Jaja's African Hair Braiding is a 2023 comedic play written by American playwright Jocelyn Bioh. The play premiered on Broadway as part of the Manhattan Theatre Club's 2023–2024 season.[1][2]
| Jaja's African Hair Braiding | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Jocelyn Bioh |
| Date premiered | 2023 |
| Place premiered | Manhattan Theatre Club |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | Harlem, Present Day |
Synopsis
editThe play takes the audiences inside Jaja's bustling hair braiding salon in Harlem where every day, a lively and eclectic group of West African immigrant hair braiders are creating masterpieces on the heads of neighborhood women. During one sweltering summer day, love will blossom, dreams will flourish and secrets will be revealed. The uncertainty of their circumstances simmers below the surface of their lives and when it boils over, it forces this tight-knit community to confront what it means to be an outsider on the edge of the place they call home.[3]
Original cast and characters
edit| Character | Broadway (2023)[4] |
|---|---|
| Jaja | Somi Kakoma |
| Miriam | Brittany Adebumola |
| Jennifer | Rachel Christopher |
| Ndidi | Maechi Aharanwa |
| Aminata | Nana Mensah |
| Marie | Dominique Thorne |
| Bea | Zenzi Williams |
| Chrissy/Michelle/LaNiece | Kalyne Coleman |
| Vanessa/Radia/Sheila | Lakisha May |
| James/Sock Man/DVD Man/Jewelry Man | Michael Oloyede |
Production history
editThe play premiered on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on October 3, 2023, with previews starting September 12. The play closed on November 19, 2023, after 56 performances. The show extended twice from its original end date and offered live streams of the show for the final week of performances.[5] The play was directed by Whitney White and was commissioned by the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2018. Among the producers of the show are LaChanze and Taraji P. Henson.[6]
Following the Broadway production, the show is set to tour, beginning in September at Arena Stage in Washington D.C., Berkeley Repertory Theatre in November, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater in January 2025. [7] It will also make its New England premiere at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston in May 2025. [8]
References
edit- ^ Aramide Tinubu (4 October 2023). "'JaJa's African Hair Braiding' Review: Broadway Show On Black Spaces". variety.com. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- ^ "Dramatists Play Service, Inc". dramatists.com. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- ^ Phillips, Maya (13 November 2023). "2023/11/13/theater/jajas-african-hair-braiding-black-women". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- ^ Playbill 2023 Bio Cast List accessed 2024-03-23.
- ^ "How to watch 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding' at home: live stream details for final week of shows". Mashable. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- ^ Greg Evans (25 July 2023). "LaChanze, Taraji P. Henson Join 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding' Broadway Producing Team". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
- ^ https://playbill.com/article/broadways-jajas-african-hair-braiding-is-going-on-tour [bare URL]
- ^ https://speakeasystage.com/shows/2025/05/jajas-african-hair-braiding/