''Fat Ham'' is a

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

James Ijames James Ijames is an American performer and playwright from Bessemer City, North Carolina born sometime in the early 1980s. He is currently based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received a B.A. in Drama from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, ...

. It is a modern-day adaptation of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

.'' The play was awarded the 2022

Pulitzer Prize for Drama The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...

and was nominated for five

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

including Best Play.

Premise

Juicy, a young queer black man, is confronted by the ghost of his father during a barbecue, who demands that Juicy avenge his murder. Juicy, already familiar with

's plight, tries to break the cycles of trauma and violence.

Productions

The play premiered on April 23, 2021 in a filmed production for the

Wilma Theater Wilma Theater may refer to: *Wilma Theater (Philadelphia) *Wilma Theatre (Missoula, Montana) {{dab ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. The digital production was available until May 23. It made its

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

debut at

The Public Theater The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American Li ...

on May 12, 2022, to overwhelmingly positive reviews. The Public Theater production transferred to Broadway in 2023 with the entire cast and most of the creative team intact. Previews began at the

American Airlines Theatre The American Airlines Theatre, originally the Selwyn Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 227 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Built in 1918, it was designed by George Keister and developed by brothe ...

on March 21, with opening night on April 12. The production once again received widespread critical acclaim and five Tony Award nominations, including Best Play and Best Director of a Play. The Broadway production was originally scheduled to have a strictly limited run through June 25, 2023. The run was extended through July 2, 2023, subsequently closing on that date.

Casts

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website

''Fat Ham'' at IBDB

{{PulitzerPrize Drama 2022 plays African-American plays Broadway plays Off-Broadway plays Plays and musicals based on Hamlet Pulitzer Prize for Drama-winning works