Ryan J. Haddad Invokes Humor, Empathy, Show Tunes for Uncle’s Story

by Mary Cushman & Andrea Libresco

What a difference two decades makes.

A gay man from Cleveland, growing up during the AIDS epidemic, lives a radically different life from his gay nephew, a generation younger. In this autobiographical play, Ryan J. Haddad depicts both men and their families with humor, warmth, and raw honesty.

Haddad plays himself, the playwright and gay nephew, recounting his version of their intertwining lives. Frequently speaking directly to the audience, Haddad’s comments are witty, clever, and sometimes painful. As Uncle Charlie, Jonathan Raviv exudes enthusiasm, honesty, and vulnerability.

Most of the action unfolds in Ohio, tracking both men’s struggles as gay men and theater lovers. Just as Uncle Charlie was mentored by an older gay man, Sheldon (poignant Michael Cristofer), so Charlie introduces Ryan to his gay friends and to the wonders of theater.

Each generation playfully debates Judy’s vs. Barbra’s A Star is Born, a film that asks, “Can we succeed in both love and the arts? For gay artists, the answer has evolved radically.

The heart of the play is the playwright’s conflict over his storytelling choices. Will Ryan show only the “Good Time Charlie” of the title, who makes his first entrance in a white sequined suit with a performer’s pizazz? Or can he include the “bad times” of Charlie’s life, which center on his parents’ rejection of his sexuality? And is it the playwright’s decision, alone? In the audience, we care so much about these characters, we are also conflicted about the answers to these questions.

Charlie stops the scene where his parents repeatedly deny his identity, crumpling those pages of the script. He argues fiercely with Ryan that his story will bring pain. The playwright brilliantly presents both arguments sympathetically.

Knowing that the play is autobiographical intensifies our experience. Charlie concedes, “The problem isn’t that you got it wrong. It’s that you got it mostly right.” And the story continues, engaging both humor and pain.

A generation later, Ryan’s parents accept their son’s gay identity. Still, when he heads for college, they advise him to ditch his shoulder bag to “try to blend in.” Ryan reminds them, lightly, that with his cerebral palsy and walker, “I never blend in.”

The parents of two generations deploy startlingly different tactics with their sons. Artemis Pebdani and Nael Nacer superbly play both sets of parents with subtlety and humor.

Ryan lets his aunt and uncle, Charlie’s parents, know that his play depicts their fraught relationship with their son. His aunt requests, “When you write about me, please be kind.”

“Good Time Charlie” is chock-full of theater and film references and inside jokes. Its songs remind us about homophobia—and today’s ongoing struggles. Doris Day’s “Secret Love” evokes the 50s, while Sondheim’s hopeful “No One Is Alone” raises our spirits.

Many of these references to the arts occur in scenes with Charlie’s chosen family, including his devoted partner, Lou (grounded Tim Bagley). Charlie’s creativity and showmanship express themselves in cooking and gardening in his lush backyard.

Ryan has the luxury of freely following his dreams with his family’s support—all any of us wants. Uncle Charlie speaks for the play’s generations: “A family of friends and the arts–they are sustenance, they are nourishment, they are everything.”

He has made his own “good time.” Share it with him at The Public—it’s a wonder.

“Good Time Charlie” by Ryan J. Haddad, directed by Danny Sharon, scenic design by Afsoon Pajoufar, costumes by Enver Chakartash, lighting by Barbara Samuels, and sound by Ryan Gamblin, at The Public Theater, New York.‍

Info: publictheater.org – to October 25, 2026.

Cast: Tim Bagley, Michael Cristofer, Ryan J. Haddad, Beth Malone, Nael Nacer, Artemis Pebdani, and Jonathan Raviv.

Banner photo: Ryan J. Haddad (Ryan) & Jonathan Raviv (Charlie). Photos by Joan Marcus.