There’s a method to the madness, as Hamlet himself might say, in the collaboration between Island City Stage, Brévo Theatre and GableStage for their production of James Ijames’s 2022 Pulitzer prize-winning play, “Fat Ham.”
The show, which ran on Broadway in 2023, tells the story of Hamlet if he were a Southern Black gay man in his 20s named Juicy from North Carolina. The Court of the Danish king transforms into a backyard barbecue where the Shakespearean themes of love, betrayal, murder and revenge percolate.
This is the first time the three theater companies have collaborated, thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Fort Lauderdale-based Warten Foundation, which supports LGBTQ+ organizations and causes.
“ ‘Fat Ham’ exemplifies the issues that the Warten Foundation supports,” says Andy Rogow, artistic director of Island City Stage in Wilton Manors. “They were excited about the partnership and how the production would expand the diversity of the communities being served and promote the three regional theaters.”
At the time that Rogow brought the idea to the Warten Foundation, he thought Pompano Beach-based Brévo Theatre would be the perfect partner for “Fat Ham.” Coincidentally, Bari Newport, the artistic director of Coral Gable’s GableStage, had acquired the rights to the show, and the three companies decided to join forces.
The show is playing at Island City Stage through May 4 before moving to GableStage for productions from May 16 through June 15.
“Great writers write great characters,” says Rogow, and the play he describes as “laugh-out-loud funny” is about “great characters within an African American family.”
One of these memorable characters is the lead, Juicy, played by Haitian-born, Miami-based actor Henry Cadet.
In his first professional starring role, the 26-year-old actor says he performed in college and high school productions and was active in children’s theater. Playing Juicy, a gay character, presents some challenges for Cadet, who is straight and feels a responsibility to portray the character with sensitivity.
“It’s a great honor to be chosen to play Juicy,” says Cadet, who earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Miami’s New World School of the Arts in 2023. “I want to represent him properly. I don’t want to play him as a caricature or stereotype.”
Other cast members in the production include Toddra Brunson, Melvin Huffnagle, Cassidy Joseph, Denzel McCausland, Mikhael Mendoza and April Nixon.
Terrence “TM” Pride, producing artistic director for Brévo Theatre and director of “Fat Ham,” sees a message in the story and the complexity of the characters.
“The characters are seeking to be brave, find joy and live their lives,” he says. “These themes resonate in our [Black] community and also with a larger audience.”
He particularly likes the transformation the character of Larry (played by McCausland) undergoes, as he looks inward to find his truth.
“Find the joy and the laughter,” he recalls telling the actor. “Find your authentic self. Look inside and be brave.”
While some people might not envision a Shakespeare play unfolding in an African American backyard barbecue, Pride does not see a dichotomy and wants to bring topical theater to his audience.
“In a political climate where certain groups are silenced and marginalized, the play highlights issues we need to talk about,” says Pride.
Mounting the play as a collaboration involved a few challenges, including the casting, creating a multifunctional set that works on stages of different sizes and creating the special “magic” effects, including a ghost.
“As much as it was a challenge, it was more fun pulling the production together,” says Pride. “We have a fabulous design team.”
As a way to engage the community, the three theater companies are hosting community engagement events, such as:
- “Who’s Invited to the Cookout?” on Saturday, April 19, at Island City Stage
- “Ham It Up” on Sunday, April 20, and Sunday, May 4, at Island City Stage and on Sunday, June 15, at GableStage
- “Who Made the Potato Salad?” on Sunday, April 27, at Island City Stage and Sunday, May 25, at GableStage
- “Can We Talk? A Ham-plified Conversation” on Friday, May 23, at GableStage, moderated by Matt Anderson, executive director of Mosaic Miami
Despite the humorous event names — “Everyone wants to know who made the potato salad,” Pride says — the topics are meant to inform and get people talking.
“Community engagement is a big part of what Brévo Theatre does,” he says. “It’s important to cultivate art for a conscious community and to have art-conscious conversations.”
Pride invites people to come to the show as if they were coming to an informal backyard barbecue.
“Wear your shorts, T-shirts and sandals and come to have a good time,” he says.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: “Fat Ham”
WHEN: Thursdays to Sundays, through May 4
WHERE: Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors
TICKETS: $43 and $48
INFORMATION: 954-928-9800; islandcitystage.org
This story was produced by Broward Arts Journalism Alliance (BAJA), an independent journalism program of the Broward County Cultural Division. Visit ArtsCalendar.com for more stories about the arts in South Florida.
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