The tone of “Fat Ham” runs the gamut from heavy drama to absurd humor, but Calvin Leon Smith admits, “don’t get the immediate gratification of laughter.” The actor portrays Larry in James Ijames’ new play, a golden child who hides a major secret. Larry’s performative guise of masculinity is something that Smith knows all too well, with the actor able to tap into emotional moments from his own life to portray this character. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
See ‘Fat Ham’: Broadway’s latest take on ‘Hamlet’ joins a long list
Smith may not possess Larry’s military background, but he knows what it’s like to be a closeted gay Black man living in the South. “There’s been so much repression in my own life,” he admits, noting that he too came out around the same age as Larry does in the play. He...
See ‘Fat Ham’: Broadway’s latest take on ‘Hamlet’ joins a long list
Smith may not possess Larry’s military background, but he knows what it’s like to be a closeted gay Black man living in the South. “There’s been so much repression in my own life,” he admits, noting that he too came out around the same age as Larry does in the play. He...
- 4/27/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
We expected Lucy to go undercover but not this soon.
Lucy's interest in undercover work dominated The Rookie Season 5 Episode 20.
Isabel previewed the consequences of that choice, but that didn't deter Lucy from pursuing it.
Elsewhere, Laura's relationship with Mark has its ups and down because they live in different time zones, but when it's good, it's perfect.
Spoilers for The Rookie Season 5 Episode 21 tease an action-filled two hours as LAPD and Feds team up to rescue one of their own while Lucy goes undercover.
The kids have grown, everybody!
Nolan has settled into his desired career path as a training agent, and even though Lucy was slow to decide what she wanted to do with her career, she is now getting into the groove.
It emerged after a few incidental operations that undercover work was the path for her, and after wrestling with that choice for a while, she...
Lucy's interest in undercover work dominated The Rookie Season 5 Episode 20.
Isabel previewed the consequences of that choice, but that didn't deter Lucy from pursuing it.
Elsewhere, Laura's relationship with Mark has its ups and down because they live in different time zones, but when it's good, it's perfect.
Spoilers for The Rookie Season 5 Episode 21 tease an action-filled two hours as LAPD and Feds team up to rescue one of their own while Lucy goes undercover.
The kids have grown, everybody!
Nolan has settled into his desired career path as a training agent, and even though Lucy was slow to decide what she wanted to do with her career, she is now getting into the groove.
It emerged after a few incidental operations that undercover work was the path for her, and after wrestling with that choice for a while, she...
- 4/21/2023
- by Denis Kimathi
- TVfanatic
James Ijames’ defiant and raucous play Fat Ham, now at the American Airlines Theater on Broadway, begins in transition. Relics of a recent funeral are slid into corners to make space for tributes to a celebratory future. The scene, designed by Maruti Evans, is set for a cookout: Smoke rises languorously from a grill, snakes up the red brick wall and disappears behind the curtain. Tables are cloaked with the signature blue and red checkered plastic linings of summer parties and picnics. Mismatched balloons dot the verdant green grass. In a corner stands a wreath honoring the recently deceased.
Juicy, the mercurial protagonist played with relaxed style by Marcel Spears, reluctantly prepares to celebrate the marriage of his mother, Tedra (Nikki Crawford), to his uncle, Rev (Billy Eugene Jones). His dad, Pap (also played by Jones), hasn’t been dead for a week and the newlyweds behave as though he never existed.
Juicy, the mercurial protagonist played with relaxed style by Marcel Spears, reluctantly prepares to celebrate the marriage of his mother, Tedra (Nikki Crawford), to his uncle, Rev (Billy Eugene Jones). His dad, Pap (also played by Jones), hasn’t been dead for a week and the newlyweds behave as though he never existed.
- 4/19/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
James Ijames Pulitzer Prize-winning “Fat Ham,” which opened to strong reviews on Broadway April 12 after a Sro engagement at the Public Theater, is the latest reinvention of a Shakespeare play. A strong contender for multiple Tony nominations is set at a Southern cookout where a queer black college student named Juicy (Marcel Spears) is dealing with a lot of issues including identity, the ghost of his dead father and the fact that his mother recently married his uncle.
“I have this need to disrupt the canon as much as I can, and disrupt people’s deification and lionization of classical texts…as if they’re frozen in amber and all we can do is put a treatment on top of that like wallpaper, by setting it in the ‘20s,” Ijames told Playbill. “There’s this real desire in me to take the parts of the classics and bring them closer...
“I have this need to disrupt the canon as much as I can, and disrupt people’s deification and lionization of classical texts…as if they’re frozen in amber and all we can do is put a treatment on top of that like wallpaper, by setting it in the ‘20s,” Ijames told Playbill. “There’s this real desire in me to take the parts of the classics and bring them closer...
- 4/17/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Television shows often contain plot holes that eagle-eyed fans catch, and The Rookie is certainly not immune to these mistakes. Most of the time, episodes have minor errors that can be easily forgotten. But every now and then, writers overlook major elements that completely contradict their storytelling. And unfortunately, one of Lucy Chen’s central storylines in The Rookie Season 5 contains a significant plot hole.
Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen | Raymond Liu/ABC via Getty Images Lucy often works undercover in ‘The Rookie’
After Lucy was promoted to Police Officer II in The Rookie Season 3, she became interested in undercover work. Nyla Harper, who previously was an undercover police officer, took Lucy under her wing and helped her with her first operation. Lucy proved to be a natural at it, much to Tim Bradford’s dismay.
Lucy went undercover again in the season 3 finale to help take down La Fiera.
Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen | Raymond Liu/ABC via Getty Images Lucy often works undercover in ‘The Rookie’
After Lucy was promoted to Police Officer II in The Rookie Season 3, she became interested in undercover work. Nyla Harper, who previously was an undercover police officer, took Lucy under her wing and helped her with her first operation. Lucy proved to be a natural at it, much to Tim Bradford’s dismay.
Lucy went undercover again in the season 3 finale to help take down La Fiera.
- 4/15/2023
- by Sarah Little
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Like that relative who picks through the chicken parts at a family picnic to find the leg or the breast or the thigh with just the right amount of crisp, playwright James Ijames has no reluctance to rummage through the bones of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to cook up the irresistible Fat Ham.
Audacious at points, quietly amenable at others, the Pulitzer Prize winning comedy carries the burden of our expectations more lightly than some other prize recipients who’ve made their way to Broadway recently, including Between Riverside and Crazy, Cost of Living and even A Strange Loop, the stage work that Fat Ham shares its concerns over masculinity (mostly of the toxic variety ), queerness, and the search for – or insistence upon – love and acceptance within the family and, very specifically, the Black faith community.
Inspired by, and borrowing its groundwork from, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fat Ham and its author swipe plot points,...
Audacious at points, quietly amenable at others, the Pulitzer Prize winning comedy carries the burden of our expectations more lightly than some other prize recipients who’ve made their way to Broadway recently, including Between Riverside and Crazy, Cost of Living and even A Strange Loop, the stage work that Fat Ham shares its concerns over masculinity (mostly of the toxic variety ), queerness, and the search for – or insistence upon – love and acceptance within the family and, very specifically, the Black faith community.
Inspired by, and borrowing its groundwork from, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fat Ham and its author swipe plot points,...
- 4/13/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
We, just like most fans of ABC‘s The Rookie, waited for what felt like forever for Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen to become a couple. And when they finally did, we were ecstatic. Unfortunately, what came after Tim and Lucy’s first date was less than satisfactory, and we believe that season 5 might be building to a breakup between the fan-favorite couple.
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen | Raymond Liu/ABC via Getty Images Tim and Lucy started dating in ‘The Rookie’ Season 5
Who knew going undercover would be the secret to getting Tim and Lucy together in The Rookie?
At the end of The Rookie Season 4 and the beginning of season 5, the duo went undercover as their doppelgangers, Dim and Juicy. They had to pretend to be in a romantic relationship, making them confront feelings they had buried long ago. Unfortunately, Tim and...
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen | Raymond Liu/ABC via Getty Images Tim and Lucy started dating in ‘The Rookie’ Season 5
Who knew going undercover would be the secret to getting Tim and Lucy together in The Rookie?
At the end of The Rookie Season 4 and the beginning of season 5, the duo went undercover as their doppelgangers, Dim and Juicy. They had to pretend to be in a romantic relationship, making them confront feelings they had buried long ago. Unfortunately, Tim and...
- 4/11/2023
- by Sarah Little
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Lance Bass guest stars as himself on ABC’s The Rookie season five episode 18, “Double Trouble.” After taking a three week break between new episodes, “Double Trouble” is set to air on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 8pm Et/Pt.
Nathan Fillion leads the cast as John Nolan. Eric Winter plays Tim Bradford, Melissa O’Neil is Lucy Chen, Alyssa Diaz plays Angela Lopez, and Richard T. Jones is Wade Grey. Mekia Cox is Nyla Harper, Shawn Ashmore plays Wesley Evers, Tru Valentino is Aaron Thorsen, and Jenna Dewan is Bailey Nune.
“Double Trouble” Plot: When Dim goes missing, Officer Chen and Sergeant Bradford, along with the CIA, set out to find him and enlist the help of Juicy.
The Rookie Season 5 Episode 1 “Double Down” Preview Season 5 Episode 2 “Labor Day” Preview Season 5 Episode 3 “Dye Hard” Preview Season 5 Episode 4 “The Choice” Preview Season 5 Episode 5 “The Fugitive” Preview Season 5 Episode 7 “Crossfire” Preview Season 5 Episode 9 “Take Back...
Nathan Fillion leads the cast as John Nolan. Eric Winter plays Tim Bradford, Melissa O’Neil is Lucy Chen, Alyssa Diaz plays Angela Lopez, and Richard T. Jones is Wade Grey. Mekia Cox is Nyla Harper, Shawn Ashmore plays Wesley Evers, Tru Valentino is Aaron Thorsen, and Jenna Dewan is Bailey Nune.
“Double Trouble” Plot: When Dim goes missing, Officer Chen and Sergeant Bradford, along with the CIA, set out to find him and enlist the help of Juicy.
The Rookie Season 5 Episode 1 “Double Down” Preview Season 5 Episode 2 “Labor Day” Preview Season 5 Episode 3 “Dye Hard” Preview Season 5 Episode 4 “The Choice” Preview Season 5 Episode 5 “The Fugitive” Preview Season 5 Episode 7 “Crossfire” Preview Season 5 Episode 9 “Take Back...
- 3/17/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Following a three-week hiatus, ABC‘s The Rookie Season 5 is finally returning with new episodes in late March. But some fans aren’t ready for the ABC series’ return because they’re worried that Tim Bradford, played by Eric Winter, might not make it out of the upcoming hour alive. Are their concerns unsound? Or will Tim die in The Rookie Season 5 Episode 18? Read on to find out.
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford | Ser Baffo/ABC via Getty Images When does ‘The Rookie’ Season 5 return with episode 18?
Following the premiere of episode 17 on Tuesday, Feb. 28, ABC revealed that The Rookie Season 5 was going on a hiatus. The network aired re-runs of the procedural series for the next few weeks while fans patiently waited for new episodes. And thankfully, the wait is almost over.
The Rookie Season 5 Episode 18, “Double Trouble,” airs on Tuesday, March 21, on ABC.
Nathan Fillion reunited with his...
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford | Ser Baffo/ABC via Getty Images When does ‘The Rookie’ Season 5 return with episode 18?
Following the premiere of episode 17 on Tuesday, Feb. 28, ABC revealed that The Rookie Season 5 was going on a hiatus. The network aired re-runs of the procedural series for the next few weeks while fans patiently waited for new episodes. And thankfully, the wait is almost over.
The Rookie Season 5 Episode 18, “Double Trouble,” airs on Tuesday, March 21, on ABC.
Nathan Fillion reunited with his...
- 3/17/2023
- by Sarah Little
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
ABC‘s The Rookie is inching closer to the season 5 finale, and fans have yet to learn if the network is canceling or renewing the show for season 6. But as The Rookie cast finishes filming the final batch of season 5 episodes, we believe the future is bright for the ABC series.
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen | ABC/Ser Baffo ‘The Rookie’ cast celebrates the end of filming season 5
On March 9 and 10, two cast members of The Rookie shared that they finished production on season 5.
Lisseth Chavez, who plays Celina Juarez, posted a picture of her outside Paramount Studios on her Instagram story with the caption, “Andddddd that’s a wrap!”
Eric Winter, who plays Tim Bradford, wrote on Twitter, “Season 5 of [The Rookie] is wrapped and what an awesome season it’s been. Big thank you to all our fans! Remember we are back March 21st on ABC!
Eric Winter as Tim Bradford and Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen | ABC/Ser Baffo ‘The Rookie’ cast celebrates the end of filming season 5
On March 9 and 10, two cast members of The Rookie shared that they finished production on season 5.
Lisseth Chavez, who plays Celina Juarez, posted a picture of her outside Paramount Studios on her Instagram story with the caption, “Andddddd that’s a wrap!”
Eric Winter, who plays Tim Bradford, wrote on Twitter, “Season 5 of [The Rookie] is wrapped and what an awesome season it’s been. Big thank you to all our fans! Remember we are back March 21st on ABC!
- 3/14/2023
- by Sarah Little
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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