School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play on Broadway tickets
About School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play
Get School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play tickets on New York Theatre Guide to see this New York Times Critic's Pick back on stage. Following its acclaimed bow off Broadway, Tony Award nominee Jocelyn Bioh's play comes to Broadway. School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play in New York begins in September at Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
Winning a beauty pageant would change everything, right? That's what Paulina, the queen bee of Aburi Girls Boarding School, thinks in this cutting and hilarious comedy. Competing to be Miss Ghana, Paulina and her classmates will stop at nothing for the chance to have fame and fortune. But when an American transfer student shows up at their school, the contest gets even more competitive — and personal.
Wildly successful, this comedy has gone on to receive 75 regional productions and a United Kingdom premiere in 2023. Now, audiences can see School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play on Broadway.
In his Critic's Pick review, Jesse Green for The New York Times said the play is a "gleeful African makeover of an American genre." Tackling colorism and how beauty standards differ culture to culture, the New York Times said Bioh "brings the audience to an unexpectedly ambivalent conclusion about the morality of cultural dominance. In it, Americans may realize that, as far as Africa is concerned, we are the mean girls."
This production reunites Bioh with the director of her last hit, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding: Tony nominee Whitney White stages this play making its Broadway debut. An Obie Award winner, White is known for her strong command of new plays, as with her recent credit, Liberation. Tickets to School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play are now available!
Run time
1hr 20min. No intermission.
Age
Children under 4 years old will not be admitted.
Start date
September 8th, 2026
End date
November 15th, 2026
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“Hilarious, heartfelt African Mean Girls tackles colorism brilliantly”
A Sharp, Funny Exploration of Girlhood
Set in a 1986 Ghanaian boarding school, this razor-sharp comedy follows teenage girls competing for the Miss Ghana pageant while navigating friendship, jealousy, and crushing beauty standards. Audienc...
What It Feels Like
- Laugh-out-loud funny
- Deeply moving
- Thought-provoking
You’ll Love This If…
- You enjoy sharp comedy with real emotional weight
- You appreciate stories exploring colorism and beauty standards
- You love powerhouse all-female ensemble casts
Very relatable story focused on colorism set in the 1980s.
Very clever, funny play that sticks with you. Makes you think about Western beauty standards and influence on the rest of the world
A show about internalized trauma and how we inflict it on others, but it has humor and music.
Our Review
‘School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play’ Broadway review — pageant queens and queen bees face off
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play cast and creative team
By: Jocelyn Bioh
Director: Whitney White
Producer: Manhattan Theatre Club, Chase This Productions, Susan Kelechi Watson
Cast list: Lucia Aremu (as Ama), Denée Benton (as Paulina), Patina Miller (as Eloise Amponsah), Erin Morton (as Nana), Nia Otchere-Sarfo (as Gifty), Jordan Rice (as Mercy), Jasmine Amy Rogers (as Ericka), Heather Alicia Simms (as Headmistress Francis)
Sets: Teresa L. Williams
Costumes: Qween Jean
Lighting: Stacey Derosier
Sound: Cody Spencer
Other info: Dialect coaching by Dawn-Elin Fraser; wig, hair, and makeup design by Nikiya Mathis
Venue
Accessibility
Elevator access, wheelchair access, assisted listening devices, on-demand closed captioning, open captioning, audio description, Braille and large print Playbills
More information about School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play
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Additional Information
Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre.
No weapons permitted on the premises. No outside food or beverages, electric scooters, e-bikes, or battery-powered transportation devices, except when medically necessary.
All items are subject to inspection. Anything brought into the theatre must fit on your lap or completely under your seat without blocking any aisles.
The use of cameras, cell phones, and other recording devices during the show is strictly prohibited by law, except when used for accessibility services.
Show schedule
| Day of week | Matinee | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | - | - |
| Tuesday | - | 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 2:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| Thursday | - | 7:00 PM |
| Friday | - | 7:00 PM |
| Saturday | 2:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| Sunday | 2:00 PM | - |
Frequently asked questions
Where is School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play playing?
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play is playing at Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The theatre is located at 261 West 47th Street, New York, 10036.
How long is School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play?
The running time of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play is 1hr 20min. No intermission.
How do you book tickets for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play?
Book tickets for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play on New York Theatre Guide.
What's the age recommendation for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play?
The recommended age for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play is Children under 4 years old will not be admitted..
How much do tickets cost for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play?
Tickets for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play start at $153.
What is School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play about?
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls is about a school in Ghana, the girls studying there, and a beauty pageant that changes their lives.
Who wrote School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play?
Stage and screen writer Jocelyn Bioh, a Tony nominee, wrote this New York Times Critic's Pick play.
Who directs School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play?
Whitney White, a Tony nominee most recently on Broadway with Liberation, directs.
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