‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’ honors immigrants, Black hair, Chicago talent
"Jaja’s African Hair Braiding" opened on Broadway in 2023 with a run that extended twice. Ghanaian American playwright and actor Jocelyn Bioh’s comedy earned six Tony nominations, nabbing two awards for costume design and wig design.
Buoyed by its Broadway success, the play — a day-in-the-life tale of a Harlem beauty salon in New York — set off on a national tour. A local stop at Chicago Shakespeare Theater began this week and runs through Feb. 2.
Underneath the laughs, this lively comedy is a portrait of African immigrants striving to make it in America. And though it’s set in Harlem, the play has some Chicago bonafides: Three of the women on its creative team are Chicago natives eager to bring a poignant tale about the immigrant experience to their hometown while highlighting the unique beauty of Black hair.
“Chicago is my community and my home,” said director Whitney White, Tony-nominated for the show's Broadway run. (She now lives in New York.) “I have a hair braider I’ve been going to my whole life: Clem’s African Hair Braiding on [North] Broadway. Everything I understand about 'Jaja’s African Hair Braiding' comes from my roots and my experiences. So, to be able to share it with my community is an honor.”
White is a graduate of the Latin School of Chicago and split her early years between the North and South sides. “I grew up going to Chicago Shakes,” she said — in fact, one of the first plays she ever saw was at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where she eventually took acting classes from mainstay casting director Bob Mason. Now White is directing 'The Last Five Years,' a two-hander starring singer Nick Jonas, on Broadway.
The entire 'Jaja’s' story unfolds over the course of one day inside a bustling New York beauty salon. A series of wigs show clients at different stages of the braiding process. Throughout the show, the immigrant employees touch on their experiences working, living and surviving in America.
“I like to joke and say it’s like Black 'Harry Potter,' ” White said, “because so many customers come in and out, and the magic of how they get their styles done — I won’t give it away, but it’s incredible.”
This means a heavy lift for the crew behind the scenes, with some actors wearing up to six different wigs throughout the show.
Chicago native Melanie Brezill (“As You Like It”), a Whitney M. Young High School alumna, plays multiple customers and gets her “hair” styled on stage.
“[My characters] range from being the client that is getting ready for her birthday hair to the client that’s a little bit nervous, and the client that’s the regular in the shop — she’s comfortable, she brings in her food and she’s on a name basis with the braiders. And I’ve got to say that at one point in my life, I’ve kind of been all of them.”
Brezill says the script does an excellent job depicting the intimate connection between stylist and client. “As a Black woman, your hair is really your crown,” she said. “And [stylists], they’re like dream-fulfillers. You go in one way, and you leave feeling good about yourself and feeling empowered. And while you’re sitting there, someone is actually using their hands to create art with something that is a part of you.”
Tiffany Renee Johnson (“Chlorine Sky”), who grew up in Morgan Park, plays Aminata, a stylist in Jaja’s salon. She says the show captures the essence of being in a salon, and that’s what connects the production to the audience.
“There’s a great familial thing that happens in the show,” Johnson said. “And I’ve noticed when people come to see the show, they talk about how familiar it is and how much they see themselves in the characters and in the story, because it reminds them of the experiences that they’ve had so many times.”
But the show is a lot more than artistic hairstyles and big laughs. Underneath the comedy and the hustle, the play offers a timely message that gives audiences something to chew on afterward.
“I think audiences will get to look at these West African women and see their humanity,” said Johnson. “Audiences will think about what their lives may be like and how much work it is to do something like their hair, and how much time and energy, and also what life is like when they’re not in the shop.”
For Brezill, tackling tough topics in the midst of entertaining an audience is the beauty of theater. “I think that in that hour and a half that you watch 'Jaja’s,' you’ll leave with a bit of understanding and empathy for people coming to the country with a goal to reach the American dream,” she said. “And hopefully, you’ll learn a new perspective, and you’re changed because you get to relate to them and you get to see a snapshot of their life.”