The Tony nominated duo behind Jaja’s African Hair Braiding – playwright Jocelyn Bioh and director Whitney White – will reunite this fall with the Broadway premiere of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play.
Set to begin performances on Tuesday, September 8, the Manhattan Theatre Club production will be staged at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). MTC produces in association with Chase This Productions and Susan Kelechi Watson.
The synopsis: Becoming Miss Ghana 1986 would mean fame, fortune, and prosperity. At least, that’s what Paulina – the queen bee of Aburi Girls Boarding School – believes. When the pageant recruiter comes to school, Paulina and her crew pull out all the stops. But to their surprise, a new transfer student from America kicks the competition into a higher, far more personal gear.
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play originally premiered Off Broadway at MCC in 2017-2018. The comedy has gone on to receive 75 regional productions and a UK premiere in 2023.
MTC also announced today an Off Broadway production set for the 2026-27 season: The American premiere of Nick Payne’s The Unbelievers, to be directed by Knud Adams. The production will begin performances at NY City Center on Tuesday, October 13.
The synopsis: Faith means believing in something. Especially when it feels impossible. As the years go by and the mystery of the sudden disappearance of Miriam and David’s teenage son remains unsolved, their blended family must figure out how to go on, relearning how to live through the ups and downs of ordinary days in their altered world.
Additional productions for MTC’s 2026-27 season will be announced soon.
School Girls and The Unbelievers are the first two shows chosen by Nicki Hunter, the new artistic director of Manhattan Theater Club.