“Purpose,” a Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, is currently running at the Huntington Theater’s Calderwood Pavilion in Boston from September 10 through October 11. The production presents a contemporary take on the traditional family drama, combining humor and intense emotional moments within a tightly focused narrative set entirely in one home.
The story centers on the Jasper family, who have longstanding ties to the American civil rights movement. Patriarch Solomon Jasper is portrayed as a prominent figure and the family home reflects their legacy through its collection of African art and a near-shrine to Martin Luther King Jr. The family shares some similarities with real-life civil rights leaders, though the playwright has deliberately avoided drawing any direct parallels.
The plot unfolds over two days, beginning with the family gathered to celebrate the return of Junior, the older son, who has just completed a prison sentence for white-collar crimes. His homecoming is bittersweet, as his wife Morgan is due to start her own prison term for tax fraud shortly afterward. The younger son, Naz, characterized as asexual and possibly autistic, adds complexity to the family dynamic. The arrival of Naz’s friend Aziza, unfamiliar with the full family situation but aware of Solomon Jasper’s public legacy, serves as a catalyst for tensions.
The presence of a guest heightens Claudine Jasper’s efforts to maintain the family’s polished public image, but cracks soon appear. As the evening progresses, long-suppressed resentments and unresolved conflicts emerge, exposing themes of identity, vocation, religion, sexuality, and neurodivergence. These issues collectively challenge the Jasper family's unity and the sustainability of the legacy they strive to uphold.
While the first half of the play unfolds with humor and sharp wit—including moments where Naz breaks the fourth wall to provide commentary—the tone shifts dramatically during dinner, culminating in a powerful and messy climax. This oscillation between comedy and drama is a deliberate device designed to engage audiences emotionally and prepare them to confront difficult truths.
Director Josiah Davis emphasizes that the play’s mixture of humor and tragedy helps cultivate a space where audiences feel “a little bit safer” to absorb the underlying messages. The characters resist simple categorization; there are no clear villains or innocent victims. Instead, the narrative presents a nuanced exploration of a family grappling with its complexities and contradictions.
Performances highlight this blending of tones and emotional layers. Omari K. Chancellor, who portrays Naz, notes that the play captures “the tender and tragic and irreverent ways” people struggle to reach the truth within family relationships.
The production runs approximately three hours and offers audiences a thought-provoking and emotionally rich theatrical experience that reinvents the familiar genre of the family saga for the modern stage. Tickets for “Purpose” are available through the Huntington Theater’s website.