| The Hot Wing King | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by | Katori Hall |
| Date premiered | February 11, 2020 (2020-02-11),Signature Theatre Company |
| Place premiered | Manhattan, New York, New York |
| Subject | Black masculinity, family, relationships |
| Genre | Comedy-drama |
| Setting | Memphis, Tennessee |
The Hot Wing King is a 2020 American comedy-drama play by writerKatori Hall. The play follows Cordell, his boyfriend, and their friends inMemphis, Tennessee preparing their culinary entry for the annual "Hot Wang Festival".The Hot Wing King premieredoff-Broadway atSignature Theatre on February 11, 2020, and had a limited run due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hall received the2021Pulitzer Prize for Drama forThe Hot Wing King.
"Ready, set, fry! It's time for the annual "Hot Wang Festival" in Memphis, Tennessee, and Cordell Crutchfield knows he has the wings that’ll make him king. Supported by his beau, Dwayne, and their culinary clique, The New Wing Order, Cordell is marinating and firing up his frying pan in a bid to reclaim the crispy crown."[1]
| Character | Off Broadway 2020 | UK National Theatre 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Cordell | Toussaint Jeanlouis | Kadiff Kirwan |
| Dwayne | Korey Jackson | Simon-Anthony Rhoden |
| Isom | Sheldon Best | Olisa Odele |
| Big Charles | Nicco Annan | Jason Barnett |
| Everett "EJ" | Cecil Blutcher | Kaireece Denton |
| TJ | Eric B. Robinson Jr | Dwane Walcott |
The play was directed by Steve H. Broadnax III and written byKatori Hall.[2] She was inspired to write a play that centered onBlack gay men because she wanted to create a story that reflected her brother's life experiences.[3]The Hot Wing King premiered on February 11, 2020,off-Broadway atPershing Square Signature Center in Manhattan.[4] The show's run ended prematurely due to restrictions related to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[5] Katori Hall directed a production at theAlliance Theatre in 2022.
A new production opened at theDorfman Theatre, part of theNational Theatre inLondon on 11 July 2024, with its opening night on 18 July 2024.
The Hot Wing King received mixed reception. In a review for theNew York Times, Ben Brantley praised "the matter-of-fact depiction of Black gay characters who may be dissatisfied, to varying degrees, with their own behavior but not, ultimately, because of their sexuality" but further stated "the balance between social soap opera and buoyant comedy isn't always gracefully sustained."[2] Similarly, Marilyn Stasio ofVariety called the plot "meandering" and referred positively to "the extremely likable characters."[6] Robert Hofler ofTheWrap calledThe Hot Wing King "a raucous comedy" that was also "lopsided."[7]
Hall received the 2021Pulitzer Prize for Drama forThe Hot Wing King.[8] The citation described the play as "a funny, deeply felt consideration of Black masculinity and how it is perceived, filtered through the experiences of a loving gay couple and their extended family as they prepare for a culinary competition."[9]
