Purpose
What happens when the stories we tell about ourselves start to unravel?
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
A co-production with McCarter Theatre Center
In Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Tony Award-winning play, the Jasper family is gathering for a long-overdue reunion. For decades, they’ve been the embodiment of Black political power and public virtue – a dynasty of ministers, activists, and changemakers whose legacy has shaped generations. But when a young outsider arrives with questions no one is prepared to answer, carefully guarded secrets begin to surface.
Over the course of one unforgettable evening, old wounds reopen, loyalties are tested, and the truth threatens to upend everything the family has built. At once biting, hilarious, and deeply human, Purpose asks what we owe our families, our communities, and ourselves.
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Appropriate and An Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins delivers a thrilling, sharply observed drama about legacy, faith, and the courage it takes to confront the truth. This gripping and darkly funny drama has been described as “a thumping, riveting, guns-blazing, major new American play” (New York Daily News) that is “unstoppably fierce, funny, and ruthless!” (New York Post).
Best enjoyed by audiences ages 14 and up.
Coca-Cola Stage
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Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama
SEP 4 – 20, 2026
What happens when the stories we tell about ourselves start to unravel?
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
A co-production with McCarter Theatre Center
In Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Tony Award-winning play, the Jasper family is gathering for a long-overdue reunion. For decades, they’ve been the embodiment of Black political power and public virtue – a dynasty of ministers, activists, and changemakers whose legacy has shaped generations. But when a young outsider arrives with questions no one is prepared to answer, carefully guarded secrets begin to surface.
Over the course of one unforgettable evening, old wounds reopen, loyalties are tested, and the truth threatens to upend everything the family has built. At once biting, hilarious, and deeply human, Purpose asks what we owe our families, our communities, and ourselves.
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Appropriate and An Octoroon, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins delivers a thrilling, sharply observed drama about legacy, faith, and the courage it takes to confront the truth. This gripping and darkly funny drama has been described as “a thumping, riveting, guns-blazing, major new American play” (New York Daily News) that is “unstoppably fierce, funny, and ruthless!” (New York Post).
Best enjoyed by audiences ages 14 and up.
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We believe everyone should have the chance to experience live theater – no matter the budget. From student discounts and group rates to limited-time offers and special access programs, there are plenty of ways to see a show and save.
Alliance Theatre Stages
Coca-Cola Stage
The Coca-Cola Stage is 650-seat, state-of-the-art proscenium theater. This facility offers patrons an intimate, comfortable, and sound sensitive environment, and is home to the Alliance’s Coca-Cola Stage Series.
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