Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ PURPOSE Is a Pulitzer-Winning, Tony-Nominated Powerhouse

 

The Purpose of 

'PURPOSE'

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ new play, Purpose, has quickly become a defining work of the Broadway season, earning both the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and six Tony Award nominations. With its gripping portrayal of a Black American family at the crossroads of legacy and reckoning, Purpose is not only a critical darling but a cultural touchstone, interrogating the meaning of heritage, faith, and radicalism in contemporary America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INxwFWtRc9U

A Family Drama Rooted in American History

Purpose centers on the Jasper family of Illinois-civil rights leaders, pastors, and congressmen-whose public image as pillars of Black American politics belies the secrets and fractures just beneath the surface. When Nazareth, the youngest son, returns home with an uninvited guest, the family is forced into a confrontation with its own history, faith, and the unresolved tensions of Black radicalism. Under the direction of Phylicia Rashad, the play unfolds as an intimate yet epic family drama, blending humor and pathos in equal measure.

Pulitzer Recognition and Tony Acclaim

The Pulitzer Prize Board described Purpose as a “skillful blend of drama and comedy that probes how different generations define heritage,” highlighting its resonance and craft. The play’s journey from Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago to Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater has been marked by critical acclaim and sold-out performances.

At the 2025 Tony Awards, Purpose received six nominations, underscoring its ensemble strength and creative vision. The nominations, in order, are:

Category	Nominee(s)	Description
Best Play	Branden Jacobs-Jenkins	Honors the playwright and the overall production as a new work of dramatic excellence.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Play	Jon Michael Hill, Harry Lennix	Recognizes outstanding lead performances in a play.
Best Actress in a Play	LaTanya Richardson Jackson	Celebrates a leading female performance in a play.
Best Featured Actor in a Play	Glenn Davis	Highlights an exceptional supporting male performance.
Best Featured Actress in a Play	Kara Young	Honors a standout supporting female performance.

This sweep of nominations reflects the play’s ensemble-driven storytelling and the depth of its characterizations, with particular praise for the performances of Jon Michael Hill, Harry Lennix, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Glenn Davis, and Kara Young.

The Purpose Behind "PURPOSE"

Jacobs-Jenkins has described Purpose as an exploration of the American family drama, “honoring what I think is truly the most American form of drama, and finding new ways to tell it, new people to tell it on”. The play’s narrative, loosely inspired by the family of political activist Jesse Jackson Jr., resonates with contemporary questions about legacy, generational conflict, and the ongoing struggle for justice and identity.

“There are intentional echoes that you might hear. It’s really about honoring what I think is truly the most American form of drama, which is the family drama, and finding new ways to tell it, new people to tell it on.” - Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

A New Canon for Broadway

With its Pulitzer win and multiple Tony nominations, Purpose has cemented its place as one of the most significant American plays of the decade. Its unflinching look at the complexities of family, power, and purpose in Black American life ensures that, long after the final curtain at the Hayes Theater, the questions it raises will linger on Broadway and far beyond.