[title]
Few people know that 50-year-old American rapper Common is actually a very well-rounded artist. After snagging an Oscar, an Emmy and a few Grammys, Common is now one step closer to earning EGOT status—having achieved at least one of each of the most prestigious awards that define show business.
In fact, the artist has just announced that he will be making his Broadway debut on Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play Between Riverside and Crazy, which is scheduled to take over the Hayes Theater beginning November 30.
In the dark comedy, Common will take on the role of Junior, a recently paroled son of an ex-cop. According to an official synopsis, the show chronicles the struggles that father and son face in securing one of the last rent-stabilized apartments on Riverside Drive.
“This has been a dream of mine for a very long time to act in a play, to do theater, and to be a part of a theater company,” Common wrote on Instagram when the news about his upcoming debut was made public. “I can’t wait to begin this process and to live this journey. You never could have told […] that little South side boy that he would be on Broadway. When I got this role, I called my mother like I had gotten my first record contract. Haha! It was that much joy.”
The artist won an Academy Award in 2015 for his song “Glory” from the movie Selma, which he co-wrote and performed with John Legend, and an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics in 2017 for the song “Letter to the Free,” which plays in the Ava DuVernay documentary 13th. He was also nominated for and won a bunch of Grammys, including ones for his songs “The Light,” Testify” and “Stand Up for Something,” among others.
“I have been told how hard the work is and that there’s nothing like it,” he said in his Instagram post. “This is what I want as an artist and as a being that believes art can heal and inspire. I want to be a part of the theater community to express that light and love.”
The official opening night for Between Riverside and Crazy will take place on December 19. Tickets for the show are already available for purchase right here.