Cast and Creative Team Set for FAT HAM at Wilbury Group

Wilbury Theatre Group has revealed the cast and crew of the Rhode Island premiere of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama: Fat Ham by James Ijames, directed by Don Mays, featuring performances by Jeff Ararat, Jermaine L. Pearson, Maria Albertina, Mamadou Toure, Autumn Jefferson, Michelle L. Walker, and Dana Reid as Juicy. Fat Ham runs at the Wilbury Group March 27 - April 13, 2025.

In Fat Ham, 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.

"At its core, Fat Ham is a story about breaking cycles-of trauma, of expectations, of the past itself," said Wilbury Theatre Group's Artistic Director, Josh Short. "James Ijames has crafted a play that is both deeply funny and profoundly moving, challenging us to imagine what freedom can look like when we choose joy over vengeance. We are honored to bring this bold and beautiful work to our stage for our audiences with this incredible group of artists."

To post a comment, you must register and login.