School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play at Berkeley Rep

Show details
Who’s who
Program
See & Hear

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play

By Jocelyn Bioh
Directed by Awoye Timpo
Main Season · Roda Theatre
March 19–May 3, 2020

Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission

Berkeley Rep canceled all performances of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. A recording of the production was streamed on the BroadwayHD platform for two weeks.

Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Universe pageant and the glamorous life that’s sure to follow. But her plans and even her very reputation are shaken up when Ericka, a new student who’s strikingly beautiful and talented, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter—and Paulina’s hive-minded friends.

Winner of the 2018 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play and the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play is a biting comedy that tackles the universal issues of beauty and self-worth that face teenage girls across the globe.

Creative team

Jocelyn Bioh · Playwright
Awoye Timpo · Director
Jason Ardizzone-West · Scenic Design
Karen Perry · Costume Design
Stacey Derosier · Lighting Design
Jake Rodriguez · Sound Design
Megan Ellis · Hair & Wig Design
Amy Potozkin · Casting
Tara Rubin Casting · Casting
Michael Suenkel · Production Stage Manager
Leslie M. Radin · Assistant Stage Manager
Jessica Berman · Dialect Coach
Samuel Nkansah · Ghanaian Dialect Coach
Joanna Haigood · Movement Coach
Dave Maier · Fight Consultant
Tiffany Austin · Vocal Coach

Cast

Afua Busia · Ama
Santoya Fields · Eloise
Omozé Idehenre · Headmistress Francis
Paige Mayes · Gifty
Gabriella Momah · Nana
Al-nisa Petty · Mercy
Lily Santiago · Ericka
Akilah A. Walker · Paulina

Watch now

Behind the scenes: Talkback with Awoye Timpo

Enjoy a virtual talkback with Awoye Timpo, the director of Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play and Nailah Harper-Malveaux, Berkeley Rep’s directing fellow and the show’s assistant director.

Behind the scenes: School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play

Playwright Jocelyn Bioh, director Awoye Timpo, and some of the actors share their thoughts about the play, along with a behind the scenes look at rehearsals and the production.

Listen up

REPISODES: The Berkeley Rep Podcast presents a series of conversations with artists and experts around the shows in Johanna Pfaelzer’s inaugural season. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud to keep up with the whole series.

See photos

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play press photos ...

Photos courtesy of Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

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School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play