School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play

A biting comedy about beauty, ambition, and belonging in 1986 Ghana.

Story:

Paulina rules Aburi Girls Boarding School in Ghana, and she intends to keep it that way. With a Miss Ghana pageant recruiter due to arrive, she and her crew are ready. Then a new transfer student from America shows up — poised, lighter-skinned, and immediately popular — and Paulina's grip on everything she's worked for begins to slip. What unfolds is a sharp, funny, and surprisingly piercing comedy about beauty standards, colorism, and the brutal social economy of adolescence, set in 1986 and stinging like it was written yesterday.

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th Street
New York, NY

Important Dates
PREVIEWS: Sep 8, 2026
OPENING: Sep 28, 2026
CLOSING: Nov 1, 2026

Run Time
80 minutes (no intermission)

NOTE:

• Most shows have special holiday dates and times. Check the official website for more information.

Playwright
Jocelyn Bioh