Theatergoers in Humboldt County have a final weekend to catch two distinct local productions, as Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe’s interactive play Every Brilliant Thing concludes at the Synapsis Union and Eugene Ionesco’s absurdist classic Rhinoceros wraps up its run at Cal Poly Humboldt’s Van Duzer Theatre.
Closing Performances Across Humboldt Venues
- Every Brilliant Thing runs through Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Synapsis Union space at 1675 Union in Eureka, featuring actor Chuck Supple under the direction of Leira Satlof.
- Cal Poly Humboldt’s Department of Dance, Music & Theatre finishes its staging of Rhinoceros with weekend performances ending on Nov. 15 in the Van Duzer, directed by James Peck.
- Tickets for the final Every Brilliant Thing matinee and remaining Rhinoceros shows are available online through their respective venue links, with student pricing offered for the university production.
The staging of Every Brilliant Thing centers on Supple’s character navigating the lasting trauma of his mother’s suicide by compiling an expansive list of life’s small joys. As noted by the Lost Coast Outpost, the production relies heavily on unscripted and scripted interactions with audience members who step in as figures from the protagonist’s past.
Director Leira Satlof and production manager Sydnee Stanton balance moments of heavy grief with humor. The remaining performances offer audiences a final chance to experience the intimate setup before the run closes.
Absurdist Theater Takes the Van Duzer Stage
Across town at Cal Poly Humboldt, the Department of Dance, Music & Theatre brought Ionesco’s 1959 anti-fascist satire to life with a student cast and technical crew. Director James Peck utilized a commedia dell’arte approach to frame the descent of a provincial French village into a herd of rampaging rhinoceroses.
Joe Carter stars as Berenger, the disheveled office worker who remains the sole human capable of independent thought as his peers conform to the crowd. Hudson Lauer performs as Jean, alongside Ava Brown as Daisy, rounding out the principal cast of the campus production.
The technical demands of the campus production involved scenic designs by Casey Vaughn and shadow puppet animations by Jess Peck. Stuart Juoeika served as technical director, while Centauri Starfall managed stage operations for the weekend schedule.
Both local stagings finish their scheduled runs on Sunday, Nov. 15, closing out a active weekend for regional performing arts venues in Humboldt County.
