The upcoming national tour of Jocelyn Bioh's Jaja’s African Hair Braiding begins performances at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. September 6. Before taking the stage, the company of the Manhattan Theatre Club production stopped by D.C. beauty supply store Beautie Essentials—see photos from the visit in the gallery below.
After the run at Arena Stage, the production will move to Berkeley Repertory Theatre November 8, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater January 14, 2025. The tour is being produced in association with Madison Wells Live and LaChanze.
Victoire Charles
Jordan Rice
Victoire Charles and Jordan Rice
Awa Sal Secka
Tiffany Renee Johnson, Bisserat Tseggai, Jordan Rice, Victoire Charles, Aisha Sougou, and Awa Sal Secka
Aisha Sougou
Aisha Sougou, Victoire Charles, and Awa Sal Secka
Bisserat Tseggai
Tiffany Renee Johnson
Tiffany Renee Johnson, Bisserat Tseggai, and Jordan Rice
Colby N. Muhammad
Mia Ellis
Melanie Brezill
Yao Dogbe
Awa Sal Secka, Bisserat Tseggai, Yao Dogbe, Victoire Charles, Jordan Rice, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Aisha Sougou, Melanie Brezill, Mia Ellis, and Colby N. Muhammad
As previously reported, the cast will include Melanie Brezill (The Book of Mormon) as Michelle/Chrissy Laniece; Victoire Charles, who served as an understudy in the Broadway production, as Jaja; Yao Dogbe (Topdog/Underdog) as James/Franklin/Olu/Eric; Mia Kiri Ellis (The Mountaintop) as Jennifer; Tiffany Renee Johnson (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play) as Aminata; Bisserat Tseggai (For All the Women Who Thought They Were Mad) as Miriam; Colby N. Muhammad (Love All) as Vanessa/Sheila/Radia; Jordan Rice (Selma) as Marie; Awa Sal Secka (Ragtime) as Bea; and Aisha Sougou (Beehive, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as Ndidi. Understudies will be announced at a later date. Casting is by Caparelliotis Casting's Kelly Gillespie and Erica Hart.
The work, which opened its world premiere on Broadway in October 2023, is set in a Harlem hair braiding salon where a hot summer day brings out some love, dreams, and secrets. Whitney White will return to direct the tour after staging the Broadway bow.
READ: How Jocelyn Bioh Is Balancing a Broadway Play, and a Newborn
The production features scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Jiyoun Chang, original music and sound design by Justin Ellington, video design by Stefania Bulbarella, and hair and wig design by Nikiya Mathis. The creative team also includes dialect and vocal coach Yetunde Felix-Ukwu, stage manager Mandisa Reed, and assistant stage manager Jamie Berry.
