At Jaja’s salon, stories are told, dramas unfold, jokes fly, and immaculate hairstyles tower. Tony-nominated Ghanaian-American playwright Jocelyn Bioh delivers us a love letter to the West African immigrants of New York’s Harlem in “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” a play the New York Times calls “hot and hilarious.”
Now, True Colors Theatre presents the play’s regional premiere as part of the company’s new residency at Southwest Arts Center in South Fulton.
“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” is on stage from Feb. 11 to March 9 at Southwest Arts. Director Ibi Owolabi and True Colors artistic director Jamil Jude recently joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to share more about the play and its upcoming premiere.
The play, which debuted on Broadway to rave reviews, is a fast-paced slice of life set in a braiding shop where customers and stylists exchange stories, argue, dream, and support one another. “Anyone who’s ever been in a hair salon will recognize the comedy and drama,” says Jude, “but this play also highlights Black immigrant stories that don’t always get told.”
Owolabi, who is of African-Caribbean descent and a Harlem resident, connects deeply with the material. “The play is about family, community, and what it means to carve out a place for yourself,” she said. The production features dynamic, larger-than-life characters, including the ambitious shop owner Jaja, her dreamer daughter Marie, and the veteran stylist B, all played by a powerhouse cast.
