Lachandra Baker (left) and Aliyah Graham during a rehearsal of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” Credit: Courtesy of the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio Facebook page
The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio’s production of Tony Award-winning play “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” written by Ohio State alumna Jocelyn Bioh, will take the stage in Studio One at the Riffe Center Thursday and will run through March 22.
Bioh, an actress-turned-playwright, earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Ohio State in 2005 before completing her master’s degree in playwriting at Columbia University. Her comedic play “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” premiered in 2023 and received five Tony nominations in 2024, winning one for Best Costume Design of a Play, according to the Tony Awards website.?
Set in a bustling Harlem hair braiding salon — owned by Jaja, a West African immigrant pursuing the American dream — over the course of one sweltering summer day, the play features an entirely Black cast and explores themes of community, sisterhood and the West African immigrant experience, according to the Columbus Association of the Performing Arts’ website.?
Director Shanelle Marie said Bioh’s writing holds depth and her specific approach is what brought the story to life.
“The characters have nuances from the different cultures and the different countries that they represent,” Marie said. “One of the things we really want[ed] to do was make sure that we find the moments in the play that were just really honest [and] find moments of joy.”
Aliyah René Graham, a Columbus native who plays Jaja’s daughter Marie — a first generation American from Senegal — said portraying a character managing immigration stresses and future dreams is something real people still experience today.
“The things that we touch on are so very prevalent … and continue to be a problem, and continue to divide and spread harm,” Graham said.
Marie said the production also relies on a strong creative team to ground the story in authenticity. She said the inclusion of a hair choreographer, dialect coach and costume designer to fully capture the environment of the salon was crucial.?
“We’re going to be interweaving moments of dance into our production,” Marie said. “Being inspired by those moments that come from those different cultures.”
Though the story takes place in Harlem, Marie said its themes will still resonate with Columbus’s local audience.
“Even though this is set in Harlem, New York, the issues of immigration and extracting status, those are issues that affect our community in Columbus,” Marie said.?
At its core, Marie said the play celebrates the women inside Jaja’s shop — artists, entrepreneurs and dreamers whose labor often goes unseen.
“Often you don’t hear their stories, so this is kind of a way to celebrate what they do [and] the masterpieces they create,” Marie said. “A way to celebrate the dreams of the people in our community.”
Marie said Bioh’s success can serve as inspiration for Ohio State students.
“When you’re looking from an artistic standpoint, you can go and do great things because this is a Broadway hit,” Marie said. “It’s not that this is happening far away, or in some of the bigger cities, this stuff happens in Columbus and you can be a part of it.”
Ultimately, Graham said she hopes audiences leave with a deeper sense of empathy for others.
“I hope people take away the fact that these women are not only human and not only have their own lives to think of and their families, but I hope they come to understand that no matter the color of the immigrant that you know, our ecosystem, our community is being uplifted by these people and they’re a crucial part to everyone,” Graham said.
Tickets are $68.55 and are available to purchase on the CAPA website.
