Photos: Every Brilliant Thing, Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Opens on Broadway

Olympians Evan Bates and Madison Chock, Michele Lee, Whitney White, Maria Friedman, and more joined the Tony-winning Harry Potter actor on opening night at the Hudson.

March 13, 2026 By Logan Culwell-Block

March 12 was opening night for Every Brilliant Thing, starring Tony winner Daniel Radcliffe at Broadway's Hudson Theatre, and the stars were out to celebrate. See who hit the red carpet for the starry evening—including some fresh Olympic champions!—in the gallery below.

Radcliffe is back on the Main Stem after winning a Tony for his performance in Merrily We Roll Along, this time in a solo play from Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe. Jeremy Herrin and Macmillan are co-directing.

Evan Bates and Madison Chock (Jalen Gregory)

Radcliffe stars as a nameless protagonist facing a distant father, a suicidal mother, and his own inexplicable deep sadness. And in a spark of childhood genius, he counteracts these obstacles by chronicling every brilliant thing in the world—first to cheer up his depressed mother, and later for friends, lovers, and himself. Those things include items ranging from simple pleasures ("ice cream,” “the color yellow”) to the far more specific and detailed ("old people who are kind and don’t smell unusual,” “the even numbered Star Trek films"). The play lets the audience get in on the fun, helping Radcliffe count life's brilliant things and even filling in onstage as his character's father, childhood teacher, and significant other.

READ: If You Want to Get Called on at Every Brilliant Thing, Don't Be Too Eager, Says Daniel Radcliffe

With Radcliffe back in the very theatre where he offered his Tony-winning performance in Merrily We Roll Along, the opening night festivities served as somewhat of a Merrily reunion; director Maria Friedman was there to cheer him on, alongside his onstage co-stars Krystal Joy Brown, Lindsay Mendez, and Katie Rose Clarke. The starry guest list also included Michele Lee, Donna Vivino, Alex Edelman, Lea DeLaria, Bess Wohl, Whitney White, Erin Darke, Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett (currently preparing to co-star on Broadway in Beaches), Kerry Butler, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Olympians Evan Bates and Madison Chock, Steve Buscemi, Layton Williams, Daniel Dae Kim, Jane Krakowski, Santino Fontana, Jamie Lloyd, Lupita Nyong'o, and more.

Photos: Opening Night of Every Brilliant Thing on Broadway

The solo play debuted at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it played three sold-out consecutive summers before coming to Off-Broadway's Barrow Street Theatre in 2014. The latter run was filmed live and aired on HBO with Donahoe starring. The work returned to Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, where it was a Playbill Pick. The work also recently made its West End debut at @sohoplace, featuring a rotating roster of stars.

The full creative team from that West End bow is reprising their work on the Main Stem, including Herrin and Macmillan, scenic and costume designer Vicki Mortimer, lighting designer Jack Knowles, and sound designer Tom Gibbons. Casting is by Jessica Ronane, TT Partners is general managing, and Jhanaë K-C Bonnick serves as production stage manager.

Second Half Productions, Seaview, and Gavin Kalin Productions are producing.