PROJECT HAMLET continues at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company with this Pulitzer Prize winning comedy by James Ijames.
Je’Shaun Jackson as Juicy. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.
CINCINNATI, OH (September 5, 2024) – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (CSC) is thrilled to bring a cutting-edge production of Fat Ham by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames to the stage from September 6-22, 2024. This innovative and hilarious reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet has taken the theater world by storm with its contemporary setting, fresh perspective, and powerful themes of identity, revenge, and personal freedom. After an acclaimed Broadway run and five Tony Award nominations, including Best Play, Fat Ham makes its Cincinnati debut, offering audiences a bold new look at one of the most iconic stories in literature. Fat Ham at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is generously sponsored by Fifth Third Bank and Mount St. Joseph University President H. James Williams and First Lady Carole Campbell Williams.
From September 6-22, 2024, CSC will stage Fat Ham by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames. This daring reimagining of Hamlet swaps the Danish court for a Southern backyard barbecue, transforming the classic tale of revenge, power, and family dynamics with a modern twist. Centered on Juicy, a queer Black man grappling with the murder of his father and the demand for vengeance, Fat Ham delivers a hilarious yet poignant examination of identity, legacy, and personal freedom.
Fat Ham premiered in 2021 as a filmed production at The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, where Ijames is a resident artist. Its powerful and inventive take on Hamlet quickly garnered national attention, and in 2022, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play then made its way to The Public Theater in New York, where it continued to receive critical acclaim for its humor, depth, and fresh take on the Shakespearean narrative.
In 2023, Fat Ham made its Broadway debut at the American Airlines Theatre, where it was celebrated as a bold and contemporary interpretation of a classic, earning five Tony Award nominations, including Best Play. Described by critics as “a hilarious yet profound tragedy smothered in comedy,” the play has cemented itself as a modern theatrical sensation, offering an insightful exploration of race, identity, queerness, and family ties.
Directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin, a frequent collaborator with CSC, Fat Ham brings this award-winning and groundbreaking production to Cincinnati for the first time. Benjamin, who also directed CSC’s acclaimed 2021 production of Romeo and Juliet, is excited to helm this vibrant interpretation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, blending comedy, tragedy, and modern-day relevance in one unforgettable performance.
CSC Producing Artistic Director, Brian Isaac Phillips, remarks, “We’re thrilled to bring Fat Ham to our stage. It’s an extraordinary piece that adds a vibrant and thought-provoking layer to the Hamlet narrative, showing the incredible versatility of Shakespeare’s work in speaking to modern audiences.”
In addition to Fat Ham, PROJECT HAMLET is a season-long celebration of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, offering audiences three distinct versions of the story. The project began with a FREE Shakespeare in the Park performance of Hamlet during the summer of 2024, making the Bard’s work accessible to all in Cincinnati. Then, audiences can experience Ijames’ inventive take in Fat Ham, followed by the world premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s A Room in the Castle in January 2025, which tells the story of Hamlet from the perspectives of the women of Hamlet. Phillips continues, “Each of these productions brings something new to the Hamlet story, whether it’s a shift in perspective or setting. PROJECT HAMLET invites our audiences to rediscover the depth, humanity, and complexity of this tragedy in unexpected and thrilling ways.”
For tickets and more information on Fat Ham and PROJECT HAMLET, visit www.cincyshakes.com or call the CSC Box Office at (513) 381-BARD (2273).
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CSC offers discounts for students, seniors, and local residents, with a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets available for each performance, purchasable in advance. One hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets become available as $12 Rush Tickets, which must be purchased in person. For tickets or more information, call 513.381.BARD (2273) or visit cincyshakes.com.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at 1195 Elm Street, adjacent to Washington Park. Valet parking is available for $25 and self-parking for $15 is available in the adjacent lot. Make advance reservation online the website or contact the Box Office. For more details, visit cincyshakes.com/your-visit/parking.
About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for all. In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, world premieres, and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of Theater Communications Group and Shakespeare Theatre Association. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members by meeting audiences where they are. This includes sharing programming in schools, parks, community centers and hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the Classics!
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 2024-2025 Season is generously presented by our Operating Support Partners: The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation; The Ohio Arts Council; The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation; The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest; The Shubert Foundation; Maureen and John Bridgeland, Cindy Bridgeland Crilley, and Debby and Jim Mason in honor of Jim Bridgeland; Lightborne, and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.
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