AATAT 2021 Production

​School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play

The African American Theatre Arts Troupe, in collaboration with the UC Santa Cruz Theater Arts, will host its annual winter production, "School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play," online this March 4th-9th. Watch the Youtube livestream until midnight, March 9!

Jocelyn Bioh’s award-winning comedy follows a group of schoolgirls vying for the title of Miss Ghana 1986. Pretty, popular Paulina is the queen bee of the Aburi Girls Boarding School, but her reign is threatened when the pageant recruiter is more interested in Ericka, the new transfer student from Ohio with a “more universal and commercial look.” Inspired in part by the real-world controversy surrounding the 2011 Miss Universe Ghana pageant—where a fair-skinned, American-born woman went on to win the title--School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play is an exploration of colorism and teenage ambition that’s “funny and fast-paced...[with] bouncy, juicy dialogue!”

This production will have a YouTube stream starting on March 4, 2021, through March 9, 2021. Live talk backs will be held on March 4th and 9th at about 8:30pm featuring the full cast and director, join the Zoom call here. Read the full School Girls production program here. For questions or accomodations, contact cadrc@ucsc.edu.

Behind the Scenes

CAST

Paulina -------------- Bene't Benton

Nana ----------------- Ananda Brooks

Gifty ---------------- Naar Edwards

Eloise --------------- Odeosa Eguavoen

Mercy ---------------- Tiona Jenkins

Headmistress --------- Brittany McBride

Ama ------------------ Diamond Moore
​
Ericka --------------- August Stevens

PRODUCTION CREW

Director
Don Williams

Costume Designer
Ananda Brooks

Dramaturg
Ananda Brooks

Stage Managers
Kailey Dilard
Ananda Brooks

Assistant Director
August Stevens

Editors
Richard Crago
Brandon Victoriano
​Katelyn Brooks
Dialect Coach
​Odeosa Eguavoen

Marketing Team
Bene't Benton
Yazlin Juarez
Kayla Ybarra
Naar Edwards

Graphic Design
Bene't Benton
Yazlin Juarez
Cameron Rivers 

Outreach Coordinator
Naar Edwards

Special Thanks
Cory Fong
Sayo Fujioka
SOMeCA