Cynthia Erivo Joins Producing Team for ‘Fat Ham’ Ahead Of Opening Night On Broadway

Cynthia Erivo

Award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo, known for her achievements in film, television, and music, has joined the production team for the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy "Fat Ham" as it makes its way to Broadway. The play will run for a limited 14-week engagement at the American Airlines Theatre, starting with previews on March 21 and officially opening on April 12.

"Fat Ham," penned by James Ijames and directed by Saheem Ali, is a modern reinterpretation of Shakespeare's classic "Hamlet." The story revolves around a queer Southern college student named Juicy, portrayed by Marcel Spears, who is confronted by his father's ghost and asked to avenge his death. As a sensitive, self-aware young Black man, Juicy struggles with the concept of revenge while seeking happiness and liberation.

The original off-Broadway cast will return, featuring Nikki Crawford, Chris Herbie Holland, Billy Eugene Jones, Adrianna Mitchell, Calvin Leon Smith, and Benja Kay Thomas.

Erivo joins a team of producers that includes Rashad V. Chambers, No Guarantees, and Public Theater Productions, with Andy Jones and Dylan Pager as executive producers. Colman Domingo recently signed on as a co-producer.

"Fat Ham" was initially commissioned by The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, where it had its world premiere as a filmed production. The play went on to win the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and enjoyed a successful, sold-out run in New York, co-produced with the National Black Theatre. The Broadway transfer marks the National Black Theatre's first production on Broadway and only the fifth play transferred by a Black theatre in Broadway's history.

Erivo expressed her excitement about the production, stating, "In addition to this being a unique and wonderful show, it’s also a celebration of representation, of queerness, of Blackness, of humanity, of love, of loss, of storytelling."

Erivo is currently filming "Wicked" in London, taking on the role of Elphaba alongside Ariana Grande as Glinda, under the direction of Jon M. Chu. The first installment of the highly anticipated musical adaptation is set to hit theaters on November 27, 2024, with the second part following on December 25, 2025.

In addition to "Wicked," Erivo recently starred with Idris Elba in "Luther: The Fallen Sun," which debuted at number one on Netflix and was among the top 10 films in 93 countries. Her latest film, "Drift," in which she stars and produced through her company Edith's Daughter, received critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

Cynthia Erivo is represented by UTA, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, and The Lede Company.