HOW TO RAISE A DAUGHTER
(AND YOURSELF)

Woven from his essays featured in Cosmopolitan and O The Oprah Magazine, gay Armenian-American Haig “Hike” Chahinian recounts his humbling and oft-time hilarious adventures as he fumbles through fathering a bouncing biracial baby girl. A compassionate contemplation of all the hardships and hazards the heart is willing to endure for the joy of holding the world’s greatest treasure in your arms.

At the Hudson Theatre, Hike’s Best. Dad. NEVER. is less a dramatic presentation than an introductory course to being a human being: How to be a Mensch 101, as taught by Professor Hike.

This course comes with a prerequisite attached: a brief history lesson concerning the Armenian Diaspora. For all their lives, his parents bore  the tragedy and suffering of the Armenian Genocide, from which there was no remission, and they transmitted this historical virus to their children. This perhaps explains Hike’s determination to be a source of healing and a haven for all, which faces its ultimate test when he, as a gay Armenian man, and his partner set out to adopt a bi-racial child.

In his efforts to raise his daughter, Hike finds he must face his own humanity. This tender, heartfelt evening brims with humor, insights, and joy, as Hike embodies the simple truth that it is in loving others that we find the strength to love ourselves.

photos by Peter Simmons

Best. Dad. NEVER.
Hollywood Fringe Festival
Hudson Mainstage, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd
ended on June 28, 2025
for show info, visit Best. Dad. NEVER.
for more info, visit Chahinian