Playwright Jocelyn Bioh to Join Cast of SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY For Four Performances

Actor and Tony Award-nominated playwright Jocelyn Bioh will join the cast of her own play, School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play for four performances only from October 9-11 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Bioh will step in as pageant recruiter Eloise Amponsah while Tony Award winner Patina Miller, who plays the role, is out due to a pre-planned commitment.

This brief engagement represents a full-circle moment for Bioh, who has an acting career in addition to her playwriting work, including Broadway's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and the Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play Everybody, for which she received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination. She started writing School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play in 2014 while appearing in The Curious Incident…, a few steps away from the Friedman at the neighboring Barrymore Theatre. She made her Broadway playwriting debut with MTC's world premiere Tony Award-nominated production of Jaja's African Hair Braiding in 2023 at the Friedman.

“I felt a great deal of creative energy writing this play while working as an actor on 47th Street, and it feels completely magical to be returning to this same block to perform one of my own characters in School Girls,” Bioh said. “It's a privilege to get to follow the inimitable Patina Miller for these four performances, and I am especially excited to join this thrilling company on stage for a few days.”

School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play is directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Whitney White. School Girls reunites Bioh and White, who previously collaborated on Jaja's African Hair Braiding.

Produced by MTC in association with Chase This Productions and Susan Kelechi Watson, School Girls began previews on Tuesday, September 8 and opens Monday, September 28.

School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play features Lucia Aremu (Regional: Cold War Choir Practice, Becky Nurse of Salem) as Ama, Tony Award nominee Denée Benton (Broadway: Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812; Hamilton; Into the Woods; Television: “The Gilded Age”) as Paulina Sarpong, Tony Award winner Patina Miller (Broadway: Pippin, Into the Woods, Sister Act; Television: “Madam Secretary”; Film: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay) as Eloise Amponsah, Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Award nominee Erin Morton (Off-Broadway: Heathers The Musical) as Nana, Nia Otchere-Sarfo (Regional: Call Me From the Grave; Apple TV: “Murder Bot”) as Gifty, Jordan Rice (Tour: Jaja's African Hair Braiding; Apple TV: “Swagger”) as Mercy, Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers (Broadway: Boop!; Off-Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; NY City Center Encores!: The Wild Party) as Ericka Boafo, and Obie Award winner Heather Alicia Simms (Broadway: Purlie Victorious; Off-Broadway: Fairview; By the Way, Meet Vera Stark) as Headmistress Francis.

The creative team includes Teresa L. Williams (Scenic Design), Tony Award winner Qween Jean (Costume Design), Tony Award nominee Stacey Derosier (Lighting Design), Tony Award winner Cody Spencer (Sound Design), Tony Award recipient Nikiya Mathis (Wig, Hair and Makeup Design), and Dawn-Elin Fraser (Dialect Coach). Casting is by Caparelliotis Casting & Kelly Gillespie; Sara Gammage serves as Production Stage Manager.

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