A theater performer draped in layered translucent plastic sheeting and metallic materials, wearing a large cylindrical hat, illuminated by dramatic blue and amber stage lighting against a dark background, standing on a glitter-strewn floor
Asher Hartman in sculpture by Olivia Mole. Photograph by Danielle Neu.

→ "The Mommy Leaks the Floor", Asher Hartman, Olivia Mole

“a critically generative practice” that “relies on the notion that reality can only be reverse engineered”

— Rossen Ventzislavov, X—TRA 🔗

→ "Sorry Atlantis, Eden's Achin' Organ Seeks Revenge", Asher Hartman

Annie Claire (Claire Cronin), Annie Jasmine (Jasmine Orpilla), Annie Dawn (Dawn Kaspar) Photo: Marianne Williams

→ "Annie Okay", Claire Cronin, Jasmine Orpilla

Jacqueline Wright plays a shape-shifting elf, the product of an alchemical mixture of internalized misogyny, white supremacy and sexual repression; abuse, Hollywood and delusion.

→ "Gawdafful Films", Jacqueline Wright

An actor dressed in black with a close-cropped beard and stylish glasses wearing an outdoorsy vest, gestures wildly, their tongue extended. In the background, out of focus, colorful patterned strips hang like window blinds or set-dressing.
José Luis Blondet as Tony Sebastiano in “It’s Better to Start Ugly,” at The Lab, San Francisco, May 18-20, 2023

→ "It's Better to Start Out Ugly", José Luis Blondet

Welcome to the website of Asher Hartman’s Gawdafful National Theater, a loose cabal of highly trained, strongly gifted actor-artists-insects committed to making complex, poetic, crass, and finely crafted theater. Learn about upcoming performances, read all about past Gawdafful productions, and meet members of the Gawdafful company.

Middle-aged male actor kneeling outdoors, draped in pink cape with fur collar, clutching a stuffed pig mask
Michael Bonnabel as King Elf, Alfred, costume by Brian Getnick. Photo by Ian Byers-Gamber

→ "The Dope Elf", Michael Bonnabel

“The festering wound of incontinency, being bad over and over and over and over and over and over again spiraling in imprints of wrongs against God”

— Jasmine Nyende, Riting 🔗

→ "Sorry Atlantis, Eden's Achin' Organ Seeks Revenge"

Actor in colorful costume and black cape with flame motifs leaps dramatically on a grassy mound at night
Joe Seely as The Magician in costume Brian Getnick and Sofia Benito. Photo by Ian Byers-Gamber

→ "The Dope Elf", Brian Getnick, Joe Seely

Actor crouching beside a furry monster puppet costume against a black backdrop, wearing a white shirt with red markings and a nose bandage.
Philip Littell as the hellhound aspect of his character John and Zut Lorz as The Troll. Photo by Ian Byers-Gamber

→ "The Dope Elf", Philip Littell, Zut Lors