Waltham actor fills the stage in new SpeakEasy production

Family, friends and neighbors may know him as Joshua Olumide, but in his SpeakEasy Stage Co. debut, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”, the Waltham resident takes on the roles of Franklin, Olu, James and Eric. 

Olumide is a Nigerian American actor who began performing in his high school theater productions while attending Weston High before attending the American Musical and Dramatic Academy’s conservatory program in New York City. 

He has demonstrated a wide acting range across theater and film. His stage credits include classic Shakespeare works such as “Macbeth,” “The Winter’s Tale,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” as well as American plays including “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Our Town.” He has performed with companies including The Huntington, Commonwealth Shakespeare Co. and People’s Light. 

His film work includes roles in “American Fiction,” an Oscar-winning film from MGM, and “Detroit” from Annapurna Pictures.

“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” written by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Summer Williams, is running at Boston’s SpeakEasy Stage Co. through May 31.

Olumide shared insights into his acting experience in an interview with The Waltham Times.

What drew you to this production and the roles that you’re playing?

“I auditioned as James, because he’s the character that Jocelyn, the playwright, focuses on the most out of all the four men. There are a few lines in there I remember when I was auditioning, that I was, like, ‘I’ve heard this before in my household. This is very much like home,’ so I could deliver this with authenticity. Bringing my authentic self to the production is what really drew me to it.”

What has it been like playing four characters simultaneously? How do you handle that?

“That’s a great question. Yeah, it’s been great. It’s been awesome. Going into this, I thought it might have been easy — and really, it is — but allowing myself to find the challenges in making statements is very much the name of the game. And that’s been challenging to me, because you can’t take for granted what we do as actors — the work we put in to really flesh out a character, a character’s backstory, really writing out their life.

“So doing that for multiple characters, rather than just focusing on one character, makes it all the more fun. It deepens the way that you have them distinguished throughout the play. The good thing is, it’s possible.”

 Which character do you feel like you relate to the most?

“I feel like I relate to Olu the most. Olu is described as a Nigerian man who sells jewelry, and I myself like some jewelry. He’s a charmer, an honest man, making an honest living. I feel like us Nigerians, we have this inherent charm about us.”

How does the story resonate with you personally, especially as it touches on immigration, identity and community?

“My mother and my father came here from Nigeria. They met at a train station here in Massachusetts, and here I am. As a child of immigrant parents who came here with the intention of having a better life, it makes me want to be the best person that I can be. I thank them for coming here, because it all worked out perfectly.”