In the world of contemporary theater, few playwrights have made as significant an impact as Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Known for his provocative, thought-provoking, and often unsettling works, Jacobs-Jenkins delves into themes of race, identity, family, and the human condition with a razor-sharp wit and unflinching honesty. His plays challenge audiences to confront uncomfortable truths while simultaneously entertaining and engaging them. Here are five must-see Branden Jacobs-Jenkins plays that you need to watch, each offering a unique lens into his brilliant and daring theatrical universe.
1. *An Octoroon*
Why It’s Essential: A bold reimagining of Dion Boucicault’s 19th-century melodrama The Octoroon, this play is a meta-theatrical exploration of race, identity, and the legacy of slavery. Jacobs-Jenkins layers Boucicault’s original text with contemporary commentary, breaking the fourth wall to confront the audience directly.
What to Expect: The play opens with the playwright himself, portrayed as a white actor in blackface, setting the stage for a deeply unsettling yet hilarious deconstruction of racial stereotypes. Through the story of Zoe, a mixed-race woman (the “octoroon” of the title), Jacobs-Jenkins interrogates the ways in which race is performed and perceived.
Key Takeaway: An Octoroon is a masterclass in how theater can both critique and honor its history, forcing audiences to grapple with the uncomfortable realities of America’s past and present.
2. *Gloria*
Why It’s Essential: A dark comedy that begins as a satire of office politics and ends as a meditation on trauma, media, and storytelling. Gloria is a two-act play that takes a sharp turn midway, leaving audiences reeling.
What to Expect: Act One introduces a group of ambitious editorial assistants vying for recognition in a cutthroat New York City magazine office. Act Two shifts focus entirely, exploring the aftermath of a workplace shooting and the ways in which survivors process and exploit tragedy.
Key Takeaway: Jacobs-Jenkins challenges the audience to question who owns a story and how trauma is commodified in our media-saturated culture. It’s a play that lingers long after the curtain falls.
3. *Appropriate*
Why It’s Essential: A family drama that begins as a dark comedy and spirals into a harrowing exploration of racial history and inheritance. Appropriate is a play that forces audiences to confront the ghosts of the past—both personal and collective.
What to Expect: The Lafayette family gathers at their late father’s Arkansas plantation to settle his estate. What starts as a squabble over belongings escalates into a chilling discovery that forces them to reckon with their family’s ties to slavery.
Key Takeaway: Jacobs-Jenkins uses the Lafayette family’s dysfunction as a microcosm for America’s broader struggle with its racial history. The play is a powerful reminder that the past is never truly buried.
4. *Everybody*
Why It’s Essential: A modern adaptation of the 15th-century morality play Everyman, Everybody is a meditation on death, identity, and the universality of the human experience. Jacobs-Jenkins strips away the original’s religious framework, focusing instead on existential questions.
What to Expect: At the start of each performance, roles are assigned by lottery, ensuring that no two productions are the same. This device underscores the play’s central theme: that death is the one inevitability we all share, regardless of who we are.
Key Takeaway: Everybody is a profound exploration of what it means to be human, challenging audiences to reflect on their own mortality and the connections they forge with others.
5. *The Comeuppance*
Why It’s Essential: Jacobs-Jenkins’s most recent work, The Comeuppance, is a searing examination of family, privilege, and the consequences of unexamined lives. It’s a play that asks: What do we owe to those we love, and what happens when we fail to pay that debt?
What to Expect: Set in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood, the play follows two sisters, Peggy and Ericka, as they navigate the aftermath of their mother’s death. Tensions rise when a long-buried family secret threatens to upend their lives.
Key Takeaway: The Comeuppance is a poignant and unflinching look at the ways in which privilege and guilt shape our relationships. It’s a testament to Jacobs-Jenkins’s ability to find universal truths in deeply personal stories.
Expert Insight: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s plays are often described as "uncomfortable" because they force audiences to confront truths they’d rather ignore. However, it’s this very discomfort that makes his work so vital. By pushing boundaries and challenging conventions, Jacobs-Jenkins reminds us that theater is not just entertainment—it’s a mirror held up to society.
Key Takeaway: Whether you’re new to Jacobs-Jenkins’s work or a longtime fan, these five plays offer a comprehensive introduction to his bold, innovative, and deeply human theater. Each work is a testament to his ability to blend humor, horror, and heart in ways that leave audiences both shaken and enlightened.
What themes are most prevalent in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s plays?
+Jacobs-Jenkins’s work frequently explores themes of race, identity, family, and the legacy of historical trauma. His plays often challenge societal norms and force audiences to confront uncomfortable truths.
Are Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s plays accessible to those new to theater?
+Yes, while his plays are intellectually challenging, they are also deeply engaging and often laced with humor. Their universal themes make them accessible to a wide range of audiences.
How does Jacobs-Jenkins use humor in his plays?
+Jacobs-Jenkins employs humor as a tool to disarm audiences, often using it to highlight the absurdity of societal norms or the contradictions within his characters. It’s a way to make difficult topics more palatable without diminishing their impact.
What makes *Everybody* unique among Jacobs-Jenkins’s works?
+*Everybody* stands out for its innovative casting structure, where roles are assigned by lottery at the start of each performance. This device underscores the play’s theme of universality and shared humanity.
Where can I watch Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s plays?
+Many of Jacobs-Jenkins’s plays have been staged at major theaters across the U.S. and internationally. Check local theater listings or streaming platforms for recorded performances.
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a playwright whose work demands attention, reflection, and conversation. His plays are not just stories—they are mirrors, holding up our world in all its complexity, beauty, and ugliness. Whether you’re drawn to his sharp wit, his fearless exploration of difficult themes, or his innovative theatrical techniques, one thing is certain: Jacobs-Jenkins’s plays will leave you thinking long after the lights come up.
