Julanne Chidi Hill, Mildred Marie Langford, Chanell Bell, and Sierra Nicolette Smith have been cast in New York Times bestselling author LaDarrion Williams’ upcoming stage play Coco Queens, which will make its debut this fall in Los Angeles. Directed by Jessica E. Williams, the production opens at Outside In Theatre with previews beginning October 19 and an official opening night set for October 25. The production is co-produced by Blackgical Productions and Outside In Theatre.
Set in 1975 Alabama, Coco Queens follows four Black women who gather each year inside a neighborhood beauty shop for Coco Queens Weekend, a tradition of food, music, laughter, reflection and healing. When long-buried secrets surface, the women must confront the wounds between them and determine whether truth can bring them back together.
“Coco Queens is about the spaces we create for one another when the world becomes too heavy,” Williams said. “It’s a celebration of Black joy, community, memory and the complicated ways we love and care for one another.”
The production marks a new chapter for Williams, best known for his novels Blood at the Root and Bones at the Crossroads, as he expands into theater producing through Blackgical Productions. His theatrical work also includes Boulevard of Bold Dreams, Hurt People and Black Creek Risin’, among other new works developed with theaters and artistic institutions across the country.
Coco Queens opens October 25 at Outside In Theatre in Los Angeles.
