Deadline
LaChanze, Taraji P. Henson & Madison Wells Live Join Broadway Producing Team Of ‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
by Jocelyn Bioh
directed by Whitney White
This dazzling world premiere welcomes you into Jaja’s bustling hair braiding shop 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. This extraordinary new play is by the award winning Ghanaian-American playwright Jocelyn Bioh (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play) and will be directed by Obie winner Whitney White (Our Dear Dead Drug Lord).
For audience advisories for Jaja's African Hair Braiding, please click here.
Runtime is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
“CRITIC’S PICK! A BUFFET OF DELIGHTS, FULL OF TREASURABLE MOMENTS.”
The New York Times
“SHINES A LIGHT NEVER BEFORE SEEN ON BROADWAY!”
The Amsterdam News
NOMINATED FOR THREE DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY | OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY – WHITNEY WHITE | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE – ZENZI WILLIAMS
NOMINATED FOR TWO OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS
OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY | OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN – DEDE AYITE
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Rush Policy
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Manhattan Theatre Club produces a wide range of theatre both on and off-Broadway. In a history spanning almost 50 years, they have won 27 Tony Awards, 7 Pulitzer Prizes, and developed into one of the country’s most acclaimed theatres.
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Student tickets are available at the box office on the day of the show when the box office opens. Tickets are $30 (including all fees), payable by cash or credit card, and are available to students with an ID from a degree or diploma granting institution. Tickets are subject to availability and are limited to two per valid ID. Note that students aged 35 or under may prefer to purchase their tickets through the 30 Under 35 program instead – see above.
TodayTix Rush
A limited number of $35 rush tickets for each performance are available the day of the show at TodayTix.com. Rush tickets are subject to availability and blackout.
Student Rush
Student rush tickets are available at the box office on the day of the show when the box office opens. Tickets are $30 (including all fees), payable by cash or credit card, and are available to students with an ID from a degree or diploma granting institution. Tickets are subject to availability and are limited to two per valid ID. Note that anyone aged 35 or under may prefer to purchase their tickets through the 30 Under 35 program instead.
Click here for a seating chart. The Friedman Theatre seats 650. Seating is on Orchestra, Premier Circle and Mezzanine levels—all seating accessible by elevator. For more information on accessibility, please click here. iCaptions for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding are now live. (D-Scriptive). On-demand audio description (D-scriptive) is now available.
“A character-rich play, bubbling with personality and an occasion worth toasting.
The Washington Post
“BRILLIANT! A powerful tale about joy, dreams, community, and sisterhood.”
Entertainment Weekly
Cast
Brittany Adebumola
Miriam
is a New York-based actor who will next be seen starring in the upcoming Onyx Collective / Hulu series “The Other Black Girl”, based on the critically acclaimed novel. Previously, Brittany starred in one of the lead roles in the CW series “4400”, and was also seen in the Netflix series “Grand Army” and the Paramount+ series “Guilty Party”. She also will be seen in the upcoming series “Demascus” which premiered at SXSW. She graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Acting.
Maechi Aharanwa
Ndidi
Off-Broadway credits include: The Misanthrope (Moliere In The Park), Mothers (Playwrights Realm), If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be a Muhfucka (Playwrights Horizons), Bully (Clubbed Thumb), The Winter’s Tale, An Octoroon (TFANA), The Old Settler (Billie Holiday Theatre), Sweet, Facing Our Truth – Night Vision, No More Monsters Here (NBT). Regional credits include: The Mountaintop, The Call, Seven Guitars, Antigone. Television/film credits include: “Elementary” (CBS), “Show Me a Hero” (HBO), “Person Of Interest” (CBS), “30 Rock” (NBC), Intrusion, Boy In A Backpack, Maybe There’s A Tree. Training: Juilliard. Princess Grace Award Recipient, The Actors Center Company Member. www.maechi.net
Rachel Christopher
Jennifer, u/s Chrissy/Michelle/LaNiece
Broadway: for colored girls who have considered suicide/… Select theater: What To Send Up When It Goes Down (BAM/Playwrights Horizons); Bad News!…(Skirball); King Philip (Clubbed Thumb); Sonic Life of a Giant Tortoise (The Play Company); Minor Character (UTR-Public Theater), An Iliad (Long Wharf Theatre); Intimate Apparel (Shakespeare and Company); The Winter’s Tale (Shakespeare Festival St. Louis); Detroit ’67 (PlayMakers Rep); Disgraced (Rep. Theatre St. Louis); By the Queen (Trinity Rep). TV/Film: Girl on the Train, The Upside, “Billions”, “Madame Secretary”, “Blindspot”, “Instinct”, “Elementary”. Awards: 2019 Connecticut Critics Circle Award (Outstanding Solo Performance), 2022 Chita Rivera Award (Outstanding Ensemble) @rachel_e_christopher.
Kalyne Coleman
Chrissy/Michelle/LaNiece
was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She can be seen in a major recurring role on AMC’s hit drama series “Interview with the Vampire”, based on the acclaimed film of the same name and written by Rolin Jones. She can be seen in guest star roles on CBS’ hit series “So Help Me Todd” and “Evil”. Kalyne is a University of Pennsylvania alum and a recent graduate of Brown/Trinity Rep’s MFA Acting program. In the fall of 2020, Kalyne was chosen to participate in ABC’s Discovers Showcase. Her Off-Broadway credits include: Four, What To Send Up When It Goes Down (BAM), Lorraine H. & Nikki G., Lessons in Survival (Vineyard Theatre); and Leigh, America v. 2.1: The Sad Demise and Eventual Extinction of the American Negro (Barrington Stage). She sends unbounded gratitude to her incredible parents, family, and friends for their unconditional love and support.
Somi Kakoma
Jaja
is the daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda. Known in the jazz world simply as ‘Somi’, her nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album made her the first African woman ever nominated in any of the Grammy’s jazz categories. A recipient of two NAACP Image Awards for Best Vocal Jazz Album, the Doris Duke Artist Award, and the inaugural Jazz Music Award for Best Vocal Performance, Somi is also a Soros Equality Fellow and United States Artist Fellow. Last season, she wrote and starred in the Off-Broadway production of Dreaming Zenzile – an original musical based on the life of Miriam Makeba. Somi’s performance was nominated for Drama League, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and AUDELCO Awards. She holds degrees in Cultural Anthropology and African Studies from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s in Performance Studies from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, and is currently working on a PhD at Harvard University. www.somimusic.com // @somimusic
Lakisha May
Vanessa/Radia/Sheila
is an actor, producer, and advocate. Lakisha’s theater credits include Skeleton Crew on Broadway (MTC), originating roles in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Everybody, Mfoniso Udofia’s Sojourners, Robert Askins’ The Squirrels and others. Her TV/Film credits include “City on a Hill”, “Boardwalk Empire”, “Law and Order: SVU”, and others. She has created work that has screened at the Pan African Film Festival, Center Theater Group’s digital stage, and other festivals. She is one of three co-founders of CCC (Color Conscious Collective), a collective of artists who have built an investment apparatus to galvanize resources for artists. Additionally, Lakisha has taught drama students at Spelman College and NYU. Her advocacy work includes being the chair of the Leadership Awards Committee at the James Beard Foundation. She serves as vice chair of the board at Space on Ryder Farm, a non-profit residency program and organic farm in Brewster, New York. Lakisha has her MFA in acting from The American Conservatory Theater and her BA from Spelman College.
Nana Mensah
Aminata
is a Ghanaian-American actor, writer and director. She recently wrapped the limited series “Presumed Innocent”, opposite Jake Gyllenhaal (Apple TV+). Queen of Glory, her debut feature which she wrote, directed and starred in, premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival where she won the Best New Narrative Director award and earned a 2022 Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Feature. Recent credits include Netflix’s “The Chair” opposite Sandra Oh, Ekwa Msangi’s Farewell Amor (IFC), Judd Apatow’s King of Staten Island, and the A24 film After Yang starring Colin Farrell. She starred in Jocelyn Bioh’s Nollywood Dreams at MCC Theater, Tracy Letts’ Man From Nebraska at Second Stage Theatre (Lucille Lortel Nomination, Outer Critics Circle Nomination), as well as Clare Barron’s hit Obie Award-winning play, I’ll Never Love Again. Nana is currently shooting the second season of Netflix’s hit show “The Diplomat”, reprising her role as Billie Appiah.
Michael Oloyede
James/Sock Man/DVD Man/Jewelry Man
(he/him) is excited to be making his Broadway debut in Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Selected theater credits include: Scraps, NYT Critic’s Pick Inanimate (The Flea Theater), Eco Village (Theater at St Clements). Film/TV: BET’s award-winning digital series “Brooklyn.Blue.Sky.”, Netflix’s “Maniac”, Curtis (Sundance Now). Michael is also proud to have helped birth the Webby Award-Winning Creative Collective & CultureCon where he serves as the Art & Editorial Director & is a co-founder of The Lay Out.
Dominique Thorne
Marie
is an actress and visionary who made her feature film debut in Academy Award-winning If Beale Street Could Talk. The film received critical acclaim, including the NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Independent Motion Picture.” She next starred in Judas and the Black Messiah, as Judy Harmon. Judas was nominated for five Academy Awards. Her work garnered her a spot on Variety’s 2021 Power of Young Hollywood List. In 2022, Thorne debuted in the Marvel Universe as Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which set astounding records in box offices and on Disney+. Set to release in 2024, Dominique stars as Riri in Marvel’s “Ironheart”, where she builds her own version of the Iron Man suit in her MIT dorm. Ironheart succeeds Tony Stark, Marvel fanatics’ favorite, Iron Man. Dominique recently wrapped production for Freaky Tales in which she stars alongside Pedro Pascal and Jay Ellis.
Zenzi Williams
Bea
Theater credits include the title role of The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit of Henry V, directed by Robert O’Hara, The Crucible (Broadway), RunBoyRun (New York Theater Workshop), The Homecoming Queen (Atlantic Theater Company), Mother Courage and Her Children (Classic Stage Company). Television credits include “American Rust”, “Chicago Fire”. Film: Christmas With You, Black Panther. Williams has an MFA from the Yale School of Drama and studied at the British American Dramatic Academy. Upcoming: “American Rust”, S2.
Brittany Adebumola
Miriam
Maechi Aharanwa
Ndidi
Rachel Christopher
Jennifer, u/s Chrissy/Michelle/LaNiece
Kalyne Coleman
Chrissy/Michelle/LaNiece
Somi Kakoma
Jaja
Lakisha May
Vanessa/Radia/Sheila
Nana Mensah
Aminata
Michael Oloyede
James/Sock Man/DVD Man/Jewelry Man
Dominique Thorne
Marie
Zenzi Williams
Bea
Victoire Charles
u/s Bea, Jaja, Jennifer
Theatre: Golden Age (MTC), Ruined (MTC, Intiman and Geffen Playhouse), Moby Dick Rehearsed and The Tempest (The Acting Company, Group 35), Intimate Apparel (Portland Stage Company), The Trojan Women (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), The Comedy of Errors (Shake[1]speare Theatre Company, DC). TV: “New Amsterdam” (NBC), “FBI” (CBS), “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” and the upcoming “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School” (MAX). Training: Fordham College at Lincoln Center and the NYU Grad Acting Program.
Onye Eme-Akwari
u/s James/Sock Man/DVD Man/Jewelry Man
Onye is a Nigerian-born actor, producer, musician and educator. Recent credits include guest star and recurring appearances in “Bob Hearts Abishola” (CBS), “Will Trent” (ABC), “Random Acts of Flyness” (HBO) and “Outer Banks” (Netflix). Additionally, he teaches at the Robert Mello Studio in Atlanta, GA, as well as the Terry Knickerbocker Studio in Brooklyn, NY. Onye also holds an MA in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Georgia.
Abigail C. Onwunali
u/s Ndidi, Aminata, Vanessa/Radia/Sheila
Off-Broadway credits: The Half-God of Rainfall (New York Theatre Workshop), For the Honey You Gotta Say When (New York Theatre Workshop), Valor (Guthrie). Abigail is a 2022 Princess Grace winner. As a writer, her play Jewel was a Red Bull Theater’s Short New Play Festival winner and her slam poems have been viewed worldwide. Graduate of The Yale School of Drama and Hillman Grad Mentorship Program
Morgan Scott
u/s Miriam, Marie
Morgan is a 2022 graduate of Juilliard, originally hailing from Greenville, South Carolina. She is the 2021 inaugural recipient of the Fendi Vanguard Award. Scott also trained at the British American Dramatic Academy. She sends her utmost love and gratitude to her family, her team, and Group 51 for all their support. 2 Cor. 4:7
Victoire Charles
u/s Bea, Jaja, Jennifer
Onye Eme-Akwari
u/s James/Sock Man/DVD Man/Jewelry Man
Abigail C. Onwunali
u/s Ndidi, Aminata, Vanessa/Radia/Sheila
Morgan Scott
u/s Miriam, Marie
Creative
Jocelyn Bioh
Playwright
is an award winning Ghanaian-American writer/performer from New York City. Her written works for theatre include: Merry Wives (Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park, PBS Great Performances), Nollywood Dreams (MCC Theater), Goddess the musical which will have its world premiere at Berkeley Rep in 2022 and the multi award winning School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play which was originally produced at MCC Theater in 2017/2018 and has gone on to have over 50 regional productions. She is a former TOW playwriting fellow (2017) and has been commissioned by MTC, Atlantic Theater Co., Williamstown Theatre Festival and Second Stage. Jocelyn has also written for TV on “Russian Doll”, Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It”, the upcoming Hulu series “Tiny Beautiful Things” and is also writing the live screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Once On This Island for Disney+. She was this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Adaptation Drama Desk Award.
Whitney White
Director
is an Obie Award and Lily Award-winning director, writer, and performer. Recent directing includes: Soft (MCC Theatre, NYT Critic’s Pic), On Sugarland (New York Theatre Workshop, Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Direction), Semblance (NYTW), The Amen Corner (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (WP Theatre and Second Stage), What to Send Up When it Goes Down (The Movement Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, A.R.T., The Public Theater). Whitney was previously a staff writer on the upcoming Boots Riley series I’M A VIRGO for Amazon/Media Res and recently wrote and performed in her original piece MACBETH IN STRIDE at the American Repertory Theater (Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actress). She is a recipient of the Susan Stroman Directing Award, is part of the Rolex Protégé and Mentorship Arts Initiative, and is an Associate Director at Shakespeare Theater Company and an Associate Artist at The Roundabout. MFA Acting: Brown University/Trinity Rep, BA: Northwestern University.
Madison Wells Live
Producing Partner
is the live entertainment arm of Madison Wells, Gigi Pritzker’s award-winning, independent production company with a strong bias towards stories for, by, and about badass women and people who push boundaries. Led by Executive Producer Jamie Forshaw, Madison Wells Live focuses on producing purpose-driven projects through collaboration with partners who are aligned in the belief that great storytelling can provoke, inspire, and move audiences around the world. Broadway credits include Shucked (Tony nomination for Best Musical), Company (Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical), The Old Man and The Pool, Pass Over, Hadestown (Tony Award for Best Musical), The Inheritance (Tony Award for Best Play), Million Dollar Quartet (Tony nomination for Best Musical). West End: The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Olivier nomination for Best New Play). Off-Broadway: Seven Deadly Sins (Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience). For more information, please visit MadisonWellsMedia.com.
LaChanze
Producing Partner
Broadway: Celie in The Color Purple (Tony Award), Ti Moune in Once On This Island (Tony Award nomination), Trouble In Mind (Tony Award nomination), Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Tony Award nomination), A Christmas Carol, If/Then, The Wiz, Company, Ragtime, and Dreamgirls. Off-Broadway: The Secret Life of Bees, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, The Vagina Monologues, and Cabin in the Sky at New York City Center Encores! TV: “Handel’s Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise” (Emmy Award), “East New York”, “The Blacklist”, HBO’s “The Night Of”, “Law & Order: SVU”, “The Good Fight”, “Sex And The City”. Film: The Help, Melinda, and Disney’s Hercules among other titles. As Director: Alice Childress’ Wine in the Wilderness at Classic Stage Company in 2024. As Producer: Here Lies Love by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, 20th Anniversary of Suzan-Lori Parks’ acclaimed Pulitzer-Prize-Winning play, Topdog/Underdog; Jeanine Tesori David Lindsay-Abaire’s new musical, Kimberly Akimbo, both co-produced with David Stone. President of Black Theatre United, a community dedicated to awareness, accountability, and advocacy. Proud mother to Celia Rose and Zaya LaChanze. She resides in Westchester, New York with her three cats and gardening hats.
Taraji P. Henson
Producing Partner
David Zinn
Scenic Design
Dede Ayite
Costume Design
Jiyoun Chang
Lighting Design
Justin Ellington
Original Music & Sound Design
Stefania Bulbarella
Video Design
Nikiya Mathis
Hair & Wig Design
Dawn-Elin Fraser
Dialect & Vocal Coach
Caparelliotis Casting,
Kelly Gillespie,
& Erica Hart
Casting
Melanie J. Lisby
Production Stage Manager
Monét Thibou
Stage Manager
Jocelyn Bioh
Playwright
Whitney White
Director
Madison Wells Live
Producing Partner
LaChanze
Producing Partner
Taraji P. Henson
Producing Partner
David Zinn
Scenic Design
Dede Ayite
Costume Design
Jiyoun Chang
Lighting Design
Justin Ellington
Original Music & Sound Design
Stefania Bulbarella
Video Design
Nikiya Mathis
Hair & Wig Design
Dawn-Elin Fraser
Dialect & Vocal Coach
Caparelliotis Casting,
Kelly Gillespie,
& Erica Hart
Casting
Melanie J. Lisby
Production Stage Manager
Monét Thibou
Stage Manager
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Photos
Brittany Adebumola, Dominique Thorne in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Brittany Adebumola, Dominique Thorne in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Michael Oloyede, Nana Mensah in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Kalyne Coleman, Maechi Aharanwa in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Nana Mensah, Michael Oloyede, Maechi Aharanwa, Lakisha May in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Rachel Christopher, Zenzi Williams in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Dominique Thorne, Somi Kakoma in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Kalyne Coleman, Maechi Aharanwa in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Nana Mensah, Lakisha May, Maechi Aharanwa, Kalyne Coleman in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy
Lakisha May, Nana Mensah in
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (2023-2024)
Photo by Matthew Murphy