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Video: Stars Walk the Red Carpet for Opening Night of JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING
May 16, 2024
The world premiere of Jaja's African Hair Braiding, written by Jocelyn Bioh (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play) and directed by Whitney White just opened last week. In this video, watch as stars walk the red carpet.
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0:00
How excited are you to be here tonight
0:02
Look, let me show you. I have a shirt made. It's everybody, the designers, the producers
0:07
I'm very proud of my girls from Jaja. Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World
0:15
Jocelyn Beo is back on Broadway, making her Broadway debut as a playwright
0:19
with her new play, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, directed by Whitney White
0:23
And we're here to celebrate with the First Nighters. I did not get accepted to high school of fine arts
0:31
My next love was cosmetology. Missed that by a year. Cut to, years later, I have my own beauty hair products, right
0:40
That we showcase in the play, but they're a Walmart target. So this is hair and healthy hair is something near and dear to me
0:48
And this one is for the culture. Like, I never took these women into consideration
0:55
They're literally like hidden figures to me. When you think about ICE and deportation
1:00
you never think of any other culture but the Latin culture. And so this was an awakening for me
1:07
I didn't really know about these shops because I grew up in Washington, D.C.
1:11
so I was in somebody's kitchen or between somebody's legs. So these shops are very real
1:16
and the women who work in them are very real, and they have real lives
1:20
I'll never walk past a shop without taking them into consideration, ever. And changing the landscape of Broadway, what that means to you
1:26
I mean, I've been a fan of Broadway since my feet couldn't touch the ground
1:31
I remember the first play I saw on Broadway was The Wiz
1:35
I've seen it a million times since. So thank you for shaking, I mean, thank us
1:39
We shook it up a little bit. It brought you something new and fresh and refreshing
1:43
When you read this, what made you say, yes, I want to produce this? It's personal
1:47
I've experienced so many times being in a braiding salon as a customer, but more importantly, my children
1:55
I raised my daughters getting their hair braided in braiding salons most of their lives
2:00
So I've sat there when all these funny stories were happening and watching all the different type of black women
2:05
come into these salons and Latin women and white women and seeing how these women, how they beautify us
2:11
and at the same time still have a separate culture going on that invites us in
2:15
To see Jocelyn Beal, to be a part of Jocelyn Beal's debut
2:20
on Broadway is just, I don't know, it's just such a wonderful
2:25
gift for me as a producer, as a new producer, making this a part of my journey to see that I'm doing
2:31
what I intended to do, was to bring new voices to theater
2:35
and new stories and cultivate new audiences. I'm so excited. I love supporting my friends who make amazing things
2:42
I love being entertained. I love being moved. I love seeing everyone here
2:47
It's amazing. For you. It's a family affair and we love to hear a new story
2:52
That's right. On these streets. I know. This is so huge. First of all, these are two giants of the off-Broadway scene
3:00
They are masters at what they do. They've been hustling and doing this work, the good work
3:05
and I am so, oh my God, congratulations Jocelyn Beal and Whitney White, some of my favorite creatives
3:12
I'm so excited to support these incredible black women, these incredible artists
3:18
I mean, this is taking place in Harlem where I was born and raised
3:22
I, like, know these people. I feel so just honored to be here, honestly
3:29
So honored. We're here for the Broadway debut of Miss Jocelyn Beal
3:36
which is like, you know, I'm just such a fan of her work
3:40
and this is where she belongs. I am too. She's making her Broadway debut and so is Whitney White, the director
3:46
and there are many people on this stage tonight making their Broadway debuts
3:50
And I told them all tonight, look out there and take it from the heart
3:54
Don't make it technical because you remember they only happen once and it's something that gets burnt in your brain you never forget, right
4:01
You remember yours? Yours was across the street, babe. Mine was right there. What do you remember about that night
4:06
Tell me, when you took your bow that night. I just remember the love in that room, you know
4:11
and the nerves, the joy, the excitement, the emotions. It's the most magical thing
4:16
And, yeah, you only get it once, your Broadway debut. So we're excited
4:20
What do you remember about yours? I remember that somebody I was working with, Tina O
4:26
she was wiser than I and she told me that she bought me a journal
4:31
and she told me to stop. She took me to dinner and she said, I'm going to leave you here
4:37
Write down in this journal how this feels tonight. Remember this moment
4:41
Do you know what that journal is? No. But I remember that
4:45
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jocelyn and Whitney are making their Broadway debuts as a playwright
4:49
and director. What that means to you? It means everything. I've been, not only are those like sisters, you know, to me
4:57
but this community is so close and so special. And the black theater community is so close and so special
5:04
And so to see them stepping into this power, it's like, it's black excellence and I love it
5:09
It's just excellence, period. And I've seen the show already, so I know what's in store for tonight
5:15
I just hope the audience is ready because it's a celebration of our culture
5:19
who we are. I mean, yeah, it's just, it's beautiful, man. It means everything because it's a new day
5:27
It's time for the recognition that we're all looking forward to create the theater and the experiences that we're all curious about
5:33
I think it deepens what we're doing. I think everybody out here is looking to learn and to share and how exciting
5:39
to bring a world together so we can see what makes us different and also what doesn't make us different
5:44
Yes to that. And it's just great seeing the work of so many groups
5:48
including Black Theater United, is having, it seems, some kind of effect as well and opening some doors
5:54
And it's just great to see really talented people coming in and taking their stand
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