Not That Kind of Mean Girl

Key Points:

• Actress Denée Benton, known for her Tony-nominated role in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and HBO’s The Gilded Age, is starring in the Broadway play School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, which explores themes of colorism and competition at a Ghanaian boarding school in 1986.
• Benton portrays Paulina, a complex character who is both the school’s reigning queen and a victim of a racist system favoring lighter skin, reflecting playwright Jocelyn Bioh’s personal experiences with colorism.
• Benton grew up in Florida with strict, Pentecostal parents and discovered her passion for performing early in church; she trained at Carnegie Mellon and made her Broadway debut at 25, but faced physical challenges from the demands of performing.
• Since joining The Gilded Age, Benton has undergone significant personal changes, including coming out as queer, divorcing her college sweetheart, and being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which affects her connective tissues and requires careful health management.
• Benton emphasizes growth and resilience, expressing gratitude that success did not come too early in her career, allowing her to better handle the pressures and maintain her health while continuing to evolve as an artist.