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"A RARE GEM OF A PLAY - EXCEPTIONAL ACTING, AND A THEME SO CONTEMPORARY THAT IT IMPACTS JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM."
- Broadway World "A MUST-SEE PRODUCTION...WILBURY THEATRE GROUP'S 'FAT HAM' IS A WILDLY ENTERTAINING AND WITTY SEND-UP OF SHAKESPEARE'S CLASSIC TRAGEDY."
- EDGE Providence "'A CANDID, HILARIOUS, AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING TRAGEDY THAT PRESENTS MORE AS A COMEDY - THIS MODERN DAY REINVENTION OF THE SHAKESPEAREAN CLASSIC WILL HAVE YOU ROARING ALONG WITH THE CAST!"
- MOTIF Magazine "ONE CAN'T OVERLOOK THE REASON WHY FAT HAM RECEIVED THE 2022 PULITZER PRICE AND ADMIRE THE WORK ACCORDINGLY. A FEARLESS PORTRAYAL OF A SENSITIVE AND SELF-AWARE MAIN CHARACTER WHO CHOOSES TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF TRAUMA AND DENY A LEGACY OF BRUTALITY IN SERVICE OF HIS OWN LIBERATION."
-The Boston Globe |
"FAT HAM IS DIFFERENT, IT IS CHALLENGING, IT IS NOT TO BE MISSED."
-Warwick Beacon 
BY JAMES IJAMES
DIRECTED BY DON MAYS RHODE ISLAND PREMIERE MARCH 27 - APRIL 13 |
"We’re a small theater that pushes boundaries and looks for work that’s going to engage folks in ways we don’t often see here. FAT HAM isn’t your typical theater stuff, but Wilbury audiences are progressive minded and looking for challenging theatrical experiences.”
- Read the Interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays in Boston Spirit Magazine
- Read the Interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays in Boston Spirit Magazine
*RHODE ISLAND PREMIERE*
Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
FAT HAM
BY JAMES IJAMES
DIRECTED BY DON MAYS
DIRECTED BY DON MAYS
A funny, poignant play that deftly transposes Hamlet to a family barbecue in the American South to grapple with questions of identity, kinship, responsibility, and honesty.
Juicy is a queer, Southern college kid, already grappling with some serious questions of identity, when the ghost of his father shows up in their backyard, demanding that Juicy avenge his murder. It feels like a familiar story to Juicy, well-versed in Hamlet’s woes. What’s different is Juicy himself, a sensitive and self-aware young Black man trying to break the cycles of trauma and violence in service of his own liberation. From an uproarious family barbecue emerges a compelling examination of love and loss, pain and joy.
Juicy is a queer, Southern college kid, already grappling with some serious questions of identity, when the ghost of his father shows up in their backyard, demanding that Juicy avenge his murder. It feels like a familiar story to Juicy, well-versed in Hamlet’s woes. What’s different is Juicy himself, a sensitive and self-aware young Black man trying to break the cycles of trauma and violence in service of his own liberation. From an uproarious family barbecue emerges a compelling examination of love and loss, pain and joy.
NEWS + MEDIA
"Premiering in Philadelphia in 2021 and later nominated for five Tony Awards, FAT HAM tells the tale of Juicy, a queer Southern College kid grappling with his own identity when the ghost of his father appears to him asking him to avenge his murder....Juicy, played by an incredibly-talented Dana Reid, who like most of the stellar cast, is making their Wilbury Premiere, struggles with what to do with his new-found information from his dead father. "What do you do if God don't want you and the devil won't have you?"...FAT HAM provides a rare gem of a play-exceptional acting and a theme so contemporary that it impacts just about everyone in the room."
- Broadway World
"Wilbury's FAT HAM a big, fat, fantastic parody - The play has two clever endings: One dramatic and the other hilarious, thanks to some careful direction from Don Mays. FAT HAM is different. It is challenging. It is not to be missed."
-Warwick Beacon
"One can’t overlook the reason why FAT HAM received the 2022 Pulitzer Prize and admire the work accordingly. The play is a fearless portrayal of a sensitive and self-aware main character — purposefully cast as Black and gay — who chooses to break a cycle of trauma and deny a legacy of brutality in service of his own liberation. Unlike Hamlet, Juicy chooses pleasure over pain. Amidst the laughs and missteps, Ijames crafts a tender story. And that story is well rendered in this intimate Wilbury Theatre staging."
- The Boston Globe
"Director Don Mays maintains a steady balance of comedy and drama, sometimes having Juicy break the "fourth wall" to address the audience. One of the show's highlights features Juicy doing a karaoke rendition of Radiohead's "Creep." The song's lyrics encapsulate Juicy's sense of alienation and insecurity. I need to recognize Reid for his unique stage presence and ability to exhibit Juicy's vulnerability and need for affection. Juicy is a multi-dimensional character, and Reid's vitality makes this a must-see production."
- EDGE Providence
"FAT HAM is a candid, hilarious, and thought-provoking tragedy that presents more as a comedy - this modern day reinvention of the Shakespearean classic will have you roaring along with the cast!"
- MOTIF Magazine
"What if “Hamlet” was a little less sad and tragic and it took place at a Black Southern cookout instead of a dreary Danish castle? That’s one of the ideas behind FAT HAM, the Pulitzer prize-winning play that’s on now at the Wilbury Theatre Group..."
- The Public's Radio interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays
"Set in a southern family barbecue, the play reimagines the classic tragedy through the lens of modern Black culture, blending humor, pathos, and social commentary. The protagonist, Juicy, grapples with familial expectations, identity, and unresolved trauma, all while navigating the complexities of love, revenge, and personal freedom. FAT HAM explores themes of legacy, masculinity, and self-acceptance, offering a fresh, relatable take on the timeless struggle between the past and the future."
- Cranston Herald interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays
"We’re a small theater that pushes boundaries and looks for work that’s going to engage folks in ways we don’t often see here. FAT HAM isn’t your typical theater stuff, but Wilbury audiences are progressive minded and looking for challenging theatrical experiences.”
- Boston Spirit interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays
- Broadway World
"Wilbury's FAT HAM a big, fat, fantastic parody - The play has two clever endings: One dramatic and the other hilarious, thanks to some careful direction from Don Mays. FAT HAM is different. It is challenging. It is not to be missed."
-Warwick Beacon
"One can’t overlook the reason why FAT HAM received the 2022 Pulitzer Prize and admire the work accordingly. The play is a fearless portrayal of a sensitive and self-aware main character — purposefully cast as Black and gay — who chooses to break a cycle of trauma and deny a legacy of brutality in service of his own liberation. Unlike Hamlet, Juicy chooses pleasure over pain. Amidst the laughs and missteps, Ijames crafts a tender story. And that story is well rendered in this intimate Wilbury Theatre staging."
- The Boston Globe
"Director Don Mays maintains a steady balance of comedy and drama, sometimes having Juicy break the "fourth wall" to address the audience. One of the show's highlights features Juicy doing a karaoke rendition of Radiohead's "Creep." The song's lyrics encapsulate Juicy's sense of alienation and insecurity. I need to recognize Reid for his unique stage presence and ability to exhibit Juicy's vulnerability and need for affection. Juicy is a multi-dimensional character, and Reid's vitality makes this a must-see production."
- EDGE Providence
"FAT HAM is a candid, hilarious, and thought-provoking tragedy that presents more as a comedy - this modern day reinvention of the Shakespearean classic will have you roaring along with the cast!"
- MOTIF Magazine
"What if “Hamlet” was a little less sad and tragic and it took place at a Black Southern cookout instead of a dreary Danish castle? That’s one of the ideas behind FAT HAM, the Pulitzer prize-winning play that’s on now at the Wilbury Theatre Group..."
- The Public's Radio interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays
"Set in a southern family barbecue, the play reimagines the classic tragedy through the lens of modern Black culture, blending humor, pathos, and social commentary. The protagonist, Juicy, grapples with familial expectations, identity, and unresolved trauma, all while navigating the complexities of love, revenge, and personal freedom. FAT HAM explores themes of legacy, masculinity, and self-acceptance, offering a fresh, relatable take on the timeless struggle between the past and the future."
- Cranston Herald interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays
"We’re a small theater that pushes boundaries and looks for work that’s going to engage folks in ways we don’t often see here. FAT HAM isn’t your typical theater stuff, but Wilbury audiences are progressive minded and looking for challenging theatrical experiences.”
- Boston Spirit interview w/ FAT HAM Director Don Mays
CAST + CREATIVE TEAM
Dana Reid
Mamadou Toure
Michelle L. Walker
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Jermaine L. Pearson*
Jeff Ararat
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Maria Albertina*
Autumn Mist Jefferson
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FAT HAM
by James Ijames Directed by Don Mays Sound Design by Cat Ashley Costume Design by Jaimy Escobedo Props Design by Devra Levy Light Design by Andy Russ Set Design by Shanel LaShay Smith Asst. Direction by Gia Yarn Technical Direction by Dave Carney Asst. Technical Direction by Jason Sall Scenic Painting by Monica Shinn Production Intern Z. Ferrara Stage Management by Gavin DiFranco* Asst. Stage Management by Natalie Rosario House Management by Christine Treglia Volunteer Management by Renee Bessette Production Photography by Erin X. Smithers Press / Media Inquiries: Niki Healy |
*Appears courtesy Actors' Equity Association,
the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
James Ijames. Photo by Justin DeWalt.
James Ijames (playwright) is a Pulitzer Prize winning and Tony Award nominated playwright, a director and educator.
James’ plays have been produced by Flashpoint Theater Company, Orbiter 3, Theatre Horizon, Wilma Theatre, Theatre Exile, Azuka Theatre (Philadelphia, PA), The National Black Theatre, JACK, The Public Theater (NYC), Hudson Valley Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, Definition Theatre, Timeline Theater (Chicago IL) Shotgun Players (Berkeley, CA) and have received development with PlayPenn New Play Conference, The Lark, Playwright's Horizon, Clubbed Thumb, Villanova Theater, Wilma Theater, Azuka Theatre and Victory Garden.
James is the 2011 F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Artist recipient, and two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Play for The Brothers Size with Simpatico Theatre Company and Gem of the Ocean with Arden Theatre. James is a 2015 Pew Fellow for Playwriting, the 2015 winner of the Terrance McNally New Play Award for WHITE, the 2015 Kesselring Honorable Mention Prize winner for ....Miz Martha, a 2017 recipient of the Whiting Award, a 2019 Kesselring Prize for Kill Move Paradise, a 2020 and 2022 Steinberg Prize, the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Drama recipient and a 2023 Tony nominee for Best Play for Fat Ham.
James was a founding member of Orbiter 3, Philadelphia’s first playwright producing collective. He received a B.A. in Drama from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and a M.F.A. in Acting from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. James an Associate Professor of Theatre at Villanova University. He resides in South Philadelphia.
James’ plays have been produced by Flashpoint Theater Company, Orbiter 3, Theatre Horizon, Wilma Theatre, Theatre Exile, Azuka Theatre (Philadelphia, PA), The National Black Theatre, JACK, The Public Theater (NYC), Hudson Valley Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, Definition Theatre, Timeline Theater (Chicago IL) Shotgun Players (Berkeley, CA) and have received development with PlayPenn New Play Conference, The Lark, Playwright's Horizon, Clubbed Thumb, Villanova Theater, Wilma Theater, Azuka Theatre and Victory Garden.
James is the 2011 F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Artist recipient, and two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Play for The Brothers Size with Simpatico Theatre Company and Gem of the Ocean with Arden Theatre. James is a 2015 Pew Fellow for Playwriting, the 2015 winner of the Terrance McNally New Play Award for WHITE, the 2015 Kesselring Honorable Mention Prize winner for ....Miz Martha, a 2017 recipient of the Whiting Award, a 2019 Kesselring Prize for Kill Move Paradise, a 2020 and 2022 Steinberg Prize, the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Drama recipient and a 2023 Tony nominee for Best Play for Fat Ham.
James was a founding member of Orbiter 3, Philadelphia’s first playwright producing collective. He received a B.A. in Drama from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA and a M.F.A. in Acting from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. James an Associate Professor of Theatre at Villanova University. He resides in South Philadelphia.
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An award-winning, not-for-profit professional theatre company, the Wilbury Theatre Group engages our community in thought-provoking conversation through new works, reimagined classics and adventurous playmaking. We are idealistic, ambitious, and stubborn in our resolve to create theatre that entertains, enlightens, and inspires.
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