Taraji P. Henson set to make her Broadway debut in revival of August Wilson play

Nearly 30 years into her acting career Taraji P. Henson is set to make her Broadway debut. She’ll be starring alongside Cedric the Entertainer in Debbie Allen‘s production of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson.

Taraji will take on the role of Bertha Holly, wife of Cedric’s character, Seth Holly, with additional casting to be announced at a later date. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is set to kick off in spring 2026.

“We are truly honored to return to August Wilson’s legacy,” producer Brian Anthony Moreland said in a statement. “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is Wilson’s seminal masterpiece—an unflinching exploration of pain, identity, and hope. With Debbie Allen’s visionary direction and this extraordinary cast, the entire company will present a performance that resonates deeply and lingers in the hearts and minds of all who experience it.”

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone follows the story of Herald Loomis, a man living in Pittsburgh at Seth and Bertha’s boarding home, which houses Black travelers navigating the disorder caused by the Great Migration. Loomis is in search of his wife, but also his identity, belonging and healing after seven years of being illegally enslaved by Joe Turner. 

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