School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play puts six young women on a Ghana boarding school stage and asks them to settle a question that has never gone away: who gets to be the pretty one. The play, by Jocelyn Bioh, runs 75 minutes and plays out in the Aburi Mountains of central Ghana in 1986. It is directed by Whitney White, who also helmed Bioh’s Tony-nominated Jaja’s African Hair Braiding three years ago.
Variety’s review calls it “an uproariously funny and heartbreaking portrait of sisterhood framed by the consequences of colonialism, anti-Blackness, and colorism.” That is the whole pitch, and the play delivers on every word of it.
The Six Girls of Aburi
Ama, Mercy, Gifty, Nana, Paulina and Ericka all enter the competition for their own reasons. Ama seeks to complete her education and wed her lover. Mercy and her cousin Gifty wish their father would purchase them Nikes. Nana desires entrance to university, though her larger build draws the scorn of bullies. Paulina, the queen bee, cruel and self-absorbed, has chosen to take part in the Miss Ghana 1986 pageant, with designs on the Miss Universe competition.
Except for Nana, whom she singles out for special treatment, Paulina permits the other girls to throw their hats in the ring. A new American Ghanaian student named Ericka Boafo, dressed in Calvin Klein clothes, speaking with a Midwestern accent, using Black American skin care products and possessing a butter-pecan complexion, enrolls during the second week of school. Paulina recognizes that her dream may now be harder to achieve than she believed possible. Ericka charms the group of friends that Paulina has ruled for years, prompting Paulina to begin a campaign aimed at breaking her spirit and destroying her chances.
Paulina’s Dark Secret
Regina George would weep at the cruelty of Paulina, whose scorn for her friends and contempt for Nana know no bounds. Her wit is cruel and cutting, yet beneath it all her assurance is a mere cover. The review calls her “trapped in a swirl of self-loathing, clinging to damaging bleaching creams and lying about who she really is.”, a woman whose harshness conceals a secret fear.
In a larger frame, Nana tends to lower her voice and manner. Whimsical and playful, Gifty has dyslexia and will only read aloud for Mercy. Ericka carries a secret she is ashamed of, and Paulina intends to employ it against her.
The Pageant Audition
The setting shifts from the tidy, humble dining hall at the boarding school to a more splendid scene. When the girls appear before Eloise Amponsah, who was Miss Ghana 1966, they arrive dressed in bold, glittering gowns of the period, marking their passage into womanhood. The comparison between Paulina and Eloise reveals what Paulina could grow into and the price she pays for it.
Stacey Derosier managed the lighting, while Teresa L. Williams created the scenery. The girls react with laughter, tears and complaints about a wide range of subjects, including their grasp of the fine-dining experience at White Castle and a lasting devotion to New Edition.
The Music and the Message
The work draws on homages to musical legends like Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson, along with the use of Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step,” which drifts through the boom box during the opening scenes. It stands as a reflection of the Black female experience in all of its dazzling individuality, triumphs and sorrows.
What Stands Out
Here is what stands out:
- Paulina’s cruelty toward Nana
- Ericka’s arrival and quick win over the crew
- The pageant audition and the dresses
- The contrast between Paulina and Eloise
- The secrets each girl carries
The Cost of Getting There
This play centers the treasure of Black sisterhood, exceptionalism, and the pain and anguish of putting your best foot forward and still falling short of someone much less qualified, making it a joyous and gutting experience.
The closing verdict rests upon the film as a whole rather than on any single actor or scene. It is a case made about identity, history and belonging, dressed up as a tale of six girls vying for a crown.
Why It Matters Now
Young women whose lives are just beginning tell the tale of colonialism, anti-Blackness and colorism in this play. The work addresses power, beauty and what it costs to win.
The review argues strongly in favor of the production. Finding a play that balances humor, heart and honesty while keeping hold of the stakes is rare indeed. The acting throughout stands out, the visual elements are striking, and the point being made comes through clearly.
Mid-1980s Ghana provides the setting for a story about late girlhood, which the review describes as a hallowed stage between innocence and adulthood. Magic and anguish define that passage, and both are captured within the play.
Source material: “‘School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play’ Broadway Review: An Exceptional Portrait of Black Girlhood,” Variety.
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