"Best. Dad. Never." A Powerful Solo Journey into Adoption & Self-Transformation

Haig Chahinian presents a powerful and introspective look into fatherhood.

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Friday, June 20th, 2025, Los Angeles, CA

written by Entertainment Editor, Dan Ruth

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In Best. Dad. Never., writer/performer Haig Chahinian, with a carefully crafted script and a whole lot of grace, steps through a modern-day minefield of racism, homophobia, and the foibles and fears of raising a biracial child as a coupled gay European white male. Painted with earnestness and honesty, Chahinian’s solo outing recounts his Armenian upbringing with bitterly argumentative parents, survivors of the Armenian genocide of 1915, and how this accompanies him into this modern world, still riddled with hate and racism. Sad to say this show is about projection and replacement of anger, which makes it brutally timely. To adopt their child, Chahinian, along with his husband Peter, must travel to New Orleans, and as bad luck would have it, it would be during hurricane Katrina. This is only a random bad hand dealt to Haig, but being a counselor by trade, he possesses ample weaponry in his survivor toolbox to move forward.

While Chahinian is quick to point out and question his own rationale and flaws, he’s also present in this very detailed, illustrated TED talk-form performance, to show us that while holding onto the preverbal mirror, we project our hate onto others, which does not bode well when raising a small child of color, with whom you’re trying to protect. From New York City and onward, through meeting a black man on a hiking trail, trying to gain admittance for he and his daughter at a local swimming pool, to dance concerts in the fountain at Lincoln Center (one of the highlights of the show), Chahinian selflessly continues his life’s main goal; to question societal norms, to grow and to raise his daughter with respect at all costs, even as society consistently sees him as some sort of menace. Haig’s daughter’s identity never factors in here, and he even handed over the script for her approval before performing it.

Best. Dad. Never. threatens dad jokes and granddad jokes, but ultimately lives in a tender world that is big on honesty, heart and disturbingly honest humor, but never veers far from the message of love at all costs. This is a highly intelligent and thoroughly enjoyable show which maintains its honesty without becoming preachy or maudlin. Chahinian is to be commended for reporting back on the state of queer parenthood in an increasingly complex and bitter world. Best. Dad. Never. gives us a much-needed dose of hope and an undeniable show of strength and courage.

Best. Dad. Never. continues through Saturday at The Hudson Theatre on Santa Monica Blvd.