*LA’s The Center Theatre Group welcomes the hit stage play JaJa’s African Hair Braiding by Jocelyn Bioh. The hilarious play is a lesson in hair culture and an inside look at the relationships that intersect at the local salon.
JaJa’s African Hair Braiding is directed by Tony Award nominee Whitney White, who optimizes every nuance for her talented actors and Bioh’s brilliant text.
The ensemble cast showcases outstanding performances by Melanie Brezill, Leovina Charles, Victoire Charles, Mia Ellis, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Claudia Logan, Michael Oloyede, Abigail C. Onwunali, Jordan Rice, and Bisserat Tseggai.
Opening night in Los Angeles drew a crowd of enthusiastic theatergoers. Some attended in African garb. The energy was infectious. The story is amusing and compelling with a thought-provoking surprise ending.
Scroll to continue reading
Whitney White is also a 2025 Drama League Founders Award winner for Excellence in Directing Ja Ja’s African Hair Braiding. The creative team includes Manna-Symone Middlebrooks (Associate Director), David Zinn (Scenic Designer), Jiyoun Chang (Lighting Designer), Justin Ellington (Sound Design & Composition), Stefania Bulbarella (Video Designer), Dede Ayite (Costume Design), Nikiya Mathis (Hair and Wig Designer), Brillian Qi-Bell (Production Stage Manager), David Caparelliotis, CSA, Kelly Gillespie, CSA, Erica Hart, CSA (Casting Directors).
CTG’s Brindell & Milton Gottlieb Artistic Director is Snehal Desai. He is ecstatic about presenting this award-winning production to the Los Angeles theatre circuit. The current production marks the end of a two-year tour. Los Angeles can experience Ja Ja’s African Hair Braiding show from October 1st through November 9, 2025, at the Mark Taper Forum.
Ja Ja’s African Hair Braiding is a Co-Production with Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and La Jolla Playhouse, in Association with Madison Wells Live and LaChanze.
Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading not-for-profit theatre company, which, under the leadership of the Brindell & Milton Gottlieb Artistic Director Snehal Desai, Managing Director / CEO Meghan Pressman, and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, programs the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. Center Theatre Group is one of the country’s leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions, and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics, and circumstances to serve Los Angeles. Founded in 1967, Center Theatre Group has produced more than 700 productions across its three stages, including such iconic shows as Zoot Suit; Angels in America; The Kentucky Cycle; Biloxi Blues; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; Children of a Lesser God; Curtains; The Drowsy Chaperone; 9 to 5: The Musical; and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. CenterTheatreGroup.org
The S. Mark Taper Foundation, founded in 1989, is a private family foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of people’s lives by supporting nonprofit organizations and their work in our communities. The S. Mark Taper Foundation is committed to grantmaking that aligns with the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Bank of America is Center Theatre Group’s 2025/26 “One CTG” Season Sponsor. Bank of America believes in the power of the arts to help economies thrive, to educate and enrich societies, and to create greater cultural understanding. For over 20 years, the company has supported Center Theatre Group’s innovative Education and Community Partnerships programs and world-class productions.
American Express is the official payment partner for Center Theatre Group.
(If You Like/Appreciate This EURweb Story, Please SHARE it!)
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: AAFCA returns to NYC for 3rd edition of Broadway event
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE
