Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ ‘Purpose’ Wins Pulitzer Prize For Drama

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ play Purpose won the Pulitzer Prize for drama Monday. 

The play, which follows a powerful family in Black American politics recovering from scandal, is currently running on Broadway starring LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Kara Young, Harry Lennix, Jon Michael Hill, Glenn Davis and Alana Arenas. Phylicia Rashad directs the production, which came to Broadway at a Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre in March 2024.

Oh, Mary! written by Cole Escola, which is also currently running on Broadway and stars Escola, was named as a finalist, as was The Ally, written by Itamar Moses, which premiered Off-Broadway in February 2024. Purpose and Oh, Mary! are both nominated for Tony Awards for best play. 

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This is the first Pulitzer win for Jacobs-Jenkins, who was previously named a finalist for his 2017 play Everybody. His previous plays have included Appropriate, which won the 2024 Tony Award for best revival of a play and saw Sarah Paulson win a Tony for her role.

Purpose follows the Jasper family, whose patriarch Solomon was a well-known leader in the Civil Rights Movement, but has since retired. The family’s older son Solomon Jr. has recently gotten out of prison for embezzling funds as a state senator, and his wife will soon have to serve her own stint. The family, which includes the youngest son, Nazareth, who is a shy nature photographer and serves as the narrator of the play, and his friend, Aziza, gather for a birthday celebration for the matriarch of the family. However, all parties soon butt heads as secrets from Solomon turns on family members and as secrets from his past are revealed.

Purpose opened at the Hayes Theater on March 17 and is currently scheduled to run through July 6.