Manhattan Theatre Club has announced two shows for the 2026-2027 season: Jocelyn Bioh’s “School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play” and Nick Payne’s “The Unbelievers.” This marks the Broadway premiere of “School Girls” and the American premiere of “The Unbelievers.”
“School Girls” tells the story surrounding an upcoming beauty pageant at a boarding school in Ghana, when a transfer student from America arrives and introduces more competition. The play debuted off-Broadway at MCC Theater in 2017, and has gone on to be performed 75 times regionally. The MTC production will be directed by Whitney White, reuniting White and Bioh after their work on Bioh’s “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” in 2023. Performances begin September 8 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
“I’m beyond thrilled that ‘School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play’ is finally making its Broadway debut at MTC!” Bioh said in a statement. “After the incredible journey of ‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,’ it means so much to bring this play back to New York audiences and celebrate these bold, funny, complicated young women. I’m especially excited to be reunited with Whitney White, who directed ‘Jaja’s’ with such heart and brilliance, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience her new vision for this revival.”
Nick Payne’s “The Unbelievers” will play off-Broadway, directed by Knud Adams. When a family’s son disappears, they must question what faith means to them. The play made its world premiere in 2025 at London’s Royal Court Theatre. The off-Broadway production begins performances at New York City Center Stage I on October 13.
“I’m over the moon that ‘The Unbelievers’ will have its U.S. premiere at MTC this fall,” Payne said in a statement. “MTC holds a special place for me — I had such wonderful experiences working on both ‘Constellations’ and ‘Incognito’ in New York. I can’t wait to come back.”
Broadway News Pro delivers news, analysis, and guest essays from industry leaders to facilitate meaningful and creative conversations on Broadway. From breaking news to deeply-reported long reads and exclusive interviews, subscribers can rely on Broadway News for stories that matter. Start your subscription for $1/month.
The rest of the season’s productions will be announced at a later date.
This article previously appeared on Broadway.com.
