Taraji P Henson is making her Broadway debut in the revival of August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Oscar-nominated actor, known for roles in Hustle & Flow, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Hidden Figures, brings her formidable talents to the stage as Bertha Holly, the matriarch of a boarding house in 1911 Pittsburgh.
A Return to the Stage
Despite her film and television success, Henson's foundation is in theater. She studied drama at Howard University in the 1990s, and she says she was "made for the stage." The call to join this production came from director Debbie Allen, who helms the revival. Henson recalls the 20-minute phone conversation: "Debbie called me and was like, 'Taraji, I got something for you! How do you feel about doing Miss Bertha in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, honey?' I said, 'Well, Debbie, anything for you. All you had to do was say August Wilson, and I'm in.'"
The Play's Timeless Themes
Joe Turner's Come and Gone is the fourth play in Wilson's Century Cycle, set just one generation after slavery. The characters grapple with identity, displacement, and the search for purpose. Henson notes the tragic relevance today: "Families are being pulled apart right now as we speak. Somebody who is being detained by ICE right now just disappeared. Whole families are being wrecked." The play also explores Black spirituality, blending Hoodoo and Christianity, which Henson says audiences understand better now than in 1988.
Finding Purpose and Combating Burnout
Henson sees the play's central message as a call to find one's purpose. "It is very important in your lifetime to find your purpose, whatever that is," she says. "Once you find your purpose, you're going to want to sing about it." She also opens up about Hollywood burnout, particularly the pay disparity for Black women. In 2023, she spoke out about being "tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do [and] getting paid a fraction of the cost." She recalls a similar burnout in 2013 after leaving Person of Interest, which led her back to theater. "That's how I got Cookie [on Empire], because Fox executives kept coming to that play," she explains.
The Magic of Live Theater
Henson describes the intimacy of live performance, where mistakes become part of the art. She recalls dropping flour during a kitchen scene: "I cleaned it up, and no one noticed. That's what's so beautiful about live theater: you have to stay in it." She treats every night like opening night, driven by gratitude for her audience. "When people come out of their pockets to purchase a ticket that has my name on it, I'm going to give them everything I got," she says, tearing up.
A New Definition of Success
Seeing fans travel from across the country to see her has redefined success for Henson. "I don't care who got that gold. Are they coming to see you like this? I'm so giving of my gift to the world, and the world sees it. That's worth more than man-made gold," she says. The show's run has been extended twice, and Henson continues to greet fans after performances. Her Broadway debut is not just a career milestone but a reaffirmation of her purpose.
Joe Turner's Come and Gone is at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, until 26 July.
