Trenzas
Written by Janelle Lawrence
August 7-9, 2026
Friday at 7:30 PM
Saturday at 7:30 PM
Sunday at 2:30 PM
Community Pricing: $15 / $20
Limited availability at each price level
Alisha is trying to find herself; and what eighteen- year old isn't? She's bi-sexual, Afro-Latinx, first-gen American; a younger sister to the perfect Latina Carmela, and daughter to the almost perfect single immigrant mother. As she is faced with her Black American identity, she can’t decipher what it means to be not Black enough in America and not Latinx enough at home; while also not being able to keep up with her sister's success, or good at answering her Mama's calls. Assimilation comes from societal influence, but what do we call the expectations passed down by our culture? And what do we do with those messages?
The performance of Trenzas is an immersive, character-driven exploration of identity, queerness, and cultural conflict.
Intended for a mature audience.
About the writer:
jei / Janelle Lawrence is an interdisciplinary artist that investigates the depth of strength with stories that explore the complex layers of perspective. They have had their musicals presented at various Theaters such as The Kennedy Center (Beastgirl), Legoland New York, Joe’s Pub (Group Therapy), Seattle Public Theater (The Suffrage Play), and National Black Theatre (workshops: Trenzas & WET). They have been residents of the 92nd St Y Musical Theatre Development Lab: Collective, Greenhouse Residency SPACE on Ryder Farm and Barn Arts Hamilton Project Resident. They are a Juilliard School Evening Division alumni, a 2020 & 2022 Recipient of NBT's Soul Series Lab - Playwriting Micro-Development Session, and a nominee for a Helen Hayes and Charles MacArthur Award for Best Musical Adaptation. They are an Adjunct Professor at Point Park University & Brooklyn College, and an Arts Chair at Harvest Collegiate High School.