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Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a playwright and professor in the practice of Theater and Performance Studies at Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), won his first Tony Award for the play “Appropriate” on Sunday. The production, written by Jacobs-Jenkins and produced by Second Stage Theater, received the award for Best Revival of a Play at the ceremony held at Lincoln Center.

The play premiered at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Kentucky in 2013. Jacobs-Jenkins has revised it considerably since then, continuing to make adjustments even during rehearsals for the Broadway production. Directed by Lila Neugebauer, “Appropriate” explores a family drama set in a former plantation house in Arkansas. Three siblings who gather to sort out their father’s estate are confronted with dark relics from the past when they discover an album containing photos of lynchings.

In his acceptance speech, Jacobs-Jenkins expressed gratitude to Carole Rothman, president and artistic director of Second Stage Theater, stating: “for saying yes, after years and years of being told I was too risky, too provocative, and not commercial enough.” He also dedicated his award to Ossie Davis, whose play “Purlie Victorious” was nominated in the same category. “The truth is without Ossie Davis, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.

Marc Robinson, Malcom G. Chace ’56 Professor of Theater, Dance & Performance Studies and English at Yale's FAS and professor in the practice of Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale commented on Jacobs-Jenkins' achievement: "Branden Jacobs-Jenkins...has long challenged us to think critically about how theater has shaped — and been shaped by — our understanding of race and nation."

The production garnered additional accolades with Sarah Paulson winning Best Leading Actress in a Play and Jane Cox receiving Best Lighting Design of a Play. The play is running at the Belasco Theater in New York through June 30.

Jacobs-Jenkins joined Yale's faculty in 2021. His previous works include "Everybody" (Signature Theater) and "Gloria" (Vineyard Theater), both finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

In a 2021 interview with The Yale Review, Jacobs-Jenkins discussed writing “Appropriate” while living in Berlin: “wondering more deeply about the power of rhetoric and the limits of what a theatrical representation can ultimately accomplish.” He added that his plays from that period are focused on challenging narratives about race or Blackness by revealing audience values.

Other notable winners include Jeremy Strong ’01 for Best Leading Actor in a Play for "An Enemy of the People," Linda Cho ’98 M.F.A. for Best Costume Design of a Musical for "The Great Gatsby," Dede Ayite ’11 M.F.A., who won Best Costume Design of a Play for "Jaja’s African Hair Braiding" along with two other nominations including her work on "Appropriate." Wendall K. Harrington received a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre.