MCC Theater announces benefit performance of ‘School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play’

Cynthia Erivo and Amber Riley will appear in the star-studded production.

MCC Theater has announced that they will stage a benefit performance of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. The critically-acclaimed play will be revived by a star-led cast, and will be available to stream on MCC Theater's YouTube channel from December 13.

"We're so thrilled to be bringing this play back for what can now be considered the third and virtual time!" said co-artistic director, Bernie Telsey. Speaking about the cast, she exclaimed: "This remount will have us bringing together yet another cast of phenomenal women - this time straight to your home. We couldn't be more excited about the limitless nature the digital realm is allowing us to have for this production."

The cast includes Cynthia Erivo, best known for her Tony Award-winning performance in The Color Purple. On screen, she has also portrayed Harriet Tubman in Harriet, receiving two Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and Best Original Song. Erivo is joined by Glee's Amber Riley, who made her West End debut as Effie White in Dreamgirls, as well as Da'Vine Joy Randolph, previously appearing in Ghost.

The company of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play is completed by Shahadi Wright Joseph, Wunmi Mosaku, Ashleigh Murray, Storm Reid and Lyric Ross.

First staged in 2017, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play sees Paulina dreaming of her win at the Miss Universe Pageant. She's the top of the social pyramid at Ghana's most exclusive boarding school, but when new student Ericka arrives, everything changes. In a review for New York Theatre Guide, Kathleen Campion said: "it is a lot of fun—punctuated by moments of stunning cruelty and painful revelation.... School Girls delivers enough punch to keep you engaged and entertained." 

Tickets are on sale now, with more information available here. School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play is streaming on MCC Theater's YouTube channel from December 13. 

^{Photo credit: Cynthia Erivo and Amber Riley (Photos courtesy of Matt Ross Public Relations)}