NEW YORK CITY — Once a student at a West Michigan university, Darren Johnston could be taking home a fourth Tony after helping to pilot a unique adaptation of a theater favorite to the Broadway stage.
This Oxford native and 2009 graduate of Western Michigan University has already notched three top theater awards for his work on the musical “Hadestown,” the drama “The Lehman Trilogy” and the musical revival of “Company.”
His fourth nomination is the peak of a Pulitzer Prize-winning play's journey from off-Broadway stages to the big one in New York City.
“Fat Ham," which first hit theaters in Philadelphia back in 2021, modernizes Shakespeare’s Hamlet with humor and emotional resonance, says Johnston. The show attracted enough popularity for Johnston and other producers to consider taking it to the next level.
"We thought there really was a path to Broadway," said Johnston.
Instead of Denmark, "Fat Ham" unfolds at a family barbecue in North Carolina; instead of a Danish prince, the production stars a queer Black man named Juicy. “It is a big ol’ comedy, and your face will hurt from smiling, and you’ll beat your knees from slapping them too hard,” Johnston says.
Johnston believes it’s become a crowd-pleaser because of its relatable depiction of family dynamics, as well as an exploration of emotional expression.
“It's got big ideas actually about the world and what it means to be soft versus hard and how we present in the world and how we make a space and representation,” Johnston said.
Johnston moved to New York City after getting his degree in Kalamazoo and launched his theater career, specifically hoping to become a director. Always fascinated by the behind-the-scenes process of creating a show, however, he said he discovered producing allowed him to “empower” artists in tangible ways.
“I always tell people I just make stuff happen every day,” says Johnston, describing his job as the executive vice president at a production company. "It's everything from fundraising, to figuring out who’s the right marketing firm, who’s the right press representative to best help you tell your story out in the world, what’s going to best communicate it.”
Alongside Johston, two other WMU alums, D.J. Potts, an associate sound designer, and Jeffrey Fauver, a publicist, were also instrumental to the production of “Fat Ham,” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2022 and is now nominated for five Tony awards.
While the show is only slated through June, Johnston says the audience might have some sway. The more people who buy tickets and come see the show, Johnston says, the longer the show goes on. “Fingers crossed," he said.
