KENNESAW, Ga. | Feb 8, 2026

A sharp, hilarious, and incisive exploration of beauty, power and identity

The Kennesaw State University Department of Theatre & Performance Studies presents School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, a bold and uproariously funny work by acclaimed playwright Jocelyn Bioh. Directed by Assistant Professor of Acting Jacqueline Springfield, the production opens February 17 and runs through February 22, 2026, in the Onyx Theater.
 
Set in 1986 at an elite all-girls boarding school in Ghana, School Girls examines the lasting impact of colonialism, colorism, gender expectations and internalized beauty standards through the competitive preparations for a prestigious pageant. While its humor is fast-paced and biting, the play delivers a powerful emotional punch, challenging audiences to reflect on how global systems of power continue to shape ideas of worth, belonging and identity.
 
Springfield, who first saw the play at Nashville Repertory Theater a few years ago, instantly fell in love with the heart of the story. “I love the humor - but that it deals with real issues and confronts real issues. And I thought that it would be a perfect piece to do for a university,” she said. “For our audience, everyone has either been a teenager, or is going through it, or raising teens, so this is a chance for cast and community to connect with universal themes.”
 
Springfield brings a deeply personal perspective to the production. Nearly two decades ago, she traveled to Ghana as part of an immersive cultural program led by Ghanaian artists and scholars — an experience she credits with shaping her ability to approach this story with authenticity, care and cultural specificity. That formative journey now comes full circle on the KSU stage.
 
“These characters are not symbols,” she adds. “They are ambitious, flawed, intelligent young women navigating a world that constantly tells them who they should be.”
 
In a historic milestone for the department, School Girls features an all-Black female cast and a full understudy ensemble, highlighting both the evolving diversity of the Geer College of the Arts and the depth of talent within the region. The production also aligns with Black History Month, offering audiences an opportunity to engage with African and African diasporic narratives through contemporary theatre.
 
Through its layered storytelling and accompanying discussions, School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play offers more than entertainment; it creates space for reflection, dialogue and a deeper understanding of how narratives around beauty and power are inherited, resisted and reshaped.

 
Post-Show Talk-Back Series
Select performances will be followed by moderated discussions featuring KSU faculty, students, alumni, and regional arts leaders, expanding the play’s themes into broader cultural and scholarly conversations:
 
Wednesday, February 18 | after 7:30 p.m. performance
Beauty Standards & Colorism
Daisha Huiel, Lecturer of Black Studies and Gender & Women’s Studies, KSU
Ta’Marion Freeman, Theatre & Performance Studies student and cast member of The Beauty Project
 
Thursday, February 19 | after 7:30 p.m. performance
Inside the Story: Scholar / Artist Panel
Carmen Madison, Lecturer of Communication, KSU
Addae Moon, Associate Artistic Director, Theatrical Outfit; Part-Time Faculty, Theatre & Performance Studies, KSU
Dr. Kristopher Pourzal, Assistant Professor of Dance, KSU 
 
Friday, February 20 | after 8:00 p.m. performance
Director & Cast Q&A
Jacqueline Springfield and the cast of School Girls
 
Saturday, February 21 | after 2:00 p.m. performance
West African Culture & Arts
Dr. Theresa Howard, Part-Time Assistant Professor of Dance, KSU
Dr. John Lawless, Senior Lecturer of Percussion Studies, KSU
Andrée Janis, African Arts Instructor, Manga African Dance, Inc.
Ibrahima Dioubate, Master Drummer
 
Performance Details
February 17–22, 2026
Onyx Theater, 462 Prillaman Way, Kennesaw, GA 30144
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