Play Review: "Tiny Beautiful Things"

On Nov. 16, 2023, the University Theatre Players production of “Tiny Beautiful Things premiered. The play followed the main character, a woman who goes by the penname Sugar, as she writes an advice column. Sugar was played by Eliyana Brown, who did an incredible job silently reacting to the letters Sugar receives as they are being read. The play’s dialogue consisted entirely of letters and responses that slowly unfolded Sugar’s life story as the play progressed. The letters and Sugar’s responses were humorous and deeply emotional, covering topics ranging from crushes to addiction. The cast did an excellent job depicting the anonymous writers, with most of the cast performing multiple parts. University students will likely recognize one of Nov. 16th’s guest letter readers, Ahmed Samaha, the Vice Chancellor of Student Engagement and Belonging at USCA. Overall I found the play enjoyable and moving, with several letters and responses causing me to tear up at the cast’s excellent performance.