Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Kreeger Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC

 



Awa Sal Secka (Bea), Colby N. Muhammad (Vanessa/Sheila/Radia), Melanie Brezill (Michelle/Chrissy/LaNiece), Victoire Charles (Jaja), Bisserat Tseggai (Miriam), Jordan Rice (Marie), Tiffany Renee Johnson (Aminata), and Mia Ellis (Jennifer) in ‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.’ Photo by T. Charles Erickson Photography.

Jaja’s African Hair Braiding is the title of the play by Ghanaian-American Jocelyn Bioh, as well as the name of the immigrant-owned small business in Harlem where the play takes place. In the play, we become a part of what begins as a typical day as its finely-drawn, unique, and colorful characters gather and the braiders ply their trade, creating singular looks for a variety of patrons. We are far into the play before Jaja herself appears, marking a very special event in her life, which will have implications for the entire “family” of the business. Over the course of just 90 minutes, we become well-acquainted with these characters and their situations to the extent that the final twists shake us.

On an oppressively hot day (the forecast is 99 degrees) in the summer of 2019, we first meet Marie, Jaja’s daughter, who manages, somehow, in her mother’s absence to defuse disputes between the often-argumentative employees with patience and humor. Marie is a high-achiever who has college aspirations that appear unlikely to be attained because of the expense of meeting immigration requirements. She fears being sent back to Senegal, the birthplace she does not remember. The day turns out to be of enormous consequence: it is the day that Jaja will marry an American, ensuring citizenship for her and her daughter.

The braiders are a fascinating group. The apparently mild-mannered Miriam is toiling with the goal of bringing her daughter from Sierra Leone. What we learn about Miriam’s backstory provides insight into the strength that lies underneath the surface. Bea is the longest-tenured and perhaps the most opinionated of the group; she is upset that a new operator, Ndidi, has “stolen” one of her customers, breaking a cardinal rule of the beauty world. Ndidi is an enthusiastic and skillful Nigerian immigrant who is making a temporary home at Jaja’s since her usual location has burned down. Aminata, whose sensual moves make her involvement with an unworthy man even more tragic, is closest to and commiserates with Bea.



Awa Sal Secka (Bea), Jordan Rice (Marie), Tiffany Renee Johnson (Aminata), and Bisserat Tseggai (Miriam) in Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson Photography.

The outsiders who appear include a patient Jennifer, whose requested braids will take all day to complete, and six other customers with often outrageous requests, as well as four men, including Aminata’s husband and a sock salesman.

Bioh’s script and Whitney White’s adept direction plunge us right into the action. While it may take a few minutes for the ear to adjust fully to the variety of melodic, African-accented language, it soon becomes natural, thanks in no small part to the skillful performances of the gifted cast. This is a true ensemble effort, each of the performers operating at the top of her or his game.

Awa Sal Secka, who recently won a Helen Hayes Award for her heartbreaking performance as Sarah in Signature Theatre’s Ragtime, dominates the stage with her effusive personality at appropriate moments. Sal Secka gives a boisterous, yet heartfelt performance as Bea. Tiffany Renee Johnson as Aminata is superb as her partner-in-gossip (if not in crime). Jordan Rice gives an earnest performance as Marie, trying to be optimistic despite the obstacles in her way. Bisserat Tseggai is resilient as the hardworking Miriam, destined to spend the day on the intricate styling required by customer Jennifer, played with patient assurance by Mia Ellis. Aisha Sougou as Ndidi is a sassy and self-assured “interloper” in the shop, who is ready to confront Bea’s resentment head-on. When Victoire Charles finally enters as Jaja, her unbridled if perhaps misplaced optimism explains why her African Braiding Shop has been successful. In three distinct customer roles each, Melanie Brezill and Colby N. Muhammad etch memorable, if brief, appearances. In four male roles, Yao Dogbe likewise creates singularly distinctive characters.

The play was nominated for Best Play at the 2024 Tony Awards and Whitney White was nominated as Best Direcdor of a Play. The production’s designers all contributed to the play’s production at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Costume designer Dede Ayite won the Tony in her category while hair and wig designer Nikiya Mathis received an honorary Tony, the first ever awarded for hair and wig design. David Zinn’s Tony-nominated set design is efficient and evocative. Justin Ellington’s Tony-nominated sound design and original music, along with Stefanie Bubarella’s video design and Jiyoun Chang’s lighting design, are authentic and meaningful. Director White brings all of the elements together with finely-tuned performances.  

The events in Jaja’s African Hair Braiding unfold before us in an unassumingly natural manner. While full of comedic moments, Bioh’s play creates such empathy for the characters that, when things turn for the worse, we find ourselves caring more about the outcome than we might have expected. At a time when immigration is at the forefront of political discussion, setting the play firmly within the previous presidential administration is deliberate. The play reminds us that the discussion about immigration and what is or is not “American” is not about some amorphous issue, but about real people whose concerns are no different than our own. These characters are just as much a part of the American fabric as anyone else, regardless of how they (or their ancestors) arrived, making their own contributions to this country. As the play draws to its close, with the future uncertain for the shop and its characters, we affirm the strength and resolve of its characters.

Stop by Jaja’s African Hair Braiding for a glimpse of a part of American life you may have overlooked. Performances at Arena Stage continue through October 13 before moving to the Berekeley Repertory Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.  

 


Aisha Sougou (Ndidi), Melanie Brezill (Michelle/Chrissy/LaNiece), Awa Sal Secka (Bea), Jordan Rice (Marie), Colby N. Muhammad (Vanessa/Sheila/Radia), Tiffany Renee Johnson (Aminata), Bisserat Tseggai (Miriam) and Mia Ellis (Jennifer) star in Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson Photography.

 

 


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