Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Unpacks Purpose | PLUS What Tariffs Mean For Fashion

The Run-Through with Vogue

Vogue

Fashion & Beauty, Arts

4.2 • 724 Ratings

🗓️ 10 April 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

After winning three (!) Tonys for his play Appropriate, Branden Jacobs Jenkins is back on Broadway with another epic family drama: Purpose. This time, it's directed by the one-and-only Phylicia Rashad (swoon) and centers a Black Political elite who finds themselves at a crossroads. Chloe and Vogue’s Features Editor Marley Marius talk with Branden about identity, writing characters for the stage and how he feels about being back in the Condé Nast offices after his long-ago stint at The New Yorker.

PLUS: How does Trump’s Tariffs affect customers and the fashion industry? We invite Vogue Business Executive Americas Editor Hilary Milnes to break down the news.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of The Runthrough is brought to you by H&M's new spring summer campaign.
0:04.9	Dedicated to creative women everywhere, the ethereal yet empowering collection mixes bohemian romance,
0:10.8	glam rock extravagance, and 90s nonchalance.
0:14.3	Shop it now in stores and at HM.com.
0:24.7	This is The run-through. I'm Chloe Mao.
0:25.7	And I'm Chebunadi.
0:27.1	This week we have a very fun episode.
0:29.6	I spoke with playwright Brennan Jacobs-Jankins along with Vogue Features Editor Marley
0:34.7	Marius, and we had the best time we were just cackling with him.
0:38.8	We like barely wanted to leave the studio.
0:41.3	And we talked about his new play purpose, which we saw a few weeks ago.
0:47.0	It's this amazing family drama that I feel like is such a well-worn genre of theater
0:53.6	piece, but he has completely reinvented it
0:56.4	in a new way. And it centers on a black political dynasty and the secrets that come out
1:03.1	when everyone comes home together. And it's extremely funny and poignant and directed by
1:10.2	Felicia Rashad, who everyone's in love with.
1:12.7	We all agreed.
1:14.4	Brandon obviously made his big waves last year on Broadway with Appropriate that won three Tonys.
1:23.6	And his plays, Gloria and Everybody were also finalists for the Pulitzer Polarized for drama.
1:31.9	Choma, did you see appropriate?
1:34.0	I didn't, actually.
1:35.4	I feel like when I come to New York, I should.
	...

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