Reviews of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play
What Critics are Saying
“Brisk and funny ... too precious an opportunity to miss.” - The Portland Observer
“Funny, biting, and well worth seeing ... shines a piercing light on the issue of colorism (a form of discrimination that favors people with lighter skin over those with darker skin) and the damaging effects of the globalization of Western beauty standards.” - BroadwayWorld
“Presented with humor, biting wit, and a deft sense for how teenage girls talk and interact with each other. It moves from funny to vicious in seconds, and the stakes are high. This is a story about how the world works.” - Judy Nedry
What Audiences are Saying
“The performances were stunning. These women carried the parts and brought emotional depth to their teenage characters.”
“This show highlights many important topics and stimulates conversations we NEED to be having. Well done, cast!”
“Loved it, strong performances, and fun while still putting forward a very heavy message.”
“I thought about many things the day after seeing this play ... a seemingly simple, but rich production.”
“Funny, witty, great acting.”
“Delightfully entertaining.”
“Great for mother/daughter outing.”
“Fantastic show and great performers. Another must-see show at The Armory.”
“Excellent acting and compelling story! Go see it!”
National Acclaim
“A GLEEFUL AFRICAN MAKEOVER OF AN AMERICAN GENRE ... The nasty-teen comedy genre emerges wonderfully refreshed and even deepened by its immersion in a world it never considered.” – The New York Times
“Ferociously entertaining and as heartwarming as it is hilarious. Engaging from first minute to last.” – The Hollywood Reporter
“Interlaced throughout School Girls is a note of poignancy: for these girls, the pageant is not an example of female exploitation or marker of shabby Western values. In a developing country, it seems, it’s one of the few sure ways up and out. To this aspirational idea, Bioh adds the divisive issue of how beauty is perceived in a black society. The resentments that boil over in the play reflect some of the distorted priorities that white standards for physical perfection have imposed on the rest of the world.” - The Washington Post
"FUNNY, FIERCE, FEARSOME" - Vulture
More about School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play:
Live Sketch Artists for School Girls
We invited local comic artists to bring their sketchbooks to a performance of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play and draw whatever inspired them about the experience. Here are the results!
Jocelyn Bioh: An Interview with the Playwright
"As a young girl, there was so much I didn’t understand about what was being imposed on me about beauty ideals." The playwright of School Girls lends some insight into her brilliantly funny and poignantly revealing new play.
Invisible No Longer: A Discussion of Beauty and Blackness
We asked members of the cast and the director if they would share some thoughts and experiences with colorism in their own lives. Here are a selection of their responses.
Meet the Playwright of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play
Explore the play through the perspective of playwright Jocelyn Bioh.
Popular Ghanaian Drinks Make Their Way into Armory Cocktails
Read about the Ghanaian influences on our specialty cocktails for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. Plus, we include a recipe so you can try making one at home!
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play Plot Synopsis
Spoilers ahead! Here's the plot summary for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play.
School Girls Cast & Creative Team
Meet the cast and creative team for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play.
Current & Upcoming
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Adult Class : TWELFTH NIGHT, Before & After
Join veteran actor Joe Costa for a unique opportunity to take a “deep dive” into both Shakespeare’s text of Twelfth Night, and the PCS Production. Participants will read the play out loud as a group, with “intermissions” provided for lively discussion of themes and content. Interested participants will have a chance to act in selected scenes, guided by the instructor.
Improv Comedy: Love, Shakespeare
Witness the Magic of unscripted Elizabethan comedy! Step into the offbeat world of Love, Shakespeare, where seasoned Portland comedians attempt something audacious: performing a fully improvised Elizabethan play based on your suggestions!
Albina Music Trust presents A Brown Branch Christmas
Celebrate this holiday season with A Brown Branch Christmas at Portland Center Stage. Now in its fourth season, this two-night big band celebration features directors Domo Branch and Charlie Brown III guiding a heavy 15-piece lineup of regional and national musicians.
BIPOC Affinity Night DJ Party with ALoSo
Join us for a double feature BIPOC Affinity Night, featuring a live DJ set by ALoSo, plus holiday craft market vendor tables, art exhibits by Albina Music Trust Wall to Wall Sound and Jason Hill's Favorite Things, with complimentary select drinks provided by Multnomah Whiskey Library and Deschutes Brewery while supplies last.
Winter Teen Academy: Scene Work
Calling all teens! Are you looking to expand your acting skills and be the best scene partner you can be for your fellow actors? In this class, we will dig deep into scene study, character motivation, and active listening, while learning the necessary questions to ask in every rehearsal situation. You'll develop fuller characters and deeper relationships on stage by partnering in scene work — and have lots of fun too!
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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