Jocelyn Bioh: Three Plays

"Ms. Bioh, a native New Yorker whose parents emigrated from Ghana in 1968, has made it her mission, theatrically and personally, to tell stories about African and African-American characters that buck expectation and defy stereotype." (New York Times) This first collection of plays from American contemporary playwright Jocelyn Bioh brings together a trilogy of celebrated work recently seen in New York and around the world. Merry Wives: Set in South Harlem, amidst a vibrant and eclectic community of West African immigrants, Merry Wives is a New York story about tricks of the heart. A raucous spinoff featuring the Bards most beloved comic characters, this hilarious farce tells the story of the trickster Falstaff and the wily wives who outwit him in a new celebration of Black joy, laughter, and vitality. Nollywood Dreams: It's the nineties and in Lagos, Nigeria, the "Nollywood" film industry is exploding. Looking to make the first Nollywood film with Western crossover appeal, Gbenga Ezie, Nigeria's hottest director, has decided to host an open casting call for the female lead of his new romantic drama/thriller "The Comfort Zone." Casting for the film draws on more emotions than expected in this imagining of what the growing Nollywood film scene was like as it rose to become the phenomenon it is today. School Girls; Or The African Mean Girls Play: Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana's most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Universe pageant. But the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent and beauty, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter--and Paulinas hive-minded friends. This buoyant and biting comedy explores the universal similarities (and glaring differences) facing teenage girls across the globe. How far would you go to be queen bee?