Chicago Shakespeare Theatre: JaJa’s African Hair Braiding Review
The cast of JaJa’s Hair Braiding
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Presents JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING Review - Sit Down And Get Comfortable At The Shop
TLDR: Jaja’s African Hair Braiding gives us a snapshot of the day in the life of the women who work in this New York based hair braiding salon. We’re drawn into their lives through the stellar performances of the cast so much so that when a shocking event rocks the world of these women, we feel struck right alongside with them.
The cast of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Paints a Slice of Life in New York
A young, African woman stands outside a shuttered storefront. Miriam, played by Bisserat Tseggai, holds her large shoulder bag and reusable cup. Her hair is immaculately braided in rows and small braids. It’s 2019, early morning in Harlem, New York with the sounds of the city in the background even this early.
Another young woman, Marie, played by Jordan Rice, comes running over exclaiming she’s so sorry she’s late! She almost forgot to bring the extra stock of hair for the day that her mother had meticulously picked out, the train was running slow, and it was just a hectic morning. But she rolls up the security door, unlocks the salon, turns on the lights, and prays to the air conditioner that it works on this 100* day in July.
These two are soon joined by the other three stylists working at the salon. Ndidi with bold print pants, cropped sweatshirt, and bubble braids adorned with beads saunters in listening to music. Aminata (Tiffany Renee Johnson) and Bea (Awa Sal Secka) follow a few minutes later laughing with each other, hanging their purses by their stations, sitting down and getting comfortable to start their day.
Who Are These Women? What Are Their Stories?
Throughout the course of their working day, we get bits and pieces of these West African women’s lives - where they came from, their families, their struggles, and how they came to work here. Most have different immigrant, visa, or citizenship status, but regardless, from when the shop opens to when it closes we see the community that these women have built with their neighborhood, their clients, and with each other.
As Miriam works on her client’s microbraids, she shares her romantic interest back in Sierra Leone and her excitement of going home for the first time in three years.
We get a visit from Aminata’s husband begging Ami to talk to him and claiming his hugging another woman meant absolutely nothing. We laugh as he bids God to smite him if he’s wrong and everyone else in the shop immediately takes cover and jumps out of the way, eyes to the ceiling.
Bea shoots passive aggressive comments in Ndidi’s direction, who does her best to ignore them knowing she’ll be back at her regular salon soon.
And Marie laments over her mother, Jaja’s (Victoire Charles) marriage, which she feels is rushed and welcoming trouble. It’s a lot for her to take in while also managing the shop and having a close call with a former classmate.
We’re pulled into each of their stories and find ourselves growing more and more fond of them. They laugh and poke fun at each other. There’s some drama over stolen clients, over the top demands from a few others, but ultimately everyone leaves with immaculate hair (with major props to hair and wig designer Nikiya Mathis).
No spoilers here, but when a shocking event happens involving ICE, it makes everyone put their differences aside for a greater call to action.
Bisserat Tseggai and Mia Ellis
The After Party Thoughts
Point blank, these women are hilarious and shine on stage. They create these deeply diverse portraits of women. Awa Sal Secka has us laughing at Bea’s over-the-top dramatics. Johnson has a gift for bringing the spirit to the salon and we want to join in when Ami starts dancing. Sougou gives us the perfect amount of steadfastness and vulnerability as she tells us about Ndidi’s rise to the top of her old salon. We feel the anxiety coming from Rice as a young woman stuck between what she wants to do, what her mother wants, and the looming question of citizenship status. Tseggai paints a picture of hope as she describes her journey to the US and her hopes for bringing her daughter back with her. And when we finally get to see the famous Jaja, Charles enters her salon in a bespoke wedding gown, filling the shop and stage with a regal presence.
And I would be remiss not to mention Leovina Charles, Mia Ellis, Melanie Brezill, and Yao Dogbe as the various clients and characters coming through the shop. They give each one of their characters a distinct personality that adds more fun.
And again, no spoilers, just that the ending is not wrapped up all nice and neat with a pretty bow. Perhaps the ending won’t make people feel satisfied, but it ends the way it needs to and leaves us with a deeper understanding of what people who may not have natural born citizenship feel every single day.
For those of us who may have never experienced the inside of a braiding salon or what it means to have that kind of community, this would be a good fit to see a different perspective. Those that have, on the other hand, may find familiarity with the shop dynamics and laugh right alongside the inside jokes. Jaja’s African Hair Braiding is a good fit for those who love shows that are a “day-in-the-life” type show and everything we need right now - laughter, joy, community, and a call to stand against anyone who is trying to force people out.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Jordan Rice
When
Now through February 2, 2025
Where
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
Runtime: 1hr 30min, no intermission
Tickets
$30+
Tickets can be purchased through the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre website
Photos
Charles Erickson
CAST
Melanie Brezill - Michelle, Chrissy, LaNiece
Leovina Charles - Vanessa, Sheila, Radia
Victoire Charles - Jaja
Yao Dogbe - James, Franklin, Olu, Eric
Mia Ellis - Jennifer
Tiffany Renee Johnson - Aminata
Jordan Rice - Marie
Awa Sal Secka - Bea
Aisha Sougou - Ndidi
Bisserat Tseggai - Miriam
Onye Eme-Akwari - Nollywood Dreams Actor
Morgan Scott - Nollywood Dreams Actor
Kevin Medesse Aousso - Understudy
Renea S. Brown - Understudy
Debora Crabbe - Understudy
CREATIVE
Jocelyn Bioh - Playwright
Whitney White - Director
David Zinn - Set Designer
Dede Ayite - Costume Designer
Jiyoun Chang - Lighting Designer
Justin Ellington - Original Music and Sound Designer
Stefania Bulbarella - Video Designer
Nikiya Mathis - Hair and Wig Designer
Manna-Symone Middlebrooks - Associate Director
Yetunde Felix-Ukwu - Dialect and Vocal Coach
Erica A. Hart, CSA - Casting
Kelly Gillespie, CSA - Casting
David Caparelliotis, CSA – Casting
Sierra Young - Intimacy Consultant
Dwaine Potts - Associate Sound Designer
Melanie J. Lisby - Stage Manager
Brillian Qi-Bell - Assistant Stage Manager