Purpose - Play

Purpose - Play at OneAmerica Mainstage - Indiana Repertory Theater

In Purpose, the most uncomfortable conversations happen with the people who know you best. Behind the front door, it's another story. Purpose steps into that gap on February 4, 2027, at 7:30 PM, when the Indiana Repertory Theater brings the play to the OneAmerica Mainstage in Indianapolis.

The story centers on the Jasper family, whose influence in civil rights, church and politics is public and powerful. Then comes a family celebration, and private tensions start pushing against the polished image. An uninvited guest arrives. Family secrets are exposed. It's a night built on pressure, loyalty and the question of what we owe the people who share our name. Expect to leave with opinions, and probably a few arguments to continue over dinner.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins wrote the play, which won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. Those honors belong to the play itself, but they signal a script that has earned serious attention. Here, it comes to Indianapolis through an IRT co-production with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, with Tyrone Phillips directing the local production. That's a chance to see a celebrated contemporary work close to home, in a room built for live storytelling and shared reactions. Some stories are better felt with a crowd around you. Bring someone who loves a good conversation afterward, then reserve your seats for Purpose at the Indiana Repertory Theater.