Marcel Spears ’15 to Star in N.Y. Premiere of 'Fat Ham' Directed by Saheem Ali '07

By
Emma Schillage
April 07, 2022
Marcel Spears headshot.

Acting alumnus Marcel Spears '15 will star in an upcoming co-production of Fat Ham by James Ijames, produced by The Public Theater and National Black Theatre and directed by Saheem Ali '07. Starring alongside Spears in the production is Nikki Crawford as Tedra, Chris Herbie Holland as Tio, Billy Eugene Jones as Rev/Papp, Adrianna Mitchell as Opal, Calvin Leon Smith as Larry, and Benja Kay Thomas as Rabby. Marcel Spears will be playing the character of Juicy.

Fat Ham, Ijames' reinvention of Shakespeare's Hamlet, made its world premiere virtually in 2021, produced by Philadelphia's Wilma Theater. A comic tragedy, the play follows queer, Southern, college kid Juicy as he grapples with identity questions, the ghost of his father, and a supernatural demand for vengeance. 

When asked about the production, Ijames shared, “I’m thrilled that Fat Ham is being produced in collaboration between The Public Theater and National Black Theatre in Harlem. It feels both like a new beginning and a reunion all at once. Both theaters represent the very best that theater can offer to its community”

The play will have its New York premiere in The Public's Anspacher Theater, running from May 26, 2022 until June 12, 2022.

A New Orleans native, Marcel Spears made his television series debut in 2017 with The Mayor, the acclaimed comedy created by Jeremy Bronson and executive produced by Daveed Diggs and Jamie Tarses. Spears has also worked consistently on stage. Most recently, he co-starred in the west coast premiere of Ironbound at the Geffen Playhouse. Additional theater credits include Rachel Bonds’ At the Old Place at La Jolla Playhouse, Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile with Donald Faison at the Old Globe Theater, Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Two River Theater in New Jersey, the Guthrie Theater’s production of Alice Childress’ play Trouble in Mind, the Classic Stage Company’s productions of Shakespeare’s Othello and Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage, and Page 73’s production of Judy by Max Posner under the direction of Ken Rus Schmoll. 

Spears was awarded the Rosemarie Tichler Fund Grant for his performance in the Young Company’s 2015 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Tyne Rafaeli.