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Expected 30 Mar 27From one of America’s greatest playwrights, the winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best a searing and shockingly funny story of a proud American family whose complex legacy is put on full display over the course of a single shattering evening
The Jaspers are American royalty — the Reverend Solomon “Sonny” Jasper a giant of the civil rights movement who would like nothing more in his sunset years than to enjoy the reputational fruits of a life of noble purpose in the struggle. But his two sons mar his peace of mind. They are both disappointments — Nazareth for abandoning the ministry and keeping his personal life cloaked in mystery, and Junior, more keenly, for professional corruption that leads to the collapse of his political career and a criminal conviction.
Now Junior has come home with his wife Morgan to celebrate his release from prison, and Nazareth has joined them for the occasion. The stage is set for an evening laced with bitterness and recrimination even if everyone was on their best behavior. They are not. Adding fuel to the fire is the surprise arrival of Nazareth’s friend Aziza, who is forced to join the family dinner by its matriarch, Claudine, who can’t resist the chance to find out what her son is hiding. Aziza’s blind, innocent flailing breaks open all the fresh wounds, and many old and deep ones. Before the night is over, a family’s history has been laid bare, all the bees have left the hive, and the stings are unrelenting.
The Jaspers are American royalty — the Reverend Solomon “Sonny” Jasper a giant of the civil rights movement who would like nothing more in his sunset years than to enjoy the reputational fruits of a life of noble purpose in the struggle. But his two sons mar his peace of mind. They are both disappointments — Nazareth for abandoning the ministry and keeping his personal life cloaked in mystery, and Junior, more keenly, for professional corruption that leads to the collapse of his political career and a criminal conviction.
Now Junior has come home with his wife Morgan to celebrate his release from prison, and Nazareth has joined them for the occasion. The stage is set for an evening laced with bitterness and recrimination even if everyone was on their best behavior. They are not. Adding fuel to the fire is the surprise arrival of Nazareth’s friend Aziza, who is forced to join the family dinner by its matriarch, Claudine, who can’t resist the chance to find out what her son is hiding. Aziza’s blind, innocent flailing breaks open all the fresh wounds, and many old and deep ones. Before the night is over, a family’s history has been laid bare, all the bees have left the hive, and the stings are unrelenting.
- GenresPlays
128 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 30, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 13, 2025
4.5, rounded up.
So even though this won BOTH the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony for Best Play awhile ago, it isn't due to be published till March of next year. However, because Google is my friend, I actually found a complete copy online and just finished reading it. There is no question whatsoever that BJ-J is one of the premiere contemporary American playwrights and this is as worthy as anything in his canon.
However - I really dislike direct address to the audience breaking the 4th wall, and this resorts to that for the exposition necessary to make the play 'work'. Wish I had seen this on Bway, especially for Kara Young's performance as Aziza (winning her second Tony in a row, as well as making history for getting four nominations in a row!) But Gloria remains my fave BJ-J play (seen it once, read it three times!)- that needs to be his next Bway triumph!
Anywho, this is purportedly a lightly fictionalized take on the Rev. Jesse Jackson family and all their attendant scandals. It takes place over about 12 hours, in which Junior, the eldest son, has just been released from a sojourn in the slammer for various nefarious financial transactions - concurrently the family is celebrating a belated birthday for matriarch Claudine. Junior brings along his long-suffering wife, Morgan, who is due to go into prison now that he is out, to serve her own sentence (they are done consecutively, so one parent will be able to take care of their kids).
Younger son Nazareth, who quit divinity school right before graduation to become a nature photographer, and who identifies as 'asexual', arrives with his queer friend Aziza, for whom he has recently become a sperm donor. And patriarch Solomon is busy with his beehive, while trying to ignore the hordes of people alleging to be his illegitimate offspring.
Over this long night's journey into day, secrets are spilled, alliances are formed and abandoned, and each of the characters tries to work out for themselves what is their own particular 'purpose' on this planet. Heady stuff, but also very funny in places.
Psst: https://purposeonbroadway.com/wp-cont...
So even though this won BOTH the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony for Best Play awhile ago, it isn't due to be published till March of next year. However, because Google is my friend, I actually found a complete copy online and just finished reading it. There is no question whatsoever that BJ-J is one of the premiere contemporary American playwrights and this is as worthy as anything in his canon.
However - I really dislike direct address to the audience breaking the 4th wall, and this resorts to that for the exposition necessary to make the play 'work'. Wish I had seen this on Bway, especially for Kara Young's performance as Aziza (winning her second Tony in a row, as well as making history for getting four nominations in a row!) But Gloria remains my fave BJ-J play (seen it once, read it three times!)- that needs to be his next Bway triumph!
Anywho, this is purportedly a lightly fictionalized take on the Rev. Jesse Jackson family and all their attendant scandals. It takes place over about 12 hours, in which Junior, the eldest son, has just been released from a sojourn in the slammer for various nefarious financial transactions - concurrently the family is celebrating a belated birthday for matriarch Claudine. Junior brings along his long-suffering wife, Morgan, who is due to go into prison now that he is out, to serve her own sentence (they are done consecutively, so one parent will be able to take care of their kids).
Younger son Nazareth, who quit divinity school right before graduation to become a nature photographer, and who identifies as 'asexual', arrives with his queer friend Aziza, for whom he has recently become a sperm donor. And patriarch Solomon is busy with his beehive, while trying to ignore the hordes of people alleging to be his illegitimate offspring.
Over this long night's journey into day, secrets are spilled, alliances are formed and abandoned, and each of the characters tries to work out for themselves what is their own particular 'purpose' on this planet. Heady stuff, but also very funny in places.
Psst: https://purposeonbroadway.com/wp-cont...
December 8, 2025
What is there to say besides this play is a masterpiece. The scene with Morgan and Naz remains one of my favourite scenes I have ever seen/read. Every character is so thoughtfully developed and the pacing is brilliant. Some of these lines give me the chills reading them from a PDF on my phone. Now THAT’S a play!
December 19, 2025
Everything Branden Jacob Jenkins writes is gold. I did enjoy Gloria more so that’s where the four stars comes in. Incredible
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews