Broadway Hits Coming to LA's Geffen Playhouse

Geffen Playhouse announces 2026-2027 season featuring transfers of Broadway shows Purpose and Liberation.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:34pm

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Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse has announced its 2026-2027 season, which will include the West Coast premieres of two Broadway productions - Purpose and Liberation. The former, a Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play directed by Phylicia Rashad, will feature its original Broadway cast. The latter, directed by Whitney White, will also be part of a multi-theater co-production. The season also includes the LA premiere of Off-Broadway's The Monsters and a revival of Alice Childress' Wine in the Wilderness, directed by Tony winner LaChanze.

Why it matters

The Geffen Playhouse's decision to bring these acclaimed Broadway and Off-Broadway productions to Los Angeles highlights the theater's commitment to presenting high-caliber, thought-provoking work and expanding access to top-tier theatrical experiences for West Coast audiences. As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympics, the Geffen is positioning itself to embrace a more global audience and cement its status as a leading cultural institution in the region.

The details

The Geffen Playhouse's 2026-2027 season will open with the West Coast premiere of Purpose, the Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play that originated at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. The production will feature its original Broadway cast, including two-time Tony winner Kara Young, Alana Arenas, Glenn Davis, Jon Michael Hill, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, and Harry Lennix. Phylicia Rashad will reprise her direction of the play. Later in the season, the Geffen will present the West Coast premiere of Bess Wohl's Liberation, directed by Whitney White, as part of a multi-theater co-production. The season also includes the Los Angeles premiere of Ngozi Anyanwu's The Monsters, with Anyanwu starring in the new staging directed by Aqoye Timpo, and a revival of Alice Childress' Wine in the Wilderness, directed by Tony winner LaChanze.

  • The Geffen Playhouse's 2026-2027 season will run from November 2026 through July 2027.
  • Purpose will run from November 11 to December 13, 2026.
  • Liberation will run from January 27 to February 28, 2027.
  • The Monsters will run from March 3 to April 4, 2027.
  • Wine in the Wilderness will run from June 2 to July 4, 2027.

The players

Geffen Playhouse

A prominent theater located in Los Angeles, California that presents a diverse range of theatrical productions, including Broadway transfers, world premieres, and acclaimed revivals.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

An acclaimed American playwright whose play Purpose is being brought to the Geffen Playhouse.

Phylicia Rashad

A renowned actress and director who will reprise her direction of Purpose at the Geffen Playhouse.

Bess Wohl

The playwright of Liberation, which will have its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse.

Whitney White

The director who will helm the Geffen Playhouse production of Liberation.

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What they’re saying

“In times of deep chaos, it may feel logical to pull back, to shrink, to stave off efforts toward the future. But we must reach out, we must expand, and call in. We must continue to provide a beautiful, unique place to dream in the dark.”

— Tarell Alvin McCraney, Artistic Director, Geffen Playhouse (Geffen Playhouse)

“Tarell is a visionary, and his artistic prowess has sparked a profound creative evolution at the Geffen, bringing forward new voices and bold stories with every season, and the 2026-2027 lineup continues that momentum.”

— Gil Cates, Jr., Executive Director and CEO, Geffen Playhouse (Geffen Playhouse)

What’s next

The Geffen Playhouse is developing plans to embrace a more global audience as Los Angeles prepares to host the LA28 Olympics, with the theater located directly across from the Olympic Village at UCLA.

The takeaway

The Geffen Playhouse's 2026-2027 season showcases its commitment to bringing the best of Broadway and Off-Broadway to West Coast audiences, cementing its status as a leading cultural institution in Los Angeles and positioning itself to engage with an international audience in the lead-up to the 2028 Olympics.