Jocelyn Bioh’s “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” directed by Whitney White, currently running at Arena Stage until Oct. 13, is hilarious, captivating, educational and for anyone that’s ever been to a hair salon–particularly a braiding shop— relatable. However, in a divided political climate, Bioh’s play is not just a theatrical source of comic relief, it’s a necessary tale of immigrants in America, who build lives, achieve goals and face challenges, despite obstacles that make the United States feel far from a welcoming place for foreigners seeking new lives.
“It was interesting. I wasn’t expecting the ending for sure,” said audience member Kiana Cunningham, originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado, after seeing the show at Arena Stage in Southwest, D.C. on Sept. 24. “I think it was a poignant topic… especially [in] the political time period. I thought it was a good message. It also puts things into perspective for people who may not be fully understanding of the immigrant experience– especially how they impact the economy and things about their lives.”
As the election season heats up, the immigrant experience has become a major topic for political candidates– particularly the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. In a debate between the two major party candidates, Trump alleged that Haitian immigrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, claims that have now been debunked, including by the city’s mayor.
Theatre-maker, teaching artist, and creator of the Free Black Chesapeake Project Chelsea Dee Harrison considered why plays like “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” and theatre in general, are necessary to speak truth to power, particularly in such politically tense times.
“When we have candidates spewing hate and sparking violence against immigrants- I’m thinking specifically of the Haitians eating pets in Ohio lies- we need theater, we need a place to gather folks, tell stories, laugh out loud, and remind us all of our shared humanity,” Harrison told The Informer after seeing the show on Sept. 20.
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding: A Must-Experience Production
In a play that includes comedy, drama, challenges for multiple characters, and Afrobeatz, ”Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” at Arena Stage is an experience for everyone present. The multimedia production, which shows the passage of time through the use of the shop’s television and clients’ hairdos, brings audiences into a day at the braiding shop and takes audiences into the drama, joy, encouragement and tea that accompanies such an experience.
With Jordan Rice excellently and engagingly executing the character of Marie, audiences are immediately introduced to the intricacies of getting to work via the New York Subway and being the teenage daughter of an African immigrant and entrepreneur in 2019.
The quick-moving tale welcomes audiences into Marie’s mother’s shop, the play’s namesake, on the day of Jaja’s (Victoire Charles) wedding. As an illegal immigrant, Jaja hopes her wedding will cement her U.S. citizenship, which is not only critical for her, but for her daughter. Marie is a smart-girl who is unable to attend college and works in the shop because she too, is an illegal immigrant, though she was reared and educated in the United States.
Audiences meet staff members Aminata (Tiffany Renne Johnson), Bea (Awa Sal Secka), Miriam (Bisserat Tseggai), and Ndidi (Aisha Sougou), who are keeping the place bustling by braiding, along with Marie who is managing the shop. The strong work of these actresses not only are displayed in their individual performances, but also collaborative skills onstage, that show various dynamics from joy, to gossip, competition, respect and encouragement.
With White, who also directed the Broadway production, at the helm, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’ at Arena Stage includes smooth transitions, and includes wigs, designed by Nikiya Mathis, that are equally as important as the characters on stage.
The show is also strongly supported by clients and people who come in and out of the shop including Mia Ellis, who plays Jennifer, and Michelle Brezill, Yao Dogbe, and Colby N. Muhammad who captivatingly transition between various roles, and adds color, comedy and a bit of creative chaos to the cast.
When Charles enters as Jaja, she takes the stage in a bold, beautiful way that makes audiences think about struggle, achieving goals, building lives and families, and the trials of being an immigrant in America. While Charles isn’t on stage long, audiences await her arrival before she enters and feel her presence even once she exits.
The twists and turns of the hair braiding and narrative is amazing to watch in action, and will leave audiences engaged the entire 80 minutes.
Uplifting Immigrants’ Stories
While “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” takes audiences on an emotional roller coaster, by the end of the action, they are left learning more about the immigrant experience in the United States.
“Well the D.C. community is definitely impacted by African Americans and African descendent presence,” Cunningham told The Informer. “There’s a large African community here so just kind of understanding that perspective for them, and how some of them came here, and how they built families here and how it can be very difficult, I feel like it’s important to know.”
Considering her own life and experiences, Margaret Thomas was also reminded of the contributions immigrants have made to the country when watching the play.
“I am an American but I was born in Grenada– a small island in the Caribbean. I think the show tonight is a reminder of all the things that we (immigrants) have brought to this country,” Thomas told The Informer.
For Thomas, watching the play’s action was a relatable experience in many ways.
“Back in the islands, when I was young, we’d go to the river to wash, and all the community’s problems, all the gossip, who’s married, who’s divorced, who has a baby, who’s seeing who, was all done in the river,” she explained after watching the production. “This story tonight, of coming together in the shop, in the hair shop to get your hair braided, all classes, people with different problems– little problems, big problems, immigration– it was just an amazing thing to see a sort of community inside of a community.”
Harrison emphasized that the play reminds audiences of the importance of immigrants’ stories and contributions to the nation, particularly in a divided political time.
“The play is an important reminder of the debt America owes to the ingenuity, work ethic, and sacrifice of immigrants. The U.S. is a country created from the thankless labor and dreams of immigrants- people who travel to these shores and bring with them hope for a better life and a commitment to making it happen,” she told The Informer. “In this election season, it is crucial to share stories that center the humanity and dignity of people migrating to this country.”
For tickets and more information, go to arenastage.org.
I totally enjoyed “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding” and your thoroughly descriptive review. However, I did leave asking the question what place does natural hair play in African hair care and design? Many African American women called ourselves adopting cornrows and locks as way of expressing our African heritage, but the styles in the play focused primarily on styles requiring hair purchased from others outside of the culture. Again, I totally enjoyed the production but would have loved to hear more commentary on the styles included or excluded.