In Jaja’s bustling hair braiding salon in Harlem, a lively and eclectic group of West African immigrant hair braiders are creating masterpieces on the heads of neighborhood women. During one sweltering summer day, love will blossom, dreams will flourish and secrets will be revealed. The uncertainty of their circumstances simmers below the surface of their lives and when it boils over, it forces this tight-knit community to confront what it means to be an outsider on the edge of the place they call home.

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Roles

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MARIE: Female. 18. Black Senegalese. Has lived almost her whole life in America. JAJA’s daughter who runs the shop for her mother. Does a great job. Kind and smart. Academically successful, but her immigration status is in the way of her college dreams. Carrying a lot of weight on her young shoulders pretty gracefully.

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SISTA BEA: Female. 30’s. Black Ghanaian. Has been at the shop the longest and values her seniority. Constantly gossiping with AMINATA. Has a great sense of humor, but you don’t want to cross her. Critical and unpredictable, she creates a lot of drama. But when push comes to shove, she’ll come through.

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AMINATA: Female. 30’s. Black Senegalese. Does a good job but takes all day. BEA’s best friend in gossip and drama – she doesn’t create it, but she doesn’t diffuse it either. Dryly funny, has mastered the art of side-eye.

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NDIDI: Female. 20s. Black Nigerian. The young spitfire. She dresses the youngest and braids the fastest. Everyone at the shop knows that she makes the most money, and it doesn’t always go over well – especially with BEA, who accuses her of stealing clients.

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MIRIAM: Female. 30’s. Black Sierra Leonean. Quiet and kind. She has a five-year-old daughter back in Sierra Leone, who she is trying to bring to America. Her peaceful demeanor belies a rebellious streak, which has landed her in this life – very different than the one she was raised for.

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JAJA: Female. 40’s. Black Senegalese. Owner of the shop. Getting married today in City Hall to Steven – the landlord of a local building. Warm, joyful. Has a presence that draws you in.

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JENNIFER: Female. 20’s. Black American. Comes to the shop for micro braids, and is in there all day. Patient, and an enthusiastic audience to the stories and dramas of the women in the shop.

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CHRISSY/MICHELLE/LANIECE: CHRISSY: Female. 30’s. Black American. Very particular about her hair and adamant that they “make her look like Beyonce.”

 

MICHELLE: Female. 20’s. Black American. The nervous client who doesn’t want trouble or confrontation and just wants to get her hair done peacefully. A former client of BEA’s who has come to have her hair done by NDIDI, without realizing they’re in the same shop.

 

LANIECE: Female. 30’s. Black American. A really messy eater.

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VANESSA/RADIA/SHEILA: VANESSA: Female. 30’s. Black American. A super-rude customer who no one wants to deal with.

 

RADIA: Female. 18ish. Black American. One of MARIE’s former classmates whose “just catching up” conversation highlights the differences between the opportunities available to them.

 

SHEILA: Female. 30’s. Black American. A friendly but loud-talking and nosey customer. Constantly on her phone.

 

JAMES / FRANKLIN, THE SOCK MAN / OLU, THE JEWELRY MAN / ERIC, THE DVD MAN:

 

JAMES: Male. 30’s. Black Ghanian. AMINATA’s on and off again husband who clearly takes advantage of her. Charming, of course. 

 

FRANKLIN, THE SOCK MAN & OLU, THE JEWELRY MAN: Male. 30’s. Black West African. Honest men just trying to make a living; well-known to the women who work in the shop.

 

ERIC, THE DVD MAN: Male. 30’s. Black West African. The caring DVD man who looks out for his friends; brings them critical news.