Branden Jacobs-Jenkins News

After claiming the 2025 Tony Award for Best Play, the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2025 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Purpose is set for its next major milestone: a new production at Sydney Theatre Company.

Conch Shell Productions, in partnership with HB Studio, will present THE GAME as part of Program B of the CSP New Works Fest 2025. The sci-fi one-act will be performed on December 5 at 7:00 p.m. and December 6 at 5:30 p.m..

Lincoln Center Theater has revealed the programming for The Reading Series at LCT3. In this intimate new series, six of our most celebrated playwrights join forces with exciting voices new to LCT to share the stage and the spotlight.

The Shaw Festival has released casting and creative teams for its 2026 season, which runs April 2 through December 23 in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Productions include new stagings of Amadeus, Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, and additional works across three venues.

Performances are now underway for the world premiere stage adaptation of the iconic film, PURPLE RAIN. The Broadway-aimed production is playing at Hennepin Arts’ historic State Theatre in Minneapolis. Read the reviews for Purple Rain here!

You can now get a first look at photos of the world premiere stage adaptation of the iconic film, PURPLE RAIN. The cast features Kris Kollins, who is making his professional stage debut in the lead role of The Kid.

Many Steppenwolf productions have made the jump to Broadway, with three shows transferring in 2025 alone. Learn more about Purpose, Bug, The Minutes, and more!

La Jolla Playhouse has announced its 2026/2027 season featuring three world-premiere musicals—The Family Album, GRIM, and Particle Fever—plus West Coast premieres of Purpose and The Monsters, and the world premiere of A Black-billed Cuckoo, ahead of the 2026 WOW Festival in partnership with UC San Diego.

The Public Theater revealed that 10 new playwrights have been selected for the 2025-2027 Emerging Writers Group. Learn more about the writers and the group here!

Due to audience demand, producer Orin Wolf and Hennepin Arts are pleased to announce that the stage adaptation of the iconic film PURPLE RAIN will rock the historic State Theatre for one additional week.

The 2025 Black Theatre Alliance Awards have announced nominations celebrating excellence in Chicago’s African American theatre community. The ceremony will take place October 27, 2025, at the Beverly Arts Center and honor ILesia Duncan with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Pittsburgh Public Theater has revealed a new chapter in its artistic leadership, welcoming acclaimed director, educator, and actor Kyle Haden as Artistic Consultant and celebrated theater-maker Adil Mansoor as Resident Director.

Yale Schwarzman Center announced that it will produce a staged reading of Ariel Stess's KARA & EMMA & BARBARA & MIRANDA, the winner of the 2025 Yale Drama Series Prize.

With a running time of two hours plus Jacobs-Jenkins's uneven script may waver at times, yet to the company’s credit, and to director Seth Tucker, this Stray Cat Theatre production remains impossible to ignore.

Soulpepper Theatre Company will stage the Canadian Premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ The Comeuppance October 30–November 23, 2025. Directed by Frank Cox-O’Connell.

The world premiere musical adaptation, PURPLE RAIN, will play at Hennepin Arts’ historic State Theatre in Minneapolis. Get a first look at the video for 'I Would Die 4 U'. Watch here!

The Authors Guild Foundation will present Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Purpose) and Sanaz Toossi (English) in conversation with New Yorker staff writer Vinson Cunningham as part of the 2025 WIT Literary Festival.

Douglas Aibel will step down as Artistic Director of Vineyard Theatre, a position he has held since 1985, and in partnership with Sarah Stern since 2011. Learn more!

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ PURPOSE plays its final Broadway performance at the Hayes Theatre, following 22 previews and 192 regular performances.The venue will soon be home to Marjorie Prime, which is set to begin performances on November 20, 2025.

The Shaw Festival has unveiled its 64th season today, set to begin in April 2026, featuring Funny Girl and more. See the full lineup here and learn more about the season!