Actress Mariska Hargitay ended her Broadway run in the solo play "Every Brilliant Thing" on Sunday, July 5, 2026.
She is scheduled to open the 23rd annual New Works Festival in Palo Alto on August 7, 2026.
Surprise Onstage Cameo
Hargitay's final New York performance featured a surprise onstage cameo by her husband, Peter Hermann.
He filled the improvisational audience role of the protagonist's partner, Sam, culminating in a mock marriage proposal.
Hargitay described the unexpected interaction in a video shared on the production's social media. "I showed Sam, this is where I used to walk Groucho Barx.
And I thought that Sam had stopped to tie his shoe," she said.
The performance marked the end of her run after succeeding Daniel Radcliffe in the role in May. "And I said, 'Yes!
Let's kiss now,'" Hargitay added.
Reflections on the Challenge
Hargitay later reflected on the challenges of stepping onto the Broadway stage for this immersive production. "I am comfortable at 'SVU,'" she said on the "Making Space" podcast.
She elaborated on the lack of familiarity transitioning from television to live solo theater. "Are there days that are very challenging and scenes that are challenging.
Yes. Am I always trying to get better?
Yes.
But I have been doing it for a long time, and there is a certain amount of expertise.
With this play, there wasn't that expertise. I'm a novice, and I'm going into this new.
There was nothing familiar about this."
Despite her initial anxiety, she expressed gratitude for the artistic breakthrough.
"It was so difficult, and everything about it was new, and yet it was such an incredible thing," she said.
"Talk about 'Feel the fear and do it anyway.'"
Personal Touch
Hargitay also opened up about her relationship with Hermann, whom she married in 2004. "My husband is my North Star, and my kids are my teachers," she said.
During the final performance, Hermann directly participated in the narrative from his seat before stepping forward. "Will you marry me?"
he asked. He later presented her with a bouquet of flowers at the curtain call.
"I love you," he said.
The online documentation captured the unique closing performance with the caption: "A very special Sam, for Mariska's final show."
What's Next
Following Hargitay's departure, actress Tracee Ellis Ross will take over the production from July 7 until it closes on August 9, 2026.
Hargitay will then travel to California for the TheatreWorks Silicon Valley benefit performance, which benefits both the company and her Joyful Heart Foundation.
