presence stood out. Here, he distills those qualities into something more intimate and direct.

From Edinburgh to Broadway

First developed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013, Every Brilliant Thing moved to Off-Broadway in 2014. It later played a West End engagement in 2024, steadily building an international following.

The story

A narrator reflects on a life shaped by his mother’s depression and begins a list of “every brilliant thing” to capture the small joys that make life worth living. He writes many of these “brilliant things,” from ice cream and roller coasters to water fights and the color yellow, on Post-It notes. He creates this list to show his mother reasons to continue living and to find peace in life’s simplest pleasures.

As the list grows, it becomes a deeply personal thread that connects love, loss, and the ongoing search for meaning. The show also incorporates audience participation, with theatergoers seated on stage as well as in the orchestra and mezzanine.

As the narrator matures, the story expands to include school, first love, marriage, and career choices. At the same time, it revisits the lasting impact of his mother’s illness. The list continues to evolve and reflects changing perspectives on happiness, connection, and survival.

Audience interaction

Audience participation plays a central role in the show. Select theatergoers deliver lines and inhabit certain roles. At first, it may seem spontaneous, and this reviewer initially thought some participants might be “plants.” However, Mr. Radcliffe appears on stage approximately 30 minutes before each performance and selects volunteers to assist in the storytelling. No one is forced to do anything. As a result, the technique creates intimacy without disrupting the narrative flow.

Before the show begins, ushers hand out slips of paper to the audience. At the performance this reviewer attended, one slip noted that a brilliant thing about life is “waking up with someone you love.” This is an odd choice, as not everyone has someone in their life. Widows, widowers, and those who are divorced or single often sleep alone. In a production with a strong message about mental health, asking audience members to read such a statement aloud may feel uncomfortable or even triggering for some.

Direction & audience connection

Co-directors Jeremy Herrin and Duncan Macmillan allow Mr. Radcliffe to connect directly with the audience. This is no easy task in a drama that relies heavily on dialogue and interaction.

Accessible & approachable

Every Brilliant Thing takes the sensitive, stigmatized topic of mental health and makes it accessible and approachable for a broad audience, and that’s one of the truly brilliant aspects of the show. Moreover, it is refreshing to encounter a production like this in a world currently torn apart by war and political division. One leaves the theater deeply moved, with a renewed faith in both humanity and the power of theater.

Published March 21, 2026
Reviewed at press performance on March 18, 2026.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photos: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photos Matthew Murphy.

The post ‘Every Brilliant Thing’: Daniel Radcliffe excels appeared first on StageZine.

Tony Award Winner Daniel Radcliffe in Every Brilliant Thing starting 2/21/26

Previews Begin: Feb 21, 2026 | Opening Night: Mar 12, 2026 | Limited 13-Week Engagement at The Hudson Theatre

NEW YORK—Tony Award® winner Daniel Radcliffe (Merrily We Roll Along, Harry Potter films) returns to New  York with the Broadway premiere of Every Brilliant Thing. The solo play is by Olivier Award nominee Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe.

Directed by Olivier & Tony Award nominee Jeremy Herrin and Macmillan, the play begins previews Feb 21, 2026, opening Mar 12 for a limited 13-week run through May 24 at The Hudson Theatre (141 W 44th St).

About Every Brilliant Thing

Every Brilliant Thing follows a man reflecting on life’s moments of hope, told through a list of everything—big and small—that makes life worth living. The show played in 80+ countries.

The show earned raves in London. The Telegraph called it “life-affirming.” The Times called it “extraordinary, shattering, and beautiful,” and Time Out noting it is “filled to the brim with joy.”

About Daniel Radcliffe

Radcliffe recently starred in Merrily We Roll Along, earning a Tony and a Grammy nomination. His credits include Broadway (Equus, The Lifespan of a Fact) and West End (Endgame). In addition, he’s been in films (The Lost City, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), and TV (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, Miracle Workers: End Times).

Website & Social Media: everybrilliantthingbway.com | @brilliantbway

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