Fat Ham at Wilma Theater

The ghost of Juicy's dad haunts him and asks for revenge - on Juicy's uncle, who has now married his widowed mom. Sound familiar? The Wilma Theater has announced the world premiere digital production of James Ijames' FAT HAM, a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's HAMLET, set in the American South.

The site-specific filmed production, filmed on location in Virginia, will be available for viewers from MARCH 25 through APRIL 10, 2021. The newest work by award-winning playwright and Wilma Co-Artistic Director Ijames (KILL MOVE PARADISE), FAT HAM will be directed by Co-Artistic Director Morgan Green.

"I love HAMLET. I have a fraught relationship with Shakespeare, but I love HAMLET," notes Ijames about his new work. In creating the play, Ijames asked himself, "What does the HAMLET narrative look like if it's queered, and if it's infiltrated and taken over by people of color?" The end result is FAT HAM, which explores big issues, like toxic masculinity and cycles of violence, with a light touch.

This is FAT HAM playwright James Ijames' and director Morgan Green's first season serving as Co-Artistic Directors as the Wilma, alongside fellow Co-Artistic Directors Yury Urnov and Blanka Zizka.

"We are shooting the play as a one-take film, in attempt to retain the feeling of the continuous real-time storytelling of the play (which takes place over the course of an afternoon/evening wedding BBQ celebration) while still taking advantage of the unique vocabulary of the handheld camera," said Green.

FAT HAM features Taysha Marie Canales as Opal, Kimberly S. Fairbanks as Tedra, Jennifer Kidwell as Rabby, Brennen S. Malone as Juicy, Anthony Martinez-Briggs as Tio, Brandon J. Pierce as Larry, and Lindsay Smiling as Rev/Pap.

This is the second play of the Wilma's reimagined 2020-21 Season, following the smash success of Will Arbery's HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING in DECEMBER.

FAT HAM is the first production for which the Wilma has appointed an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer, Noelle Diane Johnson. Johnson, is a multidisciplinary Theatre and Performance Artist, AEA Stage Manager, Director, EDI Consultant, and Artist Advocate. She is also the owner and founder of ARTISTS HEAL LLC, a company designed to center and provide resources for Black and Global Majority Artists while offering self-liberated, inclusive, and equitable spaces for healing and expansion through artistic practice.

Kellie Mecleary serves as Producing Director, Briana Gause as Associate Director, Mariah Ghant as Artistic Administrator and Company Manager, Patreshettarlini Adams as Resident Stage Manager, Chris Nelson as Production Manager, Sara Brown as Production Designer, Maiko Matsushima as Costume Designer, Jordan McCree as Sound Designer, Leslie Rivera as Director of Photography, Jorge Cousineau as Video Consultant, Xavier Pierce as Lighting Designer, Ian Rose as Fight Director, Rachael Blackwell as Associate Lighting Designer, Morgan Porter as Wardrobe Supervisor, Joe Samala as Sound Engineer, Taj Rauch as Assistant Director of Photography, Missy Furth as Props Designer, Stacey McBride as Hair and Make-up Designer, Benjamin Henry as Grip, and Campbell O'Hare as Covid Safety Officer.

Tickets to FAT HAM are available at wilmatheater.org. Tickets are $37 per household, with discounts available for seniors, students, and WilmaPass holders.