Black Bastard - a BFF ’24 in ’25 Free Event at Santa Monica Playhouse

It’s BFF ’24 in ’25, the 9th Annual BFF Binge Fringe Festival of FREE Theatre, Feb 25 - April 4, the only FREE Fringe Festival in the nation, offering 30 plays, workshops and family-oriented events. Tonight:

“Jon Gentry’s Black Bastard leaves audiences screaming for more!” @lahiddengems

Queer. Southern. Creole… Black Bastard transports audiences to 1990s Houston in a humorous, heartfelt coming-of-age tale. Jon, an inquisitive Black boy, develops a love for literature until his family fractures, thrusting him into the role of “man of the house.” A comedic spiral ensues as Jon grapples with his identity(ies). When a bully confronts him at school, Jon begins to search for his absent father, but is he ready for what he may find? Through literature, clowning, self-discovery, and original song, the production invokes 90’s nostalgia in a jambalaya of memoir, embodied character transformation, and socio-cultural commentary. The show confronts stereotypes about absent Black fathers while exploring broader themes of identity, expression, and our collective search for belonging and ultimately home. Winner of the Hollywood Fringe Soaring Solo Social Impact Award. Directed by Shinelle Azoroh.

Jon Gentry was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He earned his BA in English from Harvard, where he served as President of BlackCAST. He holds an MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater. As a teaching artist, he co-directed “Child Life” with UCSF Children’s Hospital and led acting workshops across the Bay Area. He currently teaches Michael Chekhov Acting Technique at the Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory. His regional theater credits include roles in Clybourne Park, A Christmas Carol, and Romeo and Juliet. On screen, he appeared in TEN, Behold a Lady, Meeting Matt Damon and voiced Preston Garvey in Fallout 4, gaining viral fame.

Black Bastard will return to the Playhouse in April as part of the Black History [every] Month Series celebrating the rich heritage of Black arts, artists, and culture in our community.

The BFF celebrates the range and depth of the human condition and the idea that theatre arts experiences are vital, transformative, and must be available for all. Special thanks to generous grants from the We Are Santa Monica Fund, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Commission, and Playhouse PALS.

FREE as part of the BFF Binge Fringe Festival of Free Theatre. Includes post-show Q & A with the artist.