Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Geffen Playhouse presents the Broadway/Steppenwolf Theatre Company production and Los Angeles premiere of

Purpose

Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Directed by Phylicia Rashad

Featuring: Alana Arenas, Glenn Davis, Jon Michael Hill, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Harry Lennix & Kara Young.

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Meet the Jaspers: generations of a powerful Black political family under one roof where nothing stays buried for long. When their youngest son returns home, instincts kick in to protect their public image of leadership and moral authority, and fractures soon appear as private grievances, betrayals, and long-simmering questions of identity rise to the surface.

Direct from Broadway, this 2025 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize–winning play makes its LA debut with the original Broadway cast, directed by the incomparable Phylicia Rashad. Both intimate and epic, Purpose is provocative, often hilarious, and ultimately a devastating exploration of legacy and the cost of believing in something bigger than yourself.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Running Time: 2 hours and 50 minutes, including one intermission.

Warnings: Gunshot Sound Effect

Content Advisory: This production contains profanity and discussions of suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking about self-harm or suicide, there is help available. Call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Age Recommendation: 12+. All Geffen Playhouse productions are intended for an adult audience; children under 10 years of age will not be admitted.