In a historic first, the Apollo Theater of Harlem has joined the producing team of the upcoming revival of August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.” The previously announced Debbie Allen-directed drama will bow on Broadway in spring 2026 at a Shubert Organization-owned theater to be announced. The Apollo joins a producing team that includes the previously reported Brian Anthony Moreland and Kandi Burruss.
This marks the first Broadway producing credit for the 111-year-old institution. While many other nonprofit theater organizations that operate outside of the Main Stem have produced on Broadway before, such as local nonprofits New York City Center and Playwrights Horizons, and national venues like the Kennedy Center, these theaters all served as a production’s originating producer. It is unique for a venue such as the Apollo to produce a show on Broadway that did not originate within its walls. The nonprofit has, however, produced outside of New York before; the Apollo’s mountings of “Between the World and Me,” “The Blues and Its People” and “The Gathering” have toured North America.
Since its establishment in 1914, the Apollo Theater has served as a platform for emerging and early career artists in music, dance, stand-up comedy, spoken word and more, especially through its Amateur Night contest. Among the artists that have performed at the 125th Street venue in their career’s nascence include Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Mo’Nique, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross and Lauryn Hill. In 2009, a national tour of “Dreamgirls” launched at the Apollo.
“The Apollo believes that art has the power to transform — whether through a song, a note, or a story told from the stage,” said Apollo’s executive producer Kamilah Forbes in a statement. “Partnering on ‘Joe Turner’s Come and Gone’ is both a homecoming and a new chapter, uniting the heartbeat of Harlem with the brilliance of Broadway.”
“To have an iconic institution such as the Apollo join our producing team is a thrill,” added lead producer Brian Anthony Moreland. “Having their support means so much and we’re now more excited than ever to bring this show to Broadway next spring.”
Part of Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle” plays, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” takes place in 1911 at a boarding house, which serves as a refuge for Black travelers during the Great Migration. Proprietors Seth and Bertha Holly welcome into their home Herald Loomis and his daughter Zonia, who are on a quest to reunite with Loomis’ lost wife.
The company of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” will include Taraji P. Henson, Cedric “The Entertainer, Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Joshua Boone. Additional casting, by ARC Casting, as well as the production’s creative team and timeline will be announced.
