DOn’t Touch My Hair

WRITTEN By DOUGLAS LYONS
Directed by VELANI DIBBA

A workshop Production In association with Jessica Green Harrison

FEBRUARY 13 - 24, 2025

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About the Show

Lifelong best friends Eemani and Jade decompress one afternoon over a good blunt. Unbeknownst to them, the blunt is laced with much more than weed — spiraling the duo into a hilarious hallucination that allows them to confront the oppressors of the past dead-on. IAMA first presented a virtual reading of Douglas Lyon’s play (under the title Invisible) in collaboration with New York City’s Queens Theatre’s Fly On The Wall Series, part of IAMA’s ongoing tradition of partnering with like-minded companies to develop and produce new work.

DON’T TOUCH MY HAIR will be the final play in Douglas Lyons’ “The Deep Breath Trilogy: New Plays for Black Women.” The trilogy launched with the family play CHICKEN AND BISCUITS on Broadway in 2021, and was followed by the Off-Broadway romantic comedy TABLE 17 in 2024.

Starring: Jasmine Ashanti, Sarah Hollis, Jenna Anne Johnson*, James Luster, and Michael Rishawn

Standbys: Mike Bash, Jamal Henderson, Obehi Janice, and Marnie Price*

Production Team: Erica Ammerman (Lighting Designer), Rosalind Bevan (Associate Director), Jordan Bass (Casting Director), Brendan Doyle (Original Sound Design), Shelia Dorn (Wig Designer), Dennis Ho (Production Stage Manager), Celina Lee Surniak (Intimacy & Fight Director), Ethan Pakchar (Original Compositions), Zachary Phaneuf (Technical Director), Devario Simmons (Costume Designer), Jonathan To (Sound Programmer) and Randy Wong-Westbrooke (Set Designer)

*IAMA Ensemble Member

press release

LA TIMES FEATURE

WHAT IS A WORKSHOP PRODUCTION?

Workshop Productions live in the space between a Staged Reading and Opening Night of a world premiere production. With workshop productions, the focus is on process instead of product and YOU, as our audience, are a key part of that process.

Our playwrights will continue working on the play, making edits, and writing new pages until closing night, based in part on audience response. Meanwhile, our creative team will explore design ideas, focusing on one area of design especially and how it can aid in bringing the play to life. This new model of production allows the show to significantly change from opening to closing night, so we encourage you to come more than once to see how your feedback has helped it evolve.

PERFORMANCE DATES & Times

February 13 - 24, 2025 (all shows at 8pm)

ticket prices

Performances: $35 (fees included)

Special Community Nights:

Friday, February 14 - Buy One, Get One Free
Sunday, February 23 - Deep Breath Night: A night of laughter and community for Black women, especially those impacted by the L.A. wildfires. If this is you and yours, use the code DB23 for a FREE ticket, which includes a complimentary drink and post-show conversation with playwright Douglas Lyons and director Velani Dibba.

VENUE

Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Free parking is available in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) lot one block south of the theater. Street parking is also available along Casitas Avenue. View venue details + directions.