School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play received a critically acclaimed world premiere from MCC last fall, marking actor and playwright Jocelyn Bioh’s professional playwriting debut. The play tells a coming-of-age story set in an exclusive, all-girls boarding school in Ghana in the ‘80s. Paulina, the reigning Queen Bee, has her sights set on the Miss Universe pageant. But the arrival of new student Ericka captures the attention of the pageant recruiter and Paulina’s hive-minded friends.

In the spirit of the show, we sat down with Bioh and the cast—MaameYaa Boafo, Latoya Edwards, Paige Gilbert, Joanna A. Jones, Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole, Myra Lucretia Taylor, and Zenzi Williams—to find out how well they’ve gotten to know each other during this process.

The production features scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Jen Schriever, sound design by Palmer Hefferan, hair and wig design by Cookie Jordan, and casting by Telsey + Company/Adam Caldwell, CSA, William Cantler, CSA, Karyn Casl, CSA. Rachel Gross is the production stage manager, and Veronicz Lee is the stage manager.