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Brilliant Traces
The place is a remote cabin in the wilds of Alaska. As a blizzard rages outside, a lonely figure, Henry Harry, lies sleeping under a heap of blankets. Suddenly, he is awakened by the insistent knocking of an unexpected visitor who turns out to be Rosannah DeLuce, a distraught young woman who has fled all the way from Arizona to escape her impending marriage, and who bursts into the cabin dressed in full bridal regalia. Exhausted, she throws herself on Henry's mercy, but after sleeping for two days straight, her vigor and combativeness return. Both characters, it develops, have been wounded and embittered by life, and both are refugees from so-called civilization. Thrown together in the confines of the snowbound cabin, they alternately repel and attract each other as, in theatrically vivid exchanges, they explore the pain of the past and, in time, consider the possibilities of the present. In the end their very isolation proves to be the catalyst that allows them to break through the web of old griefs and bitter feelings that beset them both and to reach out for the solace and sanctuary that only hard-won understanding, self-awareness and compassion for the plight of others can bestow.
72 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 23, 2018
I read this play about two weeks ago thanks to a friend who recommended it to me, and it is still lingering in my mind, heart, and soul. I think that is how I know I’ve encountered a piece of literature that is different, that is above the rest, that is better than good. I couldn’t get the experience out of my body.
Brilliant Traces doesn't just make you laugh, it makes you think about life and other humans. It doesn't just make you cry, it makes you sympathize with both characters, and wonder what their lives could have been. It doesn't just make you smile, it leaves you replaying its events over and over in your head. I couldn’t stop thinking about this story.
If you enjoy reading drama there is simply NO question at all, this piece should be in your library and found in your hands, time and time again.
Brilliant Traces doesn't just make you laugh, it makes you think about life and other humans. It doesn't just make you cry, it makes you sympathize with both characters, and wonder what their lives could have been. It doesn't just make you smile, it leaves you replaying its events over and over in your head. I couldn’t stop thinking about this story.
If you enjoy reading drama there is simply NO question at all, this piece should be in your library and found in your hands, time and time again.
November 2, 2017
4.5*
This is a beautiful play that explores our two characters emotions and their views on life. It's hard to describe, but incredibly touching. (Not to mention there are some hella good monologues in here, which was mainly why I first picked it up)
This is a beautiful play that explores our two characters emotions and their views on life. It's hard to describe, but incredibly touching. (Not to mention there are some hella good monologues in here, which was mainly why I first picked it up)
September 10, 2016
A friend of mine sent this to me via email saying that he had gotten the rights to do it.
I read it while at work and laughed and cried my way through it sitting at my desk.
I immediately asked "Did you send this because you want me to do it with you? The answer is yes hands down"
We are now in the middle of rehearsals and this will be the most challenging role of my career thus far. Rosannah is a whirlwind...she is a mess and not at all well but in a way there is clarity in what she is experiencing.
I relate to her in so many ways and cannot wait to get on stage with this in November!
I read it while at work and laughed and cried my way through it sitting at my desk.
I immediately asked "Did you send this because you want me to do it with you? The answer is yes hands down"
We are now in the middle of rehearsals and this will be the most challenging role of my career thus far. Rosannah is a whirlwind...she is a mess and not at all well but in a way there is clarity in what she is experiencing.
I relate to her in so many ways and cannot wait to get on stage with this in November!
August 14, 2009
My favorite play. 2 people. One room. Connection. Life.
September 9, 2021
As reported by the New York Times, Cindy Lou Johnson was looking for a title for her play, found it from a poem by her mother, Avah Pevlor Johnson. The poem, "Individuation" was printed in the original playbill and is printed in the acting edition, and contains the lines: "Let me dance with devils on dead stars. Let my scars leave brilliant traces"... and hence, we have the lovely title "Brilliant Traces" for this 2-person play.
It was first presented by the Circle Repertory Company at the Cherry Lane Theatre in NYC in February of 1989, starring Kevin Anderson (perhaps best known as the good guy opposite Julia Roberts in "Sleeping With the Enemy") and Joan Cusack (who really needs no introduction at all--- she's simply awesome).
"Brilliant Traces" starts with an arresting opening image of a woman (Rosannah Deluce) in a wedding dress, coming into a small barn in the middle of nowhere Alaska, from a snowstorm. She mentions she has been driving for days until her car died, and she's been walking for over an hour in the cold--- she manages to get this brief explanation before fainting. The owner of the house, Henry Harry, who moved to nowhere to get away from the world to become a "gray man", gently places her in a bed, and waits for her to wake up. Once she does, the action of the play takes place in a 70-80 minute burst where the characters struggle (sometimes physically and violently) to connect. And while sometimes Rosannah comes off as the prototype for the "manic pixie dreamgirl" before such a trope existed, and Henry Harry often comes off as the "tortured, quiet recluse with a past", one cannot deny that Johnson gives each character vibrant words and energy. Indeed, for quite sometime, Brilliant Traces provided rich two-minute monologues for young women particularly auditioning for theater schools. I confess, I found some the situations a bit too quirky, but it is hard not to fall under the spell of the characters. As I have stated before, energy is very important, and in a quick show like this, I think you would be hard-pressed to not be taken in by it in production if it is cast well with terrific performers (as it sounds like it was for its premiere).
I have not been able to find a great deal of information on Cindy Lou Johnson, only enough to know that she has also written for television, and wrote and directed a film called "Claude". "Brilliant Traces" was adapted into a Canadian TV movie in 1998, adapted into French. I did find a video from 1989-1990 from the American Theatre Wing, where she was on a panel with other cool theater artists, including Wendy Wasserstein. On this panel, she talks about having written fiction for years, but that the characters in "Brilliant Traces" wanted to perform. She describes the process of developing the play at the Eugene O'Neill Conference as a complete education in the craft of writing plays, and understanding how play productions actually work, as she had no real idea previously. She has fond memories of the wonderful playwrights who were of great support and gave her sense of structure.
I would never argue that "Brilliant Traces" is a great play, but I think it is a good one, and, again, it is alive, and comes from a distinct voice with something to say about suffering, pain and seeking understanding and connection. This is not small feat, and give the Cindy Lou Johnson tremendous credit for this being her first play-- it is almost unbelievable, in fact, to have a debut so accomplished in character, with a great showcase for two actors to really shine.
It was first presented by the Circle Repertory Company at the Cherry Lane Theatre in NYC in February of 1989, starring Kevin Anderson (perhaps best known as the good guy opposite Julia Roberts in "Sleeping With the Enemy") and Joan Cusack (who really needs no introduction at all--- she's simply awesome).
"Brilliant Traces" starts with an arresting opening image of a woman (Rosannah Deluce) in a wedding dress, coming into a small barn in the middle of nowhere Alaska, from a snowstorm. She mentions she has been driving for days until her car died, and she's been walking for over an hour in the cold--- she manages to get this brief explanation before fainting. The owner of the house, Henry Harry, who moved to nowhere to get away from the world to become a "gray man", gently places her in a bed, and waits for her to wake up. Once she does, the action of the play takes place in a 70-80 minute burst where the characters struggle (sometimes physically and violently) to connect. And while sometimes Rosannah comes off as the prototype for the "manic pixie dreamgirl" before such a trope existed, and Henry Harry often comes off as the "tortured, quiet recluse with a past", one cannot deny that Johnson gives each character vibrant words and energy. Indeed, for quite sometime, Brilliant Traces provided rich two-minute monologues for young women particularly auditioning for theater schools. I confess, I found some the situations a bit too quirky, but it is hard not to fall under the spell of the characters. As I have stated before, energy is very important, and in a quick show like this, I think you would be hard-pressed to not be taken in by it in production if it is cast well with terrific performers (as it sounds like it was for its premiere).
I have not been able to find a great deal of information on Cindy Lou Johnson, only enough to know that she has also written for television, and wrote and directed a film called "Claude". "Brilliant Traces" was adapted into a Canadian TV movie in 1998, adapted into French. I did find a video from 1989-1990 from the American Theatre Wing, where she was on a panel with other cool theater artists, including Wendy Wasserstein. On this panel, she talks about having written fiction for years, but that the characters in "Brilliant Traces" wanted to perform. She describes the process of developing the play at the Eugene O'Neill Conference as a complete education in the craft of writing plays, and understanding how play productions actually work, as she had no real idea previously. She has fond memories of the wonderful playwrights who were of great support and gave her sense of structure.
I would never argue that "Brilliant Traces" is a great play, but I think it is a good one, and, again, it is alive, and comes from a distinct voice with something to say about suffering, pain and seeking understanding and connection. This is not small feat, and give the Cindy Lou Johnson tremendous credit for this being her first play-- it is almost unbelievable, in fact, to have a debut so accomplished in character, with a great showcase for two actors to really shine.
March 25, 2024
I found the characters complex and was interested in finding out more about their past ; however, I was not a fan of their relationship. The part where Henry kisses Rosannah during a breakdown didn't sit right with me. I also found the constant back and forth annoying. One second, they would be nice or at least tolerant of each other, and the next, they're yelling at each other. I understand that both characters are incredibly traumatized, but I don't think that justifies the whiplash I got while reading. It honeatly could just be me not fully understanding the little details and for that I might have to re read it. Overall, it's not a bad play. I just wasn't a fan of some of the interactions they had with each other.
Note : I read this play for a class, and we are diving into it more in the upcoming weeks. I will update this if anything changes after disecting it in class.
Note : I read this play for a class, and we are diving into it more in the upcoming weeks. I will update this if anything changes after disecting it in class.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 18, 2021read for school. rosannah is crazy and if this is considered high-quality theater, than the theater world is not for me
September 3, 2019
Full of gorgeous monologues and some truly beautiful moments, and glad I re-read because when I saw this play I didn’t love it and recently several friends of mine have been involved in productions so I figured there was something g I was missing. Definitely hits differently now that I’m not watching it as a young unmarried woman but rather reading it as a parent. Found some pacing and passages to be more heavy handed than poetic, but believe a talented cast and passionate director could just knock the socks off of audiences with this piece.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2018
Having a manic episode and ending up in remote Alaska in the home of a conservative loner feels more like a nightmare than a romance. I wish these characters had more agency. Play drags in spots.
June 17, 2022
This is a really beautiful script with a couple of very damaged characters and a really sweet story where they meet and find out that they may be able to help the other one out fundamentally. Good pace throughout and a great actors piece to boot.
August 21, 2025
the kind of play that needs a re read more than others. i love how this touches into an absurd side while still feeling real. a exploration of human connection and how meeting the right people works in mysterious ways
January 7, 2026
I’m working up a monologue from this play so I decided to read it. Very hilarious and touching, and I very much identified with both of the characters. Monologue hits very close to home now that I’ve gotten the full context
January 16, 2021
Funny confusing play is funny and confusing
December 31, 2023
I had to read this for an acting class. It’s a wild back and forth about two lost people. Definitely complex.
February 7, 2024
these people are on the brink. stars aligned to meet. austin and i killed the delivery. joan cusack, i love you.
January 7, 2025
such a complex play, but it’s really beautiful. definitely a character i would love to explore.
February 19, 2025
Je suis aucunement prêt a voir la pièce en live, la fin m'a laissé un impact et j'ai du prendre un moment a juste regarder le livre. Wow, super
September 22, 2023
Very interesting read
April 2, 2013
This play was so amazing- I read the entire thing in the bathtub with a glass of wine last night. Couldn't put the thing down. Best 45 minutes ever spent contemplating how two individuals obsessed with freedom and autonomy can be in relationship (intimate and romantic) with others.
Loved it.
Loved it.
March 6, 2019
Kind of the quintessential "2 weird people in an enclosed space" play that was a HUGE THING in the 1980's for some reason (the reason is probably Ronald Reagan and decreased arts funding). Fine but not particularly interesting or groundbreaking.
October 1, 2025
soo the writing is kinda wattpad and has some stereotypical elements buttt i give it 4 stars because i love the complexity of the characters and how their pain kinda balances each other and i am SO EXCITED to have the opportunity to portray messy rosannah !!
February 16, 2009
Beautiful play! I highly recommend reading it!
November 7, 2012
A fantastic play that I really want to be a part of someday. The characters are unique and the writing is top notch.
September 14, 2014
A great play. Will be playing Rosannah in the future.
November 21, 2015
This is by far one of my favorite plays. It's smart and funny and very moving. Cindy L. Johnson did a great job writing those characters and showing their pain.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews