Josh Sharp is an accomplished actor, writer, and producer who is noted for his contributions to Dicks: the Musical! Sam Pinkleton is the winner of the 2025 Tony Award for directing Oh, Mary! These two have gotten together to produce ta-da!
Sharp is a stand-up comedian with a unique style. The driving force of his act is the idea that he has 2,000 slides to cover in 80 minutes. As he hits a clicker, every word appears on a screen behind him. Credit for the clean artwork and font design goes to Steve Arnoczy. Sharp has committed a 180-page script to memory, resulting in the presentation of a new slide approximately every 2.4 seconds. He accomplishes this without causing discomfort to the audience. Sharp challenges us to listen and read at the same time. When texts differ, he expects us to address both ideas simultaneously.
Ta-da! is Sharp’s story. He uses his own life as material. He tells intense and intimate stories about himself. The tales range from growing up gay in the South to his adventures as a gay man in New York City to relations with his family. Sharp moves easily from “dick” humor to explaining Schrodinger’s cat and then warmly describing his dying mother. He bounces back and forth, daring the audience to look beyond the humor to reality. He shifts from proposing golf umbrella licensing to addressing the nature of time. Sharp reminds us that time is linear and challenges us to choose what to do with time.
Magic features prominently in the show as Sharp engages and challenges the audience. The show ends with a magic trick. Josh Sharp blends thought-provoking ideas with humor, creating a magical experience for the audience.
