NEW YORK — Don’t expect Kara Young to pick a favorite among her numerous acting roles, as she considers each one equally significant.
“Whenever I’m engaged in a show, it feels like the most crucial thing in the world,” she expresses. “I don’t have a singular favorite. To me, every project carries its own significance.”
Currently, the intriguing project capturing Young’s focus is the Broadway play “Purpose.” Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, the drama unfolds at the Helen Hayes Theater, spotlighting a distinguished Black family confronting its hypocrisies and tensions during a snowstorm-induced get-together.
“This play is incredibly rich,” says Young, who portrays an onlooker to the family’s collapse. “Much like all great writers, he crafts entire worlds within a line or between words.”
A Dramatic Family Reunion
“Purpose” takes place in the Jasper family’s living room, settled in a well-off Chicago neighborhood. At the head is Pastor Solomon Jasper, a Civil Rights icon, alongside his formidable wife, Claudine. They reunite with their sons — Junior, a former state senator, recently out of prison for embezzlement, and Naz, who left divinity school to pursue a career in photography.
Young steps into the role of Aziza, a social worker from Harlem, who has been friends with Naz but was unaware of his family connections. “This doesn’t happen to me! I never meet famous people, and you’ve been famous all along?” she exclaims.
Her astonishment soon shifts as jealousy among siblings, frustrations from parents, buried grievances, and the weight of expectations surface during an intense dinner, culminating in disputes.
“We’re often most vulnerable to anger with those we love most,” says Young. “In the less than 12 hours they’re together after two years, as they sit for dinner, these buried emotions emerge, much like real life.”
Young Poised for a Historic Achievement
Young’s stage work has not gone unnoticed, earning her a Tony Award nomination with the potential to achieve a historic milestone. Recognized as the first Black performer nominated four consecutive times, a win would see her as the first Black artist to claim back-to-back Tonys.
She began her Broadway journey in 2021 with “Clyde’s,” appeared in “Cost of Living,” and starred alongside Leslie Odom Jr. in the 2024 production “Purlie Victorious,” which brought her a Tony Award.
Young’s character in “Purpose,” described by Jacobs-Jenkins as “deeply perceptive and empathetic,” resonates with Young herself. She relates to both Aziza’s and her pursuit of making a difference.
“I connect with her core,” says Young. “Each play I’ve done, from my early festival days, has made me feel like it could change the world. Aziza shares that ambition to enact global change.”
Directed by Phylicia Rashad, “Purpose” also features LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Harry Lennix, Jon Michael Hill, Alana Arenas, and Glenn Davis.
‘Full of Joy, Curiosity, and Excitement’
Jon Michael Hill, portraying Naz, received a Tony nod for his role and dubs Young “the heart and joy of our family at the Helen Hayes.”
“She lifts the spirits of everyone she meets,” he says. “It’s incredible how she creates space for everyone around and engages daily with joy and curiosity.”
A telling moment for Young came on the day of the Met Gala, where the “Purpose” cast was present alongside its playwright. On that same day, Jacobs-Jenkins clinched the Pulitzer Prize for drama.
Young, while getting her makeup done, couldn’t contain her excitement. Once at the gala — the ultimate time for self-promotion — she was a walking ambassador for the play. “I told everyone, ‘You have to see this play. He just won a Pulitzer!’”
Hill fondly recalls Young spreading the word about their show. “She engaged with everyone to promote our work and welcomed them to come watch.”
Young launched her stage career in 2016 with Patricia Ione Lloyd’s “Pretty Hunger” at the Public Theater, a narrative about a young Black girl unaware of her heritage. Lloyd once confided that the role was crafted with Young in mind.
“Patricia Ione Lloyd made me dream big as an artist,” says Young. “She set me on my path beautifully.”
Up next, Young is slated for the movie “Is God Is,” directed by playwright Aleshea Harris from her 2018 stage work. Co-stars include Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox, and Janelle Monáe. She eagerly describes it as “a spaghetti Western-meets-Tarantino-meets-the Greeks.” Come summer, she’ll return to Broadway in the revival of “The Whoopi Monologues” with Kerry Washington.
As for the future, “I venture into the unknown with excitement,” she shares. “Life is to be embraced, and there’s always something new to discover.”