Common will be turning his dream into a reality as he takes the stage for his Broadway debut this November.
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, known by his stage name Common, has had a successful career in the music industry since his start in the early 90s.
The rapper has also established his place as a Hollywood actor, with starring roles in films such as Just Wright, The Informer, and John Wick: Chapter 2.
However, he has recently moved his talents over to the Broadway stage and will be starring in the role of Junior in Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play, Between Riverside and Crazy.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play will begin previews on November 30 and will run at the Second Stages Hayes Theatre in New York City.
The rapper recently took to Instagram to announce his upcoming role and show his excitement over his long-awaited debut.
Common says he is ‘supremely grateful’ to make Broadway debut
To announce his new endeavor and share his gratitude with followers, Common took to Instagram with a promotional shot for the play. “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,” he started.
Continuing, he wrote, “I am supremely grateful and overwhelmingly inspired to be a part of ‘Between Riverside and Crazy.’ I can’t wait to begin this process and to live this journey.”
Common went on to say that he would’ve never believed as a “little south side boy” that he would one day star in a Broadway show, and immediately called his mother after receiving the news. “It was that much joy,” he said.
“I have been told how hard the work is and that there’s nothing like it. 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. I thank GOD for this opening of doors and this blessing. So pls come check out our play y’all,” he told his followers.
Common shares fellow cast members in Between Riverside and Crazy
Along with his announcement, Common also shared the headshots of the other actors who will appear alongside him in the play.
Under the direction of Austin Pendleton, the play also stars actors Victor Almanzar, Elizabeth Canavan, Rosal Colón, Liza Colón-Zayas, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Michael Rispoli.
According to Playbill, the prize-winning play centers around a recent widower and ex-cop struggling to keep his rent-stabilized apartment located on Riverside Drive. Placed in the genre of “dark comedy,” the story follows the lead and his son as they face the fact that the “old days are dead and gone.”
After weeks of previews, Common and the rest of the cast are set to officially open the show on December 19.