Hailing originally from Detroit, Michigan, Yasmeen Duncan has resided in Lynn for the last four years. Duncan possesses a deep and abiding passion for the arts in all its diverse forms. She is not solely an actor; she also serves as a teacher, theater educator, and is significantly engaged in theater administration and social justice advocacy within the theatrical arts. She would come to Massachusetts through her participation in a social justice theater program offered by Emerson College in Boston.
Duncan will complete her Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Education and Applied Theatre from Emerson College by the conclusion of 2025. This degree is commonly applied in the education of future actors, the utilization of theater for community engagement and support, the assumption of leadership positions within professional and community arts organizations and the leveraging of theater to promote community-based social justice initiatives.
Duncan has also participated in the British American Drama Academy: Midsummer In Oxford Acting Program in the U.K. and graduated from Central Michigan University with her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Theatre & Interpretation: Acting and Directing. Not only has she served as a theater instructor for youth and arts programs in Detroit during the summer, but Duncan now extends her endeavors to Massachusetts, providing instruction in locations including Boston, Cambridge and other cities where she is needed.
The inspiration to get into the world of acting started at a young age for Duncan. It all began when she was around 9 or 10 years old, and her mother brought her to see “The Lion King (Musical)” on Broadway. Her interest in acting was sparked upon witnessing two children perform the roles of Young Simba and Young Nala on stage. Duncan was captivated by their lively stage presence, including their dancing and singing, which inspired her to explore engaging in such activities herself.
Own yourself and the things that make you special…
Yasmeen Duncan
that will always shout in the room.
After she told her mom how much she loved the stage show, Duncan wondered if it was something she would be able to do. Her mother then signed her up for a free theater camp at a local church.
“I started to see more theater and stage, and I got more excited about that because a lot of my acting knowledge came from just watching movies,” Duncan said. “I was just so enthralled that people did this live in front of people, not just on a screen. That made me really excited and made me want to do it more.”
From childhood to now, Duncan possesses an impressive resume, including roles in several theatrical productions such as “Hairspray,” “A Christmas Carol,” “46 Plays for America’s First Ladies,” “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” “The Boy Who Kissed the Sky,” “The Color Purple” and “The Colored Museum,” among others. She has also been featured in print commercials, most notably for Panera and Fit & Fresh, and she has lent her voice to WBUR for radio voiceover and commercial voiceover work.
When questioned about any roles that she felt she enjoyed the most, or connected the most with, one of them was during her time starring in “The Color Purple,” which was performed at The Umbrella Stage Company in Concord. In the play, Duncan played Church Lady Doris, who was part of a trio with Church Lady Jarene and Church Lady Darlene. They would narrate some of the events in the show and sing trio parts. Church Lady Doris was known to often gossip and comment on the events in the town.
“They are telling stories about people like me, people that look like me, the women that I’m around and the spaces that I’m in,” Duncan said. “They aren’t necessarily me, but have parts of me.”
The other play Duncan expresses the same sentiment for is the production of “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding,” wherein she will make her debut with Boston’s SpeakEasy Stage Company. The production is scheduled to run until May 31. Duncan expressed anticipation regarding her performance at the SpeakEasy Stage Company, a notable aspiration upon relocating to Massachusetts.
Every year, the SpeakEasy organization produces a new series of theatrical productions. Last year, around April, the new show list was announced for 2024-25. One of the shows is the 2024 Tony-nominated “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding” by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Summer L. Williams.
Having loved the Broadway production, Duncan was excited to see open auditions for the play at the SpeakEasy, recognizing it as a compelling story she wanted to audition for. From initial audition through a couple of callbacks, Duncan secured a role in the 2024 production, began rehearsals in April 2025 and is currently performing for an audience as she plays the parts of three different customers with their own little quirks.
“JaJa’s African Hair Braiding” is a play where love, dreams and community collide. Duncan describes the play as: African immigrant women working in a hair salon and going through their day-to-day lives. Taking place on a hot summer day in 2019 in Harlem, there are four hair braiders in the salon, and among the talented, high-spirited, West African designers is Jaja’s daughter Marie, who is running the shop while her mother Jaja is hours away from getting married.
The braiders share diverse personal narratives, including love stories, their journeys to America, future aspirations and family experiences. One braider recounts leaving her daughter in Sierra Leone, Africa, and her desire to bring her to America. The theatrical performance includes customer interactions within the shop, where individuals share personal narratives with the braiders. These exchanges encompass subjects such as immigration and deportation, among others.
“It’s a very lighthearted comedy. It has some really nice, beautiful, touchy moments as well that make you think about where we are right now in this time in the world, but can also bring you a lot of joy,” Duncan said.
Following her upcoming graduation from Emerson College, Duncan intends to continue her performance career within Massachusetts after the conclusion of the show. She aspires to obtain another role for a production at the SpeakEasy, while also desiring to continue performing at other theaters within the region.
After completing her MFA, Duncan intends to focus on social justice work within theater, including prison theater. This form of theater, as exemplified by the 2023 film “Sing Sing,” seeks to support rehabilitation, reduce recidivism and build stronger interpersonal connections. It also fosters self-esteem, offers a space for creative expression and emotional release and cultivates empathy.
She also wants to go into schools and create art programs and resources for kids who need them, ranging from drama clubs, mentorship programs and other similar programs to make them more accessible so those students can be on the same playing field as those who have these resources.
Duncan would love to do social justice and arts work for her daytime job, and do shows at night. In the future, Duncan intends to pursue a career as an acting/drama professor at a university. Duncan also aspires to be a sitcom television actor, believing she would excel in the genre. With graduation approaching and having more time opening up, Duncan plans on acquiring more voiceover work, specifically doing work as cartoon characters.
“We’re having a tough moment, especially here in America. We all belong here. Where we are in the moment is exactly where we’re meant to be, and we have each other… Nobody is ever by themselves,” Duncan said, as this is something she hopes audiences of “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding” will take away from the play, but also just in life as a whole. “It’s just important to remember that. That everything will be okay.”
You can purchase tickets to “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding” here.
