Taraji P. Henson is stepping into a powerful new chapter with her long-awaited Broadway debut in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and she’s embracing every electrifying moment of the stage.
Though she’s no stranger to theater training, Taraji shared that performing live offers a completely different thrill. Unlike film and television, where reactions come after “cut,” the stage delivers instant energy. For her, it’s all about that real-time connection the heartbeat between actor and audience—that makes each performance feel alive and ever-changing.
The production holds deep personal meaning, coming full circle from her days at Howard University, where she once experienced the brilliance of August Wilson firsthand. Now, she brings his work to life under the direction of fellow Howard alum Debbie Allen, in a production she describes as spiritual, moving, and profoundly relevant touching on themes of displacement and the enduring search for belonging.
Starring alongside Cedric the Entertainer, who plays her husband, Taraji praises both his performance and the incredible ensemble cast of rising talent, calling the experience both inspiring and deeply collaborative.
As for opening night at the iconic Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Taraji isn’t fazed by nerves instead, she welcomes them. To her, that rush is a reminder that she’s fully present, fully alive, and exactly where she’s meant to be.
(Disney/Lorenzo Bevilaqua)
