Manhattan Theatre Club Announces School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play and The Unbelievers for the 2026-2027 Season
Jocelyn Bioh’s comedy arrives on Broadway this fall, while Nick Payne’s new play makes its American premiere off-Broadway at New York City Center
What to Know
- Manhattan Theatre Club’s 2026–2027 season will feature the Broadway premiere of Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play and the U.S. premiere of Nick Payne’s The Unbelievers
- School Girls begins performances September 8, 2026 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, directed by Whitney White; The Unbelievers starts October 13, 2026 off-Broadway at New York City Center Stage I, directed by Knud Adams
- School Girls follows a Ghanaian boarding school beauty pageant, while The Unbelievers centers on a family grappling with faith after their son’s disappearance; additional season productions will be announced later
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.”
The rest of the season’s productions will be announced at a later date.
