Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins returns to the stage with Purpose, directed by Keith Arthur Bolden in a co-production with McCarter Theatre Center.
The play centers on the Jasper family, a prominent Black political dynasty built on generations of ministry, activism, and public service. When an unexpected visitor arrives and begins challenging the family’s carefully protected history, long-buried tensions and secrets quickly rise to the surface.
Set over a single evening, Purpose explores family, faith, political legacy, and the difficult choices that come with confronting uncomfortable truths. Jacobs-Jenkins blends sharp humor with dramatic tension to examine what individuals owe to their families, communities, and themselves.
The cast features Donna Biscoe as Claudine Jasper, Veanna Black as Morgan Jasper, Jay Jones as Junior Jasper, Victoria Omoregie as Aziza Houston, Travis Turner as Nazareth Jasper, and Cornell Womack as Solomon Jasper.
The understudy cast includes Robert Connor as Solomon Jasper, Sheri Gilbert-Wilson as Claudine Jasper, Ashlee McNeill as Aziza Houston, Brittani Minnieweather as Morgan Jasper, Charlie Thomas as Junior Jasper, and Roderick Whitney as Nazareth Jasper.
With its mix of family drama, political conflict, and dark comedy, Purpose offers a provocative look at legacy and the courage required to challenge the stories that hold families together.