School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh

Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana's most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Universe pageant. But the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent and beauty, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter--and Paulina’s hive-minded friends. This buoyant and biting comedy explores the universal similarities (and glaring differences) facing teenage girls across the...
Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana's most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Universe pageant. But the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent and beauty, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter--and Paulina’s hive-minded friends. This buoyant and biting comedy explores the universal similarities (and glaring differences) facing teenage girls across the globe. How far would you go to be queen bee?
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School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play

Recommended by

  • K.O. Killingsworth:
    23 Feb. 2023
    “ An amazing play- relatable to girls everywhere and a beautiful slice of life. The story is chronological, and simply structured with delightful characters and amped-up conflict. Amazing play for high-schoolers to watch, read and perform, and a wonderful spin on the high school mean girl. ”
  • Eric Pfeffinger:
    25 Apr. 2020
    “ This play is such a sly and lively entertainment it's a playwriting masterclass -- effortlessly accessible in its universality yet durably rooted in geographic specificity. You're so compelled in the moment by the choices and fortunes of these engagingly multidimensional characters (and the surprising ways in which your feelings about them shift the more you learn), you may not even notice the thorny and uncompromising themes this play's exploring until after the curtain falls on its pitch-perfect ending. ”
  • Danielle Mohlman:
    3 Apr. 2020
    “ School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play is so incredible that I'm having a hard time coming up with the right words. And after watching it, I find myself shaking off the deep-rooted teenage judgments that were whispered (and yelled) around me in middle and high school. I could not be more different from these characters, and yet there is a universality there — a feeling of never being enough and a realization that your school is only a speck on the world stage. Thank you, Jocelyn! ”
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Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Blackboard Reading Series
    ,
    2016
  • Workshop
    ,
    The New Black Fest/The Lark Reading Series
    ,
    2016
  • Workshop
    ,
    Manhattan Class Company (MCC)
    ,
    2016
  • Workshop
    ,
    MCC PlayLabs Series
    ,
    2016

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    MCC Theater
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Center Theater Group
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    MCC Theater
    ,
    2017

Awards

Winner
,
Lucille Lortel Award - Outstanding Play
,
Lortel Organization
,
2018
Winner
,
Outer Critics Circle - John Gassner Award for New American Playwright
,
Outer Critics Circle Organization
,
2018
Winner
,
Hull-Warriner Award
,
Dramatists Guild
,
2018
Drama Desk (NOMINATION) - Best Play
,
Drama Desk Committee
,
2018
Drama League (NOMINATION) - Best Play
,
Drama League Organization
,
2018
Off Broadway Alliance (NOMINATION) - Best New Play
,
Off Broadway Alliance Committee
,
2018