Katori Hall Sheds Light on Black Boy Joy, Masculinity, and Queerness in 'The Hot Wing King'

Katori Hall has been most recognized for her creation of P-Valley, the Starz drama that follows the inner workings of the Mississippi strip club, The Pynk. But Hall is not just a TV producer, she is a Pulitzer Prize and Olivier Award-winning playwright who has cemented her name in Black history.

In 2021, Hall won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play, The Hot Wing King, which premiered off-broadway at the Signature Theater in 2020. Inspired by Hall's real-life brother's relationship, The Hot Wing King is a new comedy about the risk and rewards of being yourself. The award-winning play follows a man, his boyfriend, and their friends in Memphis, Tennessee as they get ready to enter the annual "Hot Wang Festival."

Synopsis: It’s time for Memphis' annual “Hot Wang Festival,” and Cordell knows he has the wings that’ll make him king. Supported by his beau Dwayne and best friends who serve as his fry crew “The New Wing Order,” the group settles in for a fun night of pre-competition prep. But when a family emergency forces Dwayne’s troubled nephew into the mix, it quickly becomes a recipe for disaster. Suddenly, the first-place trophy isn’t the only thing that Cordell risks losing.

Earlier this month, The Hot Wing King made its regional debut at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and was directed by Hall for the first time. The play stars Nicco Annan, Bjorn Dupaty, Myles Alexander Evans, Armand Fields, Jay Jones and Calvin Thompson.