Purpose on Broadway Tickets
972others are checking this out!
App only
About Purpose
From the theatre company behind August: Osage Country and the playwright behind the 2024 Tony Award winner Appropriate comes Purpose, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's wild ride of a play packed with explosive laughs and equally explosive family drama. Phylicia Rashad directs a blazing, award-winning cast featuring Kara Young, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, and more as a family contending with its past, present, and legacy. Get Purpose tickets on TodayTix.
Meet the legendary Jasper family, stacked with civil rights activists, politicians, pastors, and revolutionary leaders who have shaped Black culture. The return of their youngest son — with an uninvited friend in tow — cracks open the Jaspers' celebrated facade and forces them to confront their legacy, faith, and identity. Buckle up.
"You may have trouble catching your breath from laughing so hard"
The New York Times
"★★★★★ An absorbing, fiercely intelligent drama that is as emotionally bruising as it is darkly funny"
Financial Times
Run time
2hr 50min. Incl. 1 intermission.
Venue
Age
Ages 12+.
Start date
February 25th, 2025
End date
July 6th, 2025
Stars on stage
Kara Young
LaTanya Richardson Jackson
Purpose cast and creative team
By: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Director: Phylicia Rashad
Cast list: Kara Young (as Aziza Houston), 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), Harry Lennix (as Solomon “Sonny” Jasper)
Sets: Todd Rosenthal
Costumes: Dede Ayite
Lighting: Amith Chandrashaker
Sound: Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen
Venue
Accessibility
Wheelchair and elevator access
More information about Purpose
As with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ other plays, Purpose is intellectual, stirring, and high-octane in thrills and drama. As fierce as it is hilarious, this new play provides no easy answers but instead showcases a family contending with its identity, and how its members may move forward. Audiences can expect hilarious dialogue, volcanic political debate, and plenty of surprises along the way in this New York premiere.
Celebrated for her legendary screen and stage roles, and most recently Skeleton Crew, Rashad skillfully directs this four-star (Chicago Sun-Times) play. A show “absolutely not to be missed,” the Chicago Tribune's critic wrote of Purpose's world premiere with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, “Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is the white-hot writer of the moment; I was knocked out.”
What to watch for
- The production received three 2024 Equity Jeff Awards: Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding New Work (Branden Jacobs-Jenkins), and Outstanding Director of a Play (Phylicia Rashad).
- Director Phylicia Rashad became the first Black actress to win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, which she won for her role in the revival of A Raisin in the Sun. She won her second Tony Award for her performance in Skeleton Crew.
- Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a two-time Pulitzer finalist for Gloria and Everybody and is also the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” grant.
- Earning raves, Purpose is “a blistering production with explosive, knee-buckling intensity” per the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Steppenwolf is known for premiering esteemed plays including August: Osage County, which won the Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a film starring Meryl Streep.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get tickets for Purpose?
Check the top of this page for current availability and exclusive offers on Purpose tickets on TodayTix.
How much are tickets for Purpose?
Purpose tickets start at $67.
What is the age recommendation for Purpose?
Ages 12+.
Which theatre is Purpose at?
Purpose is at New York's Hayes Theater, which is located at 240 West 44th Street, New York, 10036.
What is the running time of Purpose?
Purpose runs for 2hr 50min. Incl. 1 intermission.
What is Purpose about?
Get Purpose tickets and see Appropriate Tony winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s newest play about a family of Black political luminaries reckoning with its legacy.
Who wrote Purpose?
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who won a Tony last season for Appropriate, writes this new play.
Who directed Purpose?
TV icon Phylicia Rashad, known for The Crosby Show, directs this new production.
Is Purpose good?
Purpose earned four-star reviews from the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times and is written by one of today's buzziest writers, so audiences are highly anticipating this New York premiere.
Is Purpose appropriate for children?
Audiences must be ages four and older to see a Broadway show; the play includes mild profanity and references to violence and sexuality.
Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.