Purpose
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (2016 Creative Capital Awardee)
Directed by Amina Robinson
Produced in association with Geva Theatre

In Purpose, a family reunion becomes something far more complicated. When Nazareth Jasper returns home during a winter storm, he finds himself pulled back into the orbit of a family whose legacy looms large. The youngest son of a celebrated Civil Rights leader, Nazareth has spent years trying to escape the expectations placed upon him—but one weekend under the same roof forces everyone to confront truths they’ve long avoided.

As parents, siblings, and an unexpected guest gather around the dinner table, secrets surface, loyalties are tested, and the meaning of family is called into question. With sharp humor and emotional insight, playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins crafts a riveting portrait of a family wrestling with reputation, responsibility, and the complicated love that binds them together.

At its heart, Purpose asks what happens when the stories we tell about ourselves collide with the truths we try to hide—and reminds us why theatre is the place where we come together to face them. This is where we gather.