Joe Turner's Come and Gone on Broadway Tickets

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone in New York City

Taraji P. Henson and Cedric the Entertainer take centre stage in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone as this major Broadway revival of August Wilson’s acclaimed play comes to The Ethel Barrymore Theatre, in the heart of Times Square. This strictly limited-run production explores ancestry, trauma, and community during a pivotal period in Black American history. Don’t miss it - secure your tickets today. 

What is the play Joe Turner's Come and Gone about?

Set in a Pittsburgh boarding house in 1911, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone follows Seth and Bertha Holly, who welcome a stream of tenants searching for a new beginning in the wake of the Great Migration. Into this sanctuary walks Herald Loomis and his young daughter Zonia, shrouded in mystery and grief. Loomis’s arrival unsettles the household, setting in motion a profound exploration of memory, identity and personal liberation. As their stories unfold around the kitchen table, the guests at the Holly home grapple with their pasts and futures, each one a reflection of a community in transition, haunted by a shared history of displacement and oppression.

The History of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Written by Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is the second instalment in his legendary ten-play Pittsburgh Cycle, which charts the African American experience across the 20th century. It premiered on Broadway in 1988, directed by Lloyd Richards, and earned Wilson his second Pulitzer nomination. The 2009 revival, directed by Bartlett Sher, was nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play.

The play’s title refers to the real-life Joe Turner, a bounty hunter who illegally impressed Black men into servitude. Through this painful historical lens, Wilson crafted a timeless and redemptive tale that speaks to generational trauma and the enduring need for spiritual connection. This brand new production marks the play's first major revival in almost two decades.

The Cast of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone 

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone features a star-studded cast led by Golden Globe winner and Academy Award, Emmy, and Tony nominee Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures, Empire) in her Broadway debut as Bertha Holly. Henson is joined by NAACP award-winning actor and comedian Cedric the Entertainer (Barbershop, The Neighborhood) as Seth Holly. 
Rounding out the lead cast are Tony nominee Joshua Boone (Skeleton Crew, The Outsiders) as the Herald Loomis, and Tony winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Bynum Walker (Lackawanna Blues, This World of Tomorrow).

They are joined by

• Savannah Commodore as Zonia Loomis (at certain performances)
• Dominique Skye Turner as Zonia Loomis (at certain performances)
• Bradley Stryker as Rutherford Selig
• Tripp Taylor as Jeremy Furlow
• Maya Boyd as Molly Cunningham
• Jackson Edward Davis as Reuben Scott (at certain performances)
• Christopher Woodley as Reuben Scott (at certain performances)
• Abigail C. Onwunali as Martha Pentecost
• Nimene Sierra Wureh as Mattie Campbell

Who are the creative team of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone? 

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is written by August Wilson. Wilson (1945–2005) was an American playwright widely celebrated for his Pittsburgh Cycle, a series of ten plays exploring the African American experience in each decade of the 20th century. His best-known works include Fences and The Piano Lesson, both of which earned him Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. Other major credits include Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Jitney, and Seven Guitars.

Wilson’s work is distinguished by its lyrical realism and deep exploration of Black identity, history, and spirituality. He received a Tony Award for Fences and was posthumously honoured with the renaming of the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway, which was the first Broadway venue named after a Black artist.

Drama  Desk, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Debbie Allen directs. Allen’s credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Carrie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The creative team includes Tony-nominated set designer Beowulf Boritt (Come From Away), lighting by Allen Lee Hughes (A Soldier’s Play), and costume design by Dede Ayite (Slave Play).

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at the Barrymore Theatre

Discover a play that continues to inspire generations, led by Empire star Taraji. P Henson as she makes her Broadway debut alongside award winning comedian and actor Cedric the Entertainer and a stellar cast. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is a poignant, poetic and essential work that promises to move you. Book your tickets for Joe Turner’s Come and Gone on Broadway at the Barrymore Theatre today!