The Brightest Thing in the World presented by About Face Theatre at The Den Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...Weaving elements of the playwright’s own journey with chronic pain into Lane’s fictional story, Nanako Winkler humanizes the experience of addiction and shows how it can happen to anyone. Lane rattles off an exhaustive list of medical and holistic therapies she tried for her chronic condition before succumbing to the only thing that eased her pain: heroin. Not only was the heroin more affordable and more effective, but the first dose was given to her for free. That’s all it took, she says, chillingly."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...There are so many small moments in this play, both sweet and ludicrous, that linger in my mind (Lane making Steph a “Lane cake,” like the one in her favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird; investments professional Della thinking that putting “DTF” in her online dating profile means she’s interested in “duties, taxes, and fees”). The Brightest Thing in the World isn’t interested in pathologizing or glamorizing people with addiction. Winkler’s lovely little gem of a character study instead reminds us that we’re all walking along the cliff, hoping like hell that we don’t fall off before we’ve had our full measure of joy and love."

Around The Town Chicago - Recommended

"...The beginning is very cute and clever with lots of witty dialogue. One day, while Lane is behind the counter, a “queer” female named Steph (Jojo Brown) comes in to drink coffee with almond milk and work on her laptop computer. From that day forward, Steph shows up every morning and orders the same thing. Trying to be gluten free and dairy free in the hopes of “feeling better”, she thus avoids eating any of the sweet treats. Lane, doing a wonderfully devilish voice, entices Steph to cheat on her diet and eventually order some pastry that she really wants to enjoy. In due course, the friendly and casual interaction between the two women turns into a romantic relationship, and Lane admits to her sister Della (Cyd Blakewell) just how much she is in love with this new person in her life."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...Leah Nanako Winkler has written an honest, meaningful drama about love and substance abuse. It plays out so realistically that we eventually come to realize Ms. Winkler’s intention in writing this autobiographical play. She’s showing us that drug addicts aren’t always the dregs of society."

Third Coast Review - Not Recommended

"...Romance is difficult enough in real life, but it’s damn-near impossible on the stage. Balancing the fictive chemicals of genuine-seeming attraction is a science to challenge our best artists. Success is plausibility: these people could be in love. But it’s no easy feat. And in The Brightest Thing in the World, being staged now by About Face Theatre, playwright Leah Nanako Winkler, director Keira Fromm, and actors Claire Kaplan and Jojo Brown fail to reach that bar."