Denée Benton Leads All-Black Creative Team in Broadway Adaptation of Jocelyn Bioh Comedy
Jocelyn Bioh's play about students at a Ghanaian boarding school competing for a beauty pageant title has moved to Broadway's Samuel J. Friedman Theater with an expanded cast, set, and costume design. The production explores themes of colorism and racial self-loathing inspired by a true 2011 Miss Ghana pageant controversy. While featuring talented performers and addressing serious social issues, the show's scope feels somewhat diminished compared to Bioh's more recent acclaimed works.
The production marks a significant milestone for Black women in theater, with Jocelyn Bioh serving as both writer and director while working alongside Black designers across all creative departments. The play draws inspiration from a real 2011 incident involving Ghana's national pageant selection, which sparked controversy when officials chose a biracial American-born contestant in hopes of improving the nation's chances at international competition success.
The Broadway staging represents an expansion from its 2017 Off-Broadway run, featuring a larger cast, more elaborate scenic elements, and costume design upgrades. However, the reviewer suggests the production may feel diminished when compared to Bioh's subsequent works, particularly her Tony-nominated 2024 play "Jaja's African Hair Salon," which explores themes of West African immigrant life with greater narrative depth and complexity.
The show's exploration of colorism and internalized racial prejudice within African communities could foster important conversations about beauty standards and self-perception across diaspora audiences. The all-Black creative leadership may serve as a visible representation that could influence casting and hiring practices within Broadway institutions. Additionally, the play's examination of how external validation shapes individual identity might resonate particularly with audiences navigating similar cultural pressures, potentially opening dialogues about systemic beauty hierarchies both within and beyond African contexts.