Preview
  • Fat Ham

  • By: James Ijames
  • Length: 1 hr and 22 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (229 ratings)

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Fat Ham

By: James Ijames
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Publisher's summary

The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times Critic's Pick that served Broadway "raucous comedy and nonstop pleasure" has made its way home to Audible. 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 "smart, fearless, and wildly entertaining” (Chicago Tribune) examination of love, pain, and joy from writer James Ijames and director Saheem Ali.

This audio play contains strong language and deals with mature themes. Listener discretion advised.

Now available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

©2023 James Ijames (P)2023 AO Media LLC
  • Performance
  • Categories: LGBTQ+
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Enjoy the trailer for Fat Ham

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About the Performer - James Ijames

About the creator

James Ijames is a playwright, director, and educator. James is the recipient of the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Artist, two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play, two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Play, a Pew Fellowship for Playwriting, the Terrance McNally New Play Award, Kesselring Honorable Mention Prize, the Whiting Award, a 2019 Kesselring Prize for Kill Move Paradise, a 2020 Steinberg Prize, and the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

About the Performer - Marcel Spears

About the director

Saheem is a proud immigrant from Kenya. He received a Tony Award nomination for directing the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fat Ham on Broadway, an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Directing, Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominations for Fat Ham’s off-Broadway run at the Public Theater, where he serves as the associate artistic director/resident director. His production of Merry Wives (Shakespeare in the Park) was recorded for PBS Great Performances and was the subject of the documentary Reopening Night on HBO. Upcoming is the musical Buena Vista Social Club at the Atlantic Theater Company. Recent productions include Goddess (Berkeley Rep), Nollywood Dreams (MCC), Romeo y Julieta, Shipwreck, and Richard II (radio plays). Other productions: Fires in the Mirror (Signature Theater), The Rolling Stone (Lincoln Center Theater), Passage (Soho Rep), Fireflies (Atlantic), In Our Wounds (MTC), Tartuffe (Playmakers Rep), Where Storms Are Born (WTF), and Kill Move Paradise (National Black Theater). He is a Usual Suspect at New York Theater Workshop, a Sir John Gielgud SDCF Fellow, and a Shubert Fellow.

About the Performer - Nikki Crawford

About the Performer

Tony-nominated and Obie Award-winner for her iconic portrayal of Tedra in James Ijames's celebrated 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham, first at The Public and then at the American Airlines Theatre. Between The Public and Broadway iterations of Fat Ham, starred in James Ijames's The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. Guest star roles include recurring role on Sony's Cruel Intentions; NCIS LA; 9-1-1; NCIS; United States of Al; Selena: The Series, and a starring role in Lifetime's A Country Christmas Harmony. In theater world, she was handpicked by the legendary Mike Nichols to open the Vegas company of Spamalot, for which she was named Vegas Showstopper of the Year. Also starred with Leslie Uggams in Stormy Weather playing Young Lena Horne, winning the NAACP Theatre Award. BFA, Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.

About the Performer - Billy Eugene Jones

About the Performer

Billy Eugene Jones’s Broadway credits include Purlie Victorious, Fat Ham, A Soldier’s Play, The Book of Mormon, A Raisin in the Sun, The Trip to Bountiful, The Big Knife, The Mountaintop, Passing Strange, Radio Golf and Gem of the Ocean. Off-Broadway credits include Fat Ham (Public Theater, Obie Award), On Sugarland (NYTW, Obie and Audelco Award, Drama Desk Nomination), Where the Mountain Meets the Sea (Manhattan Theater Club), Much Ado About Nothing (NYSF), Pitbulls (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre), The Jammer (Atlantic Theatre Company), In the Footprint (The Civilians), Waiting for Godot, and Three Sisters (Classical Theatre of Harlem). Regional credits include Seven Guitars, Death of a Salesman, Good Faith, Richard II, Breath Boom (Yale Rep), Macbeth (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), The Good Negro (The Goodman), Stick Fly (Elliot Norton nomination for Best Supporting Actor/Arena Stage and Huntington Theatre Company), Othello (CalShakes), Spunk (Actors Theatre of Louisville), The People Before the Park (Premiere Stages). Other stage credits include productions at Two River Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Hartford Stage, and numerous productions at The Dallas Theater Center. Billy is a graduate of Yale School of Drama.

About the Performer - Calvin Leon Smith

About the Performer

Calvin Leon Smith co-starred in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fat Ham on Broadway, following an acclaimed run at The Public Theater. Television credits include: Barry Jenkins’ award-winning Amazon series The Underground Railroad, HBO’s The Deuce, and acclaimed series High Maintenance. Other theater credits include Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat with The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit, On the Grounds of Belonging at the Long Wharf Theatre, A Christmas Carol, Dracula, The Ver**on Play with the Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Macbeth at Shakespeare on the Sound. On film, Calvin has appeared in Benny & James (Venice Film Festival premiere), Better Man (Best Actor, Queens World Film Festival), Paper Friends, and RSVP. Calvin is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Drama.

About the Performer - Benja Kay Thomas

About the Performer

Benja Kay Thomas made her Broadway debut in 2023 as "Rabby" in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fat Ham. She understudied Phylicia Rashad in Skeleton Crew on Broadway, 2022. Some of her accolades include an Audelco Award and she is a two-time Obie winner. Off-Broadway Credits: Fat Ham, Barbecue, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, and Booty Candy. Film/TV: A Love Song, FBI , Gotham, Detective Chinatown 2, Warrior Class, and the revenge thriller A Gun For Jennifer. She is a proud member of AEA/SAG, The Actors Center, and the LAByrinth Theater Company. When she is not performing, her passion is photography, writing, and keeping alive the tradition of the card game bid whist. You can hear more about Benja Kay Thomas on the podcast My Third Act!

About the Performer - Adrianna Mitchell

About the Performer

Adrianna Mitchell recently made her Broadway debut playing "Opal" in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham after originating the role at The Public Theater. Her other off-Broadway credits include “Three” in What to Send Up When It Goes Down at Playwrights Horizons, and “Sister” in runboyrun at New York Theatre Workshop. A selected list of her regional credits includes Noises Off (Two River Theater); Romeo and Juliet (as “Juliet”), Taming of the Shrew (Chautauqua Theater); Measure for Measure (Actor’s Shakespeare Project); Hamlet (opposite John Douglas Thompson), and A Christmas Carol (American Conservatory Theater). Mitchell heavily recurred as “Tanosse” on the FX hit series Snowfall. Guest star roles include Queens (ABC); Bull, The Good Fight, and Evil (CBS); The Blacklist and Lincoln Rhyme (NBC); and Little America (Apple TV+). Other notable television includes a series regular role on Harlem’s Kitchen opposite Delroy Lindo and Sheryl Lee Ralph (ABC Pilot). Mitchell is a graduate of Spelman College, Phi Beta Kappa, American Conservatory Theater (MFA), British American Drama Academy.

About the Performer - Marcel Spears

About the Performer

Marcel Spears starred as "Juicy" in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fat Ham on Broadway, following an acclaimed run at The Public Theater. On television, Spears currently co-stars in the CBS comedy The Neighborhood opposite Cedric the Entertainer, after a turn in the ABC comedy The Mayor. Other theater includes Othello (Classic Stage Company), Ironbound (Geffen Playhouse, West Coast Premiere), At the Old Place (La Jolla Playhouse), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Old Globe), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Two River Theater, dir. Ruben Santiago-Hudson), Judy (Page 73), Mother Courage (Classic Stage Company), Trouble in Mind (Guthrie Theater), and his NY stage debut in Classic Stage's Young Company production of A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Tyne Rafaeli, for which he was awarded the Rosemarie Tichler Fund Grant. Film: Always a Bridesmaid. Marcel is a New Orleans native and holds an MFA in acting from Columbia University.

About the Performer - Chris Herbie Holland

About the Performer

Chris Herbie Holland (he/him) (Tio). Broadway: Fat Ham. Off-Broadway: Fat Ham (Obie Award, AUDELCO nomination). Regional credits include White Noise at Berkeley Rep and The Box at Z Space. Holland holds an MFA from NYU Grad Acting and a BA from Dartmouth College. BADA alum. IG: @chrisherbieholland

What listeners say about Fat Ham

Average customer ratings
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

this had me cracking up 😂

the characters were very funny and the family drama was relatable. the Author knows how to tell a story and not just deliver on liners. I MUST find more of his work!!!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A Surprising Blend of Drama and Comedy

"Fat Ham," marketed primarily as a comedy, takes an unexpected turn into deeper, more dramatic territory, primarily exploring themes of generational trauma and complex family dynamics. The central question it poses—why do we continue to love those who hurt us?—is compelling and resonates throughout the narrative, providing much food for thought. The acting is commendable, with the cast delivering strong performances that capture the emotional depth of their characters. Similarly, the production values are high, contributing to an engaging listening experience.

However, while the setup promises an insightful blend of humor and drama, the execution leans heavily towards the latter, which might not be what listeners expecting a comedy are looking for. Additionally, the ending feels abrupt and leaves several narrative threads unresolved, which might be unsatisfying for those who prefer a more conclusive finish to such a deeply emotional story. Overall, "Fat Ham" offers a good listening experience with its solid performances, though it may not fully meet expectations in terms of genre and plot resolution.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Must listen!!!

I absolutely love this. It is hard, gritty, sad, hilarious and even a feel good piece of work. The voice actors are terrific! So great that you can actually visualize them. A MUST listen!!!!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

An almost slapstick version of Hamlet

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this story. It had some really good bits, but it’s not my personal type of humor. As a Dutch person I might also miss out on the typical Southern US jokes, and the characters felt a little over the top for me. I guess it was entertaining enough, but it didn’t exactly blow me away.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Interesting but not juicy

The performance of the voice actors was very good and draws you into the story. I didn’t like the ridiculousness of the story, too many things were going on and yet there seemed to be no commitment to anyone storyline.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyable!

Thoroughly enjoyable!
Only Wish it were longer. So many questions like what did Larry wear at the end? And I didn’t catch it

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Hamlet Revision

We all know that even Shakespeare didn't write his own plays but copied from mobile theater groups and that his versions survived for all time. Yet, if you are going to be a copy cat of a copy cat, you MUST put a spin on it that is fresh, relevant while conforming to the "original" story line. This is it! This story has drama, humor, relevance. It stands out while it's conciseness keeps the listener engaged (why do we have HAMLET movies and plays that are hours long?). The brevity makes it great for our modernized short attention deficit.

My complaint is that the protagonist's acting was a little dry. I didn't FEEL his weariness or depression over losing his abusive father. I heard it, but I didn't FEEL it, which can be accomplished in voice acting. Actually, it should be the goal in voicing dramatic books. Most of the supporting cast was good with their roles and sometimes could have used more feeling. Yet, it is the responsibility of the protagonist to carry the production.

Oh yes, another plus is that there are multiple actors. This made the story 3D.

I am not into dramas. I like action, STAR WARS, and such. I only listened because it was free and short. Yet, I am going to keep it in my library and replay it as I do with material that I like.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The writing, and the acting

WOW! an intriguing retelling of Hamlet in they completely different culture from the original.
It works! It is funny, it is sad, it is life. I love this family!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant Performance

Thoroughly enjoyed the spin on Shakespearean tragedy!!! Voice actors all amazing!! Need more of this type of creativity!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I liked it

Well voiced
There’s a lot in this quick piece - kept me busy thinking for many more hours than the performance time
Worth the listen

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