JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING Equity Principal Actors - SpeakEasy Stage Company Auditions

JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING - Boston, MA EPA SpeakEasy Stage Company | Boston, MA

Notice: Audition Call Type: EPA

REVISED

Email to request appointments corrected.

AUDITION DATE

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (E)

APPOINTMENTS

To request an audition appointment, please email: auditions@speakeasystage.com with your full name, Equity membership status, and contact information. Please also include your complete availability during the entire audition window.

CONTRACT

NEAT

$638 weekly minimum (Cat. 6)

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING (See breakdown).

PREPARATION

Please prepare the Sides for the role you are interested in. Sides will be distributed when you secure your audition appointment.

BREAKDOWN

JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING

LOCATION

Calderwood Pavilion - Boston Center for the Arts

527 Tremont St

Boston, MA 02116-6306

Martin Hall.

PERSONNEL

Written by: Jocelyn Bioh

Expected to attend:

Producing Artistic Director: Paul Daigneault Director: Summer L Williams

Director of Artistic & Community Programs: Alex Lonati

OTHER DATES

Rehearsals begin 4/7/25

Tech begins 4/29/25

Performances run 5/2/25 – 5/31/25 TBD Extension close 6/7/25

OTHER

www.speakeasystage.com

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.

For these auditions, no nudity or any form of sexual contact will be required as part of an actor’s audition. We will not ask prospective participants to perform violence or sexual contact as part of an audition without disclosing this expectation in the audition notice or invitation. SpeakEasy Stage Company seeks to foster an environment of communication, safety, respect, accountability, and the health, safety, and well-being of institutions and its participants.

Actors of color are encouraged to audition, and all roles are open to inclusive casting. SpeakEasy Stage Company shall conduct all auditions/interviews in a manner that promotes fair consideration to persons of all races, ethnicities, national origins, genders, sexual orientations, ages, and ability statuses. SpeakEasy Stage Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For pre-cast roles, auditioning performers will be considered as possible (emergency) replacements, should any become necessary.

SEEKING:

MARIE. THIS ROLE IS CAST. Female. 18. Black Senegalese. Has lived almost her whole life in America. JAJA’s daughter who runs the shop for her mother. Does a great job. Kind and smart. Academically successful, but her immigration status is in the way of her college dreams. Carrying a lot of weight on her young shoulders pretty gracefully.

SISTA BEA. Female. 30s. Black Ghanaian. Has been at the shop the longest and values her seniority. Constantly gossiping with AMINATA. Has a great sense of humor, but you don’t want to cross her. Critical and unpredictable, she creates a lot of drama. But when push comes to shove, she’ll come through.

AMINATA. Female. 30s. Black Senegalese. Does a good job but takes all day. BEA’s best friend in gossip and drama - she doesn’t create it, but she doesn’t diffuse it either. Dryly funny, has mastered the art of side-eye.

NDIDI. Female. 20s. Black Nigerian. The young spitfire. She dresses the youngest and braids the fastest. Everyone at the shop knows that she makes the most money, and it doesn’t always go over well - especially with BEA, who accuses her of stealing clients.

MIRIAM. Female. 30s. Black Sierra Leonean. Quiet and kind. She has a five-year-old daughter back in Sierra Leone, who she is trying to bring to America. Her peaceful demeanor belies a rebellious streak, which has landed her in this life - very different than the one she was raised for.

JAJA. Female. 40s. Black Senegalese. Owner of the shop. Getting married today in City Hall to Steven - the landlord of a local building. Warm, joyful. Has a presence that draws you in.

JENNIFER. Female. 20s. Black American. Comes to the shop for micro braids and is in there all day. Patient, and an enthusiastic audience to the stories and dramas of the women in the shop.

CHRISSY/MICHELLE/LANIECE. CHRISSY: Female. 30s. Black American. Very particular about her hair and adamant that they “make her look like Beyonce.” MICHELLE: Female. 20s. Black American. The nervous client who doesn’t want trouble or confrontation and just wants to get her hair done peacefully. A former client of BEA’s who has come to have her hair done by NDIDI, without realizing they’re in the same shop. LANIECE: Female. 30s. Black American. A really messy eater.

VANESSA/RADIA/SHEILA. VANESSA: Female. 30s. Black American. A super-rude customer who no one wants to deal with. RADIA: Female. 18ish. Black American. One of MARIE’s former classmates whose “just catching up” conversation highlights the differences between the opportunities available to them. SHEILA: Female. 30s. Black American. A friendly but loud-talking and nosey customer. Constantly on her phone.

JAMES / FRANKLIN, THE SOCK MAN / OLU, THE JEWELRY MAN / ERIC, THE DVD MAN. JAMES: Male. 30s. Black Ghanian. AMINATA’s on and off again husband who clearly takes advantage of her. Charming, of course. FRANKLIN, THE SOCK MAN & OLU, THE JEWELRY MAN: Male. 30s. Black West African. Honest men just trying to make a living; well-known to the women who work in the shop. ERIC, THE DVD MAN: Male. 30s. Black West African. The caring DVD man who looks out for his friends; brings them critical news.