[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Best. Dad. NEVER., written and performed by Haig Chahinian at the Whitefire Theatre Solofest 2025.
Haig Chahinian is a writer. His work has appeared in O The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and The New York Times Modern Love, so I knew Best. Dad. NEVER. would be good. However, I had no idea how intensely moved I would be by his story.
Longing to be a father, but expecting deep down he would never be, is the sadness this story could have revolved around if it wasn’t for Haig Chahinian’s charm and infectious optimism. As a gay Armenian-American, he already had an uphill climb, Yet, his life was his vision and his goal became a testament to dogged determination and an openness to the universe.
Haig Chahinian is not an actor, make no mistake. He is a writer, and on stage he is sweetly awkward, sincere and utterly endearing. He shares his story of discovering who he was, traversing single life, meeting his forever person and being a father to a biracial girl with alarming honesty. But if the theatre exists for anything at all, it’s to shake us up and throw off veils and hold up mirrors.
Best. Dad. NEVER. is twice brilliant. It is truly wonderful storytelling from a gifted writer and it also magically illuminates a life and a corner of our world that may not be known or experienced by many of us.
I confess, although my children are biracial but have never been mistaken for anything other than mine…acres of dark curls define us. So, listening to Haig describe his life with his beautiful daughter so frankly was a bit of a revelation, even as I deeply related. He is a treasure of insightful truths and walks the fine and difficult line between frankness and fable.
Best. Dad. NEVER. is clever and funny and heartfelt. I adore solo shows; I see hundreds probably in a year and I always find value in every one of them for their uniqueness and their soul. It’s impossible not to be impressed by a person, actor or not, standing on a stage totally alone. To have created a show for an audience, performing portions of a life, creating timeless moments in order to give gravitas to sometimes the simplest of things.
Love. Tenderness. Hope. Companionship. Forgiveness. Best. Dad. NEVER. does all these things and more. It reminds us that we are essentially all the same. We fear the same things, we love the same way, and we require understanding in subtle, small ways in everything we do.
I loved this show. Best. Dad. NEVER. is a world I didn’t know, told by a man I wish I could know more. Haig Chahinian beautifully and with great sincerity shares his journey and his struggles to be in this world on his own terms, and he is absolutely hilarious and poignant and deeply real. To me, these are the three tenants of the greatest kind of solo theatre. Bravo!
The Team:
Produced, written and performed by Haig Chahinian
Creative consultant: Greg Walloch
Associate producer: Veronica Bloomfield
Best. Dad. NEVER. Written and performed by Haig Chahinian will be a part of the wonderful Hollywood Fringe Festival!
Tickets:
https://www.onstage411.com/newsite/show/play_info.asp?show_id=7356&skin_show_id=32.7356
Hollywood Fringe Festival Dates:
Previews:
Thursday, June 5, 7pm
Runs:
June 5-28
Saturday, June 14, 7pm
Tuesday, June 17, 7pm
Thursday, June 5, 7pm
Saturday, June 21, 5pm
Saturday, June 28, 7pm
Show Calendar
Where:
Hudson Mainstage Theatre
6539 Santa Monica Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90038
Valet Parking