FAT HAM Enters Final Two Weeks of Performances on Broadway

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham by James Ijames, directed by Saheem Ali will conclude its Broadway run at the American Airlines Theatre (227 West 42nd Street). The production was recently extended through Sunday, July 2. 

Ten productions of Fat Ham have been announced throughout the United States, with additional productions in the works, beginning Fall 2024, including: the original Broadway production directed by Saheem Ali with the Broadway design team at Geffen Playhouse (Los Angeles, CA), as well as new productions at Playhouse on the Square (Memphis, TN), Huntington Theatre Company (Boston, MA), Studio Theatre (Washington, DC), The Wilma Theater (Philadelphia, PA), PlayMakers Repertory Company (Chapel Hill, NC), City Theatre Company (Pittsburgh, PA), Seattle Rep (Seattle, WA), TheatreSquared (Fayetteville, AR), and Alliance Theatre (Atlanta, GA). 

The Broadway cast of Fat Ham includes Nikki Crawford as “Tedra,” Chris Herbie Holland as “Tio,” Billy Eugene Jones as “Rev” and “Pap,” Adrianna Mitchellas “Opal,” Calvin Leon Smith* as “Larry,” Marcel Spears as “Juicy,” Benja Kay Thomas as “Rabby,” RJ Foster (u/s Rev/Pap), Marquis D. Gibson (u/s Juicy/Larry/Tio), Alexandria Lewis (u/s Opal), Matthew Elijah Webb (u/s Juicy/Larry/Tio), and Rema Webb (u/s Tedra/Rabby).

 The creative team for Fat Ham on Broadway includes: Maruti Evans (Scenic Design), Dominique Fawn Hill (Costume Design), Bradley King (Lighting Design), Mikaal Sulaiman (Sound Design), Darrell Grand Moultrie (Choreographer) Earon Chew Nealey (Hair and Wig Design), Skylar Fox (Illusions Design), Kamra A. Jacobs (Production Stage Manager), Kate Murray (Casting), and Baseline Theatrical (General Management).

 Fat Ham by James Ijames made its New York premiere in a critically acclaimed sold-out run—May 12-July 31, 2022, including a six-week extension—at The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director), co-produced with National Black Theatre (Sade Lythcott, CEO; Jonathan McCrory, Executive Artistic Director). The play was commissioned by and received its world premiere as a filmed production at The Wilma Theater, Philadelphia; Ijames’ play went on to win the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

 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. But here’s the rub! Revenge doesn’t come easy to Juicy, a sensitive and self-aware young Black man in search of his own happiness and liberation. From an uproarious family cookout emerges a compelling examination of love and loss, pain and joy.

 Fat Ham is produced on Broadway by No Guarantees, Public Theater Productions, and Rashad V. Chambers; co-producers are National Black Theatre, Tim Levy, Bards on Broadway, Bob Boyett, Ghostbuster Productions, James Ijames, Cynthia Stroum, Audible, Adam Cohen, Blake Devillier, Firemused Productions/Jamrock Productions, The Forstalls, Iconic Vizions/Corey Brunish, John Gore Organization, Midnight Theatricals, David Miner, Robin Gorman Newman/Picklestar Theatricals, Marc Platt, Play on Shakespeare, The Wilma Theater, Colman Domingo and Cynthia Erivo. Andy Jones andDylan Pager serve as Executive Producers.

 Tickets for Fat Ham are available online. Ticket prices range from $69-$179. Group ticketing ($49-$179) of 10 or more please emailAAGroups@criterionticketing.com. A limited number of $39 rush tickets will be available starting at 9AM (ET) the morning of every performance day through TodayTix.

The performance schedule for Fat Ham is: Tuesday through Friday at 7PM, Saturday at 8PM, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2PM, and Sunday at 3PM.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus