Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

“His auteur suite of Wilson productions at Court…has been revelatory because Parson has made these plays his own.”
– Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

More than twenty years in the making, Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson completes a defining chapter of his artistic legacy. With Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Parson finishes August Wilson’s American Century Cycle and joins an elite circle of directors who have staged all ten plays at the same theatre.

It is 1911, and Herald Loomis and his daughter, Zonia, have been on the road for years, searching for Zonia’s mother and, unbeknownst to Herald, chasing his forgotten song. Their journey leads them to Seth Holly’s boardinghouse, where they meet Holly, his wife, and fellow boarders who, like them, are in relentless pursuit of love, identity, freedom, and purpose.

Wilson’s iconic, evocative prose and vivid characters shine in this portrayal of a nation haunted by slavery, with spirits around every corner and no escape in sight. 

Accessible Performances

• Touch Tour, Audio Description, ASL Interpretation: Saturday, January 30 at 2:00pm
• Open Captioning: Sunday, January 31 at 2:00pm

Subscriptions including this production are on sale now and can be purchased online or by calling (773) 753-4472.

Subscribe Now

Artwork by Daniel Minter.

Ron OJ Parson’s residency is made possible by

Sponsored by

Kate Collins and Charles Newell

Lawrence E. Strickling and Sydney L. Hans

Lois R. and Maurice J. Beznos