Jocelyn Bioh’s play 'School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play' has opened at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in New York.
Key facts
- •The play is set in 1986 at a boarding school in the Aburi Mountains of central Ghana.
- •The production is presented by the Manhattan Theatre Club at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
- •Denée Benton stars as Paulina, the leader of the student group.
- •The plot revolves around the students' preparations for the Miss Ghana 1986 pageant.
- •The play explores social issues including colorism, anti-Blackness, and the impact of colonialism.
The Manhattan Theatre Club production of Jocelyn Bioh’s play, 'School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play,' has opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Directed by Whitney White, the comedy-drama is set in a girls' boarding school in the Aburi Mountains of Ghana in 1986. The story explores themes of adolescent social dynamics, colorism, and the consequences of colonialism through the interactions of a group of students.
Plot and Characters
The play centers on a group of five students at the Aburi Girls Boarding School. Paulina, played by Denée Benton, acts as the self-absorbed leader of the clique, using her status and cruelty to maintain control. The group includes the kind-hearted Ama, the witty cousins Mercy and Gifty, and a newcomer named Nana, who is often targeted by Paulina. The girls' social hierarchy is disrupted when a new student, Ericka Boafo, arrives from America, threatening Paulina’s ambitions to win the Miss Ghana 1986 pageant.
Production Details
The production is directed by Whitney White, who previously collaborated with Bioh on the Tony-nominated play 'Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.' The play, which runs for 75 minutes, examines the complexities of Black female identity and the pressures of adolescent life. The narrative incorporates the cultural context of the mid-1980s, including references to contemporary music and the girls' aspirations regarding American culture.
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