Don't Call Me Fat
Cleveland Public Theatre is honored to host this world premiere, created for Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) by internationally acclaimed Turkish writer and director Ozen Yula. "Don't Call Me Fat" follows one man's grasping attempt to go from obesity to celebrity (that'll be me, bishes). Onstage in the Gordon Square Theatre from October 7 - October 30 (Paid previews on October 7 and 8; Opening Night is on Saturday, October 9).
Ozen Yula has been in residence at CPT and Cleveland State University as part of Cleveland Foundation's Creative Fusion program, a multi-year initiative that brings accomplished artists from diverse cultures to Cleveland.
Yula is one of the world's most daring, avant-garde playwrights and directors. His collected plays have been published in 5 volumes and translated into more than 10 languages, including Bosnian and Arabic. His work is characterized as dark, comical, visually daring and at the forefront of controversial issues of social justice and human rights facing our global society. His other collected works, including novels, short story collections and essays, have been printed by several publishing companies. He has written 8 books and his works have been performed around the globe.
"Don't Call Me Fat" Centers around morbidly obese John Doe (me, bishes) who can't get out of bed, yet his spiritual self flies overhead in the form of a beautiful trapeze artist. John is driven to make a dangerous decision by his hypercritical Aunt Jane and his manipulating therapist. He will undergo a radical new surgery that will make him thin or kill him, and he stumbles into world fame as a reality show star...
Featuring a strong ensemble of performers, "Don't Call Me Fat" is a darkly funny commentary on excess consumption and our need for reduction and redemption. Don't miss this visually stunning world premiere event! (source)
So, TONIGHT, I get to try on my fat suit that will be looking something like this:
The character is 700 pounds. You KNOW you want to totally tweak and gnaw on his nipples. Don't lie. Me TOO! YUM! ME FIRST! OUT OF MY WAY!!
And when he goes out? (Which he doesn't) He would need this:
Yeah... Nice. Like the ball-cap makes things better.
I tried to talk Ozen into letting me be
an obese zombie, but he was having none of it.
Actually, an obese zombie would've been more my style, but no doubt, wouldn't have enriched me at all. Oh sure, I would've been able to eat all the babies and children and small adults I wanted, but really, that would've only filled my stomach, not my spiritual growth.
Rehearsals have been challenging. Ozen and the cast have been wonderful - extremely supportive. But, the depth of the content and attempting to grasp the character has shaken me. In a good way, though. It's taken me far out of my comfort zone and that's a good thing. If I'm honest with myself, I've never really grown from something that came easy. Not really...
So, that's what I've been consumed (heh...heh... get it? "Consumed"? Heh.) with the last 6 weeks... Learning how to be a nasty, bedridden, morbidly obese person. I've been modeling the character's personality after Dickhead Cheney, Tush Limbaugh, Glenn Speck-of-Shit, Donald Dumbsfeld and Newt Dingbitch all wrapped into one. He is grotesque, after all.
Hhhooooo... No, I dint.
Ooohhh, yes I did. Now hand me that side of beef and go fry me 20 eggs and 50 pieces of bacon.
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Formerly obese John Doe (Kevin S. Charnas - that's me, bishes), center, is hounded by his crude aunt (Lissy Gulick) and a reality TV host (Lew Wallace).
PHOTOS/STEVE WAGNER
From left to right: Kevin Charnas and Lissy Gulick
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From left to right: Elizabeth R. Wood as Mary Ann, Kevin Charnas and Lew Wallace
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