COCO QUEENS, the new play written by New York Times bestselling author LaDarrion Williams and directed by Jessica E. Williams, will make its Los Angeles stage debut at Outside In Theatre. Previews begin October 19, with opening night scheduled 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 reunite annually at a neighborhood beauty shop for Coco Queens Weekend—a cherished tradition filled with food, music, laughter and healing. As long-buried secrets come to light, the women must confront the fractures in their relationships and discover whether honesty can bring them back together.
“COCO QUEENS is about the spaces we create for one another when the world becomes too heavy,” says Williams. “It’s a celebration of Black joy, community, memory and the complicated ways we love and care for one another.”
The production marks an expansion into theater producing for Williams through Blackgical Productions. Williams is the bestselling author of Blood at the Root and Bones at the Crossroads and has developed several theatrical works across the country.
The cast includes Julanne Chidi Hill (Little America, Lackawanna Blues), Mildred Marie Langford (Grey’s Anatomy, Chicago Med), Chanell Bell (Power Book IV, Garden Hands) and Sierra Nicolette Smith (P-Valley, Snowfall).
About LaDarrion Williams
LaDarrion Williams is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, playwright, filmmaker and screenwriter from Helena, Alabama. His published works include Blood at the Root and Bones at the Crossroads. His theatrical projects include COCO QUEENS, Boulevard of Bold Dreams, Hurt People and Black Creek Risin’.
About Jessica E. Williams
Jessica E. Williams is a director and theater artist whose work focuses on dynamic storytelling, community and the development of new works. She directs COCO QUEENS for its Los Angeles stage debut.