Theater News

MTC’s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding Is Going on Tour

The tour will make stops in Washington, DC, Berkeley, and Chicago.

Brittany Adebumola and Dominique Thorne in <i>Jaja's African Hair Braiding</i> on Broadway
Brittany Adebumola and Dominique Thorne in Jaja’s African Hair Braiding on Broadway
(© Matthew Murphy)

Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow (artistic director), Chris Jennings (executive director), and Madison Wells Live have announced that following a twice-extended run on Broadway, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding by Jocelyn Bioh (School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play) and directed by Whitney White (Our Dear Dead Drug Lord) will be presented at three theaters across the country. Performances begin on September 6 at Arena Stage, November 8 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and January 14 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

The play takes place at 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. The play takes place during one sweltering summer day, in which love will blossom, dreams will flourish, and secrets will be revealed.

Jaja’s African Hair Braiding was produced on Broadway by Manhattan Theatre Club and Madison Wells Live with LaChanze and Taraji P. Henson. The tour is produced in association with Madison Wells Live and LaChanze.