Broadway’s newest sensation, Purpose, brings to life a powerful narrative that explores the complexities of identity, family dynamics, and the pursuit of one’s true self. After opening at The Hayes Theater on Mar. 17, the show has captivated theatergoers, Purpose stands as a testament to the transformative power of storytelling on the grandest stage. With the scribe Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and decorated film, television, and theatrical powerhouse Phylicia Rashad at the helm, you don't want to, you need to, see it for yourself.
Purpose, which first premiered at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago in 2024, is described as "an intimate and intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the influential Jasper family. And like all families, there are cracks beneath the surface. When the son returns home with an uninvited friend, the family is forced into a reckoning with itself, its faith, and its legacy." The cast includes 2024 Tony winner Kara Young as Aziza Houston, Tony-nominated LaTanya Richardson Jackson as Claudine Jasper, Alana Arenas as Morgan Jasper, Glenn Davis as Solomon “Junior” Jasper Jr., Jon Michael Hill as Nazareth “Naz” Jasper, and Harry Lennix as Solomon “Sonny” Jasper.
The Broadway production features scenic design by Todd Rosenthal, costume design by Tony-winner Dede M. Ayite, lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, and sound design by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen. Casting is by JC Clementz and Calleri Jensen Davis. Purpose is produced by David Stone, Debra Martin Chase, Marc Platt, LaChanze, Rashad Chambers, Aaron Glick, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
To get a greater understanding on what Purpose is all about, Culturess spoke to the Tony-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Appropriate) who speaks about this particular piece of work about family and how he comes to write his characters, as well as actress Sojourner Brown (Hadestown), who understudies Aziza and Morgan. We discuss how she is preparing to take on 2 roles and how the unsung heroes of this show dedicate time to master multiple roles.
Culturess: I'm all for Black family dramas—I grew up on them. I know you tackle stories in such a humorous way, but also with a lot of depth. Specifically for this show, which explores Black identity, family, and the iconography of this family, how do you approach balancing those themes?
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins: Gosh, I really try to let the characters lead me, you know? I think I was very inspired by these actors, who are an incredible combination of everything you're talking about. They're humorous, heartfelt, and incredibly intelligent. For me, it's been about trusting the characters to tell the story and not worrying too much about the balance. If the picture you're painting is well-intended and honest, I hope that all the messy complexity of life shows up with a sense of authenticity.
This premiered at Steppenwolf in Chicago, which is such a historic theater. Did you find that you were going to expect any evolution from the Steppenwolf production to the Broadway version?
BJ-J: Oh, always. I mean, the more time, the better. I was always very inspired by August Wilson, who would run his shows around the country before bringing them to New York. I think every iteration is an opportunity to learn more and deepen the themes and characters. So, yeah, it should be better—if it's not, then we've done something wrong. We're not just delivering what we've already done. Of course, we're bringing incredible actresses into our company, like LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Kara Young. Every actor brings their own unique energy into the ensemble, which you want to balance, if you can, in the work.
The elephant in the room is that you're working with Phylicia Rashad!
BJ-J: I mean, the thing about Phylicia is she's been involved with some of the most influential creatives in theater. She's worked with so many of them. She was in the original cast of The Wiz, and she was also in the original cast of Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death. She was one of August Wilson's last muses. This woman truly understands what it takes for new work to emerge. Having her as a shepherd and protector was essential. I've worked with directors before who are intimidated by new pages or new work, but Phylicia just understood. She knew that what you're trying to do is bring something new into the world. She's just been the best—so inspiring.
BJ-J: To be honest, I'm of the school of thought that you can never control who the audience is—that's the whole point. Anybody can show up, anyone can buy a ticket. The question of who shows up is a whole different thing, but you can't predict who's going to be there, so you need to make a show that anyone could come and see. The only thing I might consider is that Chicago is its own theater town with its own identity. Their audiences really own new plays and great acting in a way that New York doesn't quite [do]. So, I know there will be a different set of values or expectations from New Yorkers and Broadway audiences. But I guess, if you think too much about the audience, you might lose your mind. That's how I feel. Again, you just never know—people will show up who you don't expect, and suddenly you have to deal with whatever they feel and think. So yeah, I'm trying to stay open-minded in that way.
You're championing this cast of incredible women—Kara [Young], Alana [Arenas]. When you first got together to to do a table read, what was that experience like?
BJ-J: I've been doing this long enough to know that the experience of great actors reading your work is really all you can hope for as a writer. That's it. All you want is for great actors to bring your work to life. That’s a dream. My happy place is rehearsal. My happy place is watching these incredible people—like Kara Young, for example. The first five minutes of her performance, as we started lightly staging things, I was dead, I was dying [laughing]! It felt like such a joy to be the first person to get to laugh at what she does. That’s why I do this. I do it for the experience of seeing these actors do what they do best.
Writing good characters can seem really hard for some people. Specifically for Purpose, is there any inspiration from people that you know in real life?
BJ-J: As a writer, all you have is your memory and your life experiences. When it comes to writing characters, I really try to project myself into their interior world—what they're wrestling with, what they're afraid of, what they're hoping for. I'm constantly checking in with what I think makes us human: the private stories we tell ourselves about our lives. What's the story of this person? Even if we are considering them as a villain, they're not living their life thinking that they're a villain, they're the hero and you just kind of pay attention to that.
Sojourner, what drew you to this project?
Sojourner Brown: Everything! When I got the audition from my agent, I read the script and was blown away by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ words. This text really is one of the most important plays I've ever read. It's so beautiful to see a black family represented in this way, and he does it with so much nuance, and also with a lot of grit, heart, and care. Each character in the script has so much complexity and depth to them - and then also just the opportunity to be directed by Ms. Phylicia Rashad, and to work alongside this incredible team of actors. I feel a deep sense of gratitude every day I step foot in the Hayes.
You're understudying roles, and you have understudied before in Hadestown. Sometimes the understudy gets pushed to the side, how was your experience as an understudy previously, and also specifically preparing for Purpose?
SB: In Purpose, I understudy two roles - Aziza Houston and Morgan Jasper. When I was in Hadestown, I understudied the lead, Eurydice, and the entire workers’ chorus. I spent three years there and had an incredible experience! Everyone in that building is like family to me, and I’ll always have a soft place in my heart for that story and the people that tell it. I honestly felt fully embraced as part of the company over there as a swing, so I personally haven't had a negative experience as an understudy yet, which I’m grateful for. It's a very challenging yet rewarding job. It's having to be ready at a moment's notice, and sometimes it really is a moment's notice. I've gone on halfway through a show; 10 minutes before a show. It really is a lesson in being adaptable and keeping your cool when things around you are constantly shifting or new. A lesson in moving at a quick pace and staying ready.
Also, the nerd in me likes to know a show through multiple angles. There’s something magical about getting to physically experience being on different sides of the stage each day, because you see something different - the story tells you something different. Something hits you in a different way. You see something that a castmate is doing, that you've actually never noticed before, like a small detail that they're adding, and I love that. In Purpose, my characters are very different from each other, but they're both kind of outsiders to the main family in the play - without spoiling too much. I'm really just excited to dive into these two women and to create my own version of them.
In the world of Broadway, rehearsals happen quickly, depending on the show. For Purpose, as you are preparing for both of these characters to be on, how is that rehearsal process when working directly with Phylicia?
SB: There's a lot of incredible text, and with understudying two roles, I've just been trying to get this text in my body and get as many reps as I possibly can. On my own, I’ve been working to deepen my understanding of the rich ecosystem that is this family home, the world of the play; Doing research on Chicago culture, and everything that makes these people who they are - because it's very specific. Branden infused a lot of beautiful specificity in the place, the time, and the people.
Brandon definitely laid really incredible groundwork. There's also other understudies in the show [Chris Meyers, Petronia Paley, Esau Pritchett]. What are understudy rehearsals like?
SB: We’re about to start understudy rehearsals onstage, but so far we’ve been in the rehearsal room with everyone. We rehearsed together for several weeks, and now we've been at the Hayes theater every day prepping for opening. Us understudies have been running the whole show backstage while the rest of the cast is onstage. Drilling lines with each other and helping each other get this text in our bones. It's great to be able to lean on each other when it comes to memorization, and we’ve also been watching the show in the back of the house taking notes in preparation for working onstage with Ms. Phylicia.
There's, thankfully, a lot of different options on Broadway. There's diversity right now in the slate of Broadway. Purpose is something that is unique. I love Black family stories, and we don't really get to see those on Broadway all the time. They come up once every couple years, but it just feels like such an important play, and also healing. What do you think an audience member might respond to most, or at least what might their reactions be to the story?
SB: I hope that audience members feel seen by watching this play and experiencing it. I know I have, both in reading and in embodying it. I think everyone should see it, regardless of who they are. It touches on something universal—family—and what can happen when you bring all of yourself into a family unit: your beliefs, your values, your faith. It’s about what scrapes up against each other. I think everyone who comes will recognize a little bit of their own family in what they're watching. It’s really beautiful to watch our audiences respond to this story, to experience their laughter and their tears. I’ve been watching in the house, and witnessing the first preview was deeply moving. We had been sitting with this play in the rehearsal room for weeks by that point in our own bubble, so to feel the audience explode and see their visceral response was so powerful. To see our show receive a standing ovation at the end was incredible—it really filled the theatre with so much energy. There’s nothing like it.
Check out this promo clip called 'A Seat At The Table' on Purpose On Broadway's official YouTube channel:
Purpose is also celebrating the spirit of the Divine Nine and HBCUs! If you’re a member of the illustrious Divine Nine, be sure to grab a ticket on Apr. 9th at 8 PM. If you’re an HBCU alum, there will be a special talkback session after the Apr. 15th at 7 PM show! Tickets for Purpose at The Hayes Theater on 240 West 44th Street, New York, NY are available through July 6th, 2025. To get tickets, visit purposeonbroadway.com.