The Motherf*cker with the Hat – Ashley Nichols Theater, San Francisco at Ashley Nichols Theatre – San Francisco, CA

The Motherfucker with The Hat is a high-octane verbal cage match about love, fidelity and misplaced haberdashery. Our story explores explores post-incarceration life, substance abuse, and how the opposite of love is indifference not hate.

As addiction rates continue to soar in this country, destroying families and devastating relationships, substance abuse is as relevant a topic/theme as ever. With a cast and crew who have experienced some of these very issues, each brings to the stage a life of shared experiences of failure, success, and struggle.

“The Motherfucker with the Hat” is a dark comedy that dives into the rawness of addiction, volatile relationships, and the elusive quest for redemption. Its characters grapple with cycles of betrayal, the fragility of trust, and the profound challenge of self-improvement, themes echoing loudly in today’s social landscape. As communities continue to confront the ripple effects of substance abuse, economic instability, and fractured personal connections, the play’s unvarnished portrayal of loyalty, accountability, and the struggle for a better life offers a mirror to contemporary American culture, exposing the enduring human need for stability amidst chaos.

This production was fully crowd-funded, thank you to everyone who donated financially, contributed their time and resources, and showed their support for local independent arts. We truly couldn’t have done it without you! If you would like to contribute our gofundme is here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/jpkxs

Performance Information:

The Ashley Nichols theater is located in Suite 502 at 414 Mason St., San Francisco, CA.

Preview – 8/28

Opening night – 8/29

Friday/Saturday Nights – Doors 6:30, show begins at 7PM

Sunday Matinee starting 8/31/25 until closing night 9/14/25 – doors 2pm, show begins at 2:30

Meet The Cast & Crew

RAFAT HWEIH (“Jackie”)Rafat started his acting journey in San Francisco, California, and has been taking scene study classes with ZA Studio for the past eight years. He also participated in independent feature films and short films. What really connects Rafat to this play is his family. He grew up with two older brothers that fought with addiction and passed away. Although this took a heavy emotional toll, Rafat didn’t think it was enough for him to play this role. What ultimately connected with him on a personally and deeper level was “losing trust,” especially with oneself. For Rafat, there was an emptiness that needed filling. That’s were the addiction comes in, the writing is the reaction of the emptiness. In this case it was the drugs, sex and alcohol.

BRIAN JIAN (“Ralph”)Born in New York City, BRIAN JIAN split time growing up in Queens and Long Island. Before acting, Brian graduated from law school, worked as an attorney, then decided to give stand up comedy a try. He started out performing stand up comedy all over the New York area and was a regular at Governor’s, The Brokerage, Greenwich Village, Broadway Comedy Club, Eastville Comedy Club and more. He was selected to the Montreal Comedy Festival – New Faces Show (2013) and also performed on NBC’s Last Comic Standing Season 8 (2014) and was featured on the show’s “Top 100 Jokes Countdown” episode. He has studied acting with JoAnna Beckson, Cynthia Levin, The Freeman Studio, Studio One and ZA Studio. Brian brings his natural comedic sensibilities and fiery energy into his performances and roles. Today, Brian lives in Oakland and dreams of a being dog-dad again.

LOGAN SHELTON (director)Born in Alameda, California, Logan Shelton’s earliest memories involve watching his mother get eaten in Little Shop of Horrors and playing “little Joseph” in the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. As a teenager, Logan spent summers building sets, smoking weed, and working as a stagehand in musical theater for the now defunct Alameda Civic Light Opera. After getting a B.S. in Mathematics, he became a teacher during the Covid-19 pandemic before finding a therapist and going back to school to study film. Having written and directed several short films, studied acting and directing at Z/A studios for the last two years, Logan is beyond excited to direct his first full-length play in The Motherfucker with the Hat.

JESSICA MASON – VERONICA: Jessica Mason grew up in the Bay Area. She attended Chapman University and received a BFA in Theatre Performance. She is currently studying with ZA Studio, and also worked with BGB Studios, Groundlings, and Stella Adler Academy. Some of her credits include All My Sons at Torrance Theatre Company and Picnic at Theatre Palisades. She is excited to be a part of this production with a great creative team.

BEN DECASTRO- COUSIN JULIO: Born and raised in Oahu, Hawaii, Ben Flores Decastro began his creative career in photography after relocating to San Francisco. It was there that he discovered a deep passion for acting and led him to study at ZA Studio and fully immerse himself in the craft. Now represented by Image Powerhouse, Kathy Mueller, and Models Inc, Ben has brought his talent to life through a range of commercial and short film roles across California and beyond.

KARMYN JOHNSON- VICTORIA: A seasoned actress of striking emotional range, Karmyn Johnson brings both power and vulnerability to every role she inhabits. With her years of stage experience, she exhibits depth, authenticity, and an ability to connect with audiences on a profoundly human level. She relocated to San Francisco with relatives as a youth and has called San Francisco her home for many years.

Presented by HELLA Media, part agency, part artist collective, part production company, part zine. Find out more at hellamag.com.