A great time in New York City with ‘Good Time Charlie’ star Jonathan Raviv
Jonathan Raviv on 'Good Time Charlie,' the power of gay theater, and his New York recs
Mark
You could certainly call Good Time Charlie, which is in previews and opening on October 9 at The Public Theater, a “good time.” But its sarcastic, sentimental, and spirited protagonists would likely roll their eyes at the cliche. Of course, to have the privilege of seeing a performance by gay playwright and actor Ryan J. Haddad is to know him, and his latest world-premiere is a must-see for gays who love theater in New York City, because it’s not just for them, it’s about them.
Everyone will be able to recognize themselves in Charlie, an autobiographical tale spanning generations and touching on themes of mentorship, caretaking, and dreaming big. Still, the primary focus is on his titular Uncle Charlie (Jonathan Raviv) — technically, his father’s first cousin — who bestows his passion for arts and culture upon his nephew, while teaching him lessons about LGBTQ+ acceptance, romance, family, and stability.
Of course, Haddad, who plays himself under Danny Sharron’s direction, is no stranger to mining life for theatrical inspiration; his Dark Disabled Stories won the Obie Award for Best New American Play in 2024. Still, Good Time Charlie, in which his family’s most intimate histories are reenacted by an all-star cast including Tim Bagley, Michael Cristofer, and Beth Malone, might just be his most personal work yet.
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“That is truly what Ryan brings to all of his shows,” Raviv told GayCities. “He is extraordinary in what he does, and what he’s lived through. But also, it’s just these themes of wanting to find love, wanting to pursue your love, and wanting to have relationships with family, friends, and loved ones.”
In that way (and because he’s portraying a living man he’s actually met), it’s also intimate for Raviv, who called Haddad “truly one of the brilliant voices of the American theater,” before adding, “He’ll be so embarrassed I said that.”
Although he grew up in Chicago, Raviv, much like Haddad and the characters in the play, was always set on acting in New York, arriving in the city with “a tube of chapstick and a prayer,” a lá Christopher Guest, after graduating from Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
“I think New York City is a city of orphans,” he said. “It’s a city of people who are coming, trying to find something. There’s an energy about it.”
As LGBTQ+ locals and gay travelers alike know, it’s also a city that reverberates differently for those in the community: “I think for queer people, we’re never inside the box,” Raviv, who’s lived in the Big Apple for 20 years, explained. “And I think New York really allows us and encourages us to be outside of the box.”
For that reason, it’s easy to understand why Manhattan is almost another character in Good Time Charlie, as a place where Haddad and the play’s other ensemble of gays feel at home and, of course, because it’s the pinnacle of theater.
Accordingly, the show makes more than a couple satirical nods at Broadway, from winks at Fun Home, which debuted at The Public, and shots at Smash, which starred Cristofer.
“If you’re a theater kid, you are going to love this show because there’s so many Easter eggs,” Raviv said.
So far, the cast and company have been surprised by not only the laughs, but the intense emotions that layered show has evoked from audiences.
“Tim, who plays Lou, had his nephew who brought his best friend, who was like, ‘I am a dentist, I studied maxillofacial surgery and I’m a DJ. I’m going to look at my life and my choices differently after seeing this,’” he recalled. “It’s really amazing how it speaks to so many different people — gay straight, older, younger.”
As I left a preview on September 25, I was simultaneously inspired to call my mom and keep following my dreams — and to tell everyone I know that they needed to spend some time with Ryan J. Haddad’s family.
You can learn more about Good Time Charlie, which runs Tuesdays through Sundays, as well as its selection of accessible showings on The Public’s website.
Below, Raviv shared some of his New York City favorites.
Best place to eat
“Cafe Cluny. I waited tables there, and I love it so much. It’s the cutest little restaurant. Then, right there, the best burger is Corner Bistro. Philip Seymour Hoffman used to go there and just have a burger. It’s this dive bar that I love.”
Best place to go out
“My husband and I have two kids, so I don’t go out a lot, but all my friends who go out, go to The Nines. Highly recommended by someone who has never been there, but all my friends say that it’s great.”
Best neighborhood
“West Village is always my favorite. It’s just where you can get away from the hustle and bustle and just be in a neighborhood and just walk around these small streets and see beautiful brownstones, and they have good restaurants.”
Best place to see theater
“I’ve got to say The Public, right? I mean the breadth of work that they do here in musicals, plays, Shakespeare. It’s truly one of the top and most exciting theaters in the city … After Hamilton and Hair and Fun Home, they have the money and the space to be putting on all these amazing works … I just think when theater goes for profit, art goes for profit, something changes. When it’s nonprofit, there are exciting things happening. I encourage everyone to go see more off-Broadway.”
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