MORRISTOWN, NJ — An updated reading of Supernatural: The Play will return to the stage in Morristown on Saturday, May 23, with performances at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. The production will be presented at Morristown United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, after what organizers described as a COVID hiatus.
The play centers on seven Black women as they confront definitions of beauty, identity, and self-acceptance through their relationships with their hair. The production is described in the source as a story of "triumph, humor, and self-discovery" that asks audiences to reflect on "identity, beauty, and belonging."
At the center of the work are the cultural and legal battles Black women have faced over their hair, according to the description. Those issues include school and workplace discrimination and the legislative fight behind the CROWN Act. The play also focuses on resilience and self-love as part of that journey.
The source describes the production as often being compared to “The Vagina Monologues—but about hair,” and says it brings together experiences of women who struggled with and ultimately embraced their natural selves. Guided by a narrator, the audience meets a range of characters, including a cancer patient, a woman of Jewish heritage, and a YouTube personality. Their individual stories are used to explore broader questions about identity and acceptance.
Supernatural: The Play debuted in 2012 and has traveled across the country since then, according to the source. It has played to sold-out audiences in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland, and California. The source also says Stage Raw rated it among Los Angeles' top shows to watch.
Leads in the production have included actress Kim Coles of Living Single and the late Suzzanne Douglas, whose credits included "When They See Us" and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back." The source says the production continues to connect with theatergoers and frames its message in a simple line: “everyone has a hair story.”
The Morristown return marks the latest stop for a play that uses personal stories to examine larger social issues. The two May 23 readings are scheduled for the same day at Morristown United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall.
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