The upcoming Broadway revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone has officially locked in its full cast. Directed by Golden Globe and four-time Emmy winner Debbie Allen, the production returns to Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore Theatre—the same venue that premiered the play in 1988. The limited engagement begins previews March 30, 2026, ahead of an April 25 opening, and will run through July 12.
The Cast
- Taraji P. Henson as Bertha Holly
- Cedric “The Entertainer” as Seth Holly
- Joshua Boone as Herald Loomis
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Bynum Walker
- Savannah Commodore & Dominique Skye Turner sharing Zonia Loomis
- Bradley Stryker as Rutherford Selig
- Tripp Taylor as Jeremy Furlow
- Christopher Woodley & Jackson Edward Davis sharing Reuben Scott
- Maya Boyd as Molly Cunningham
- Abigail C. Onwunali as Martha Pentecost
- Nimene Sierra Wureh as Mattie Campbell
Understudies for the revival include Jasmine Batchelor, Rosalyn Coleman, Thomas Michael Hammond, Cayden McCoy, and Kevyn Morrow.
About the Play
Set in 1911, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone centers on a Pittsburgh boarding house owned by Seth and Bertha Holly, who offer a haven to Black travelers during the Great Migration. Their home becomes a crossroads for seekers, including Herald Loomis, a man searching for both his wife and the pieces of himself left behind after seven years of illegal enslavement under Joe Turner.
The play is the second installment in Wilson’s acclaimed American Century Cycle.
Creative Team
Allen leads a powerhouse creative team, including:
- Paul Tazewell, Oscar/Emmy/Tony-winning costume designer
- David Gallo, Tony-winning scenic designer
- Stacey Derosier, Drama Desk–nominated lighting designer
- Justin Ellington, Tony-nominated sound designer
- Mia Neal, Oscar/BAFTA/Emmy-winning hairstylist
Casting is by ARC Casting, with 101 Productions, Ltd. as general manager. The production is led by Lead Producer Brian Anthony Moreland, with Kandi Burruss, Je’Caryous Johnson, and The Apollo Theater also serving as producers.
A Look Back
The original 1988 Broadway premiere, directed by Lloyd Richards, starred Delroy Lindo and Angela Bassett, earning multiple Tony nominations and a win for L. Scott Caldwell.
The 2009 revival, though brief, was an awards standout—Roger Robinson took home the Tony for Best Featured Actor, while Brian MacDevitt won for Lighting Design.
On Screen
In 2024, Denzel Washington announced that Joe Turner’s Come and Gone would be the fourth Wilson work adapted in his Netflix deal, following Fences, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and The Piano Lesson. No additional details on the adaptation have been released.