WE'RE BACK HERE. LOOK AT THIS, THE STAR OF
"BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY" ON BROADWAY, COMMON.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK, WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN A
BROADWAY THEATER, IT'S LIKE HOME.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THERE TO MAKE IT MORE LIKE HOME?
I'VE GOT-- CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS I GUESS IS WHAT I'M
ASKING. >> THESE ARE LIKE MANTRAS,
THINGS TO REMIND ME OF WHO I AM AND TO INSPIRE ME.
MY CHEF, HER NAME IS WANDA, I'M A VEGAN AND SHE COOKS THE BEST
FOOD BUT SHE PUTS THESE MESSAGES ON THE CONTAINERS.
>> Stephen: I LIKE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.
THIS ONE SAYS, "I LIVE BRAVELY IN MY TRUE AUTHENTICITY.
PROF LON BURGER AND SALAD. THE.
>> VEGGIE BURGER. THAT'S IT.
LIVING IN AUTHENTICITY, YES. >> Stephen: ARE THERE ANY
LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNED DOING BROADWAY?
NOW THAT YOU'VE DONE IT, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT WHAT'S
NECESSARY? >> MAN, IT'S A SACRED PLACE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST ARTISTIC
EXPRESSIONS YOU COULD EVER GIVE. AND, REALLY, I'M GETTING TO
SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE AUDIENCE.
IT TOOK ME BACK TO THE GRASS ROOTS OF JUST, LIKE, I'M SHARING
MY DRESSING ROOM WITH SOMEONE. LIKE, LIKE INITIALLY, WE DIDN'T
EVEN HAVE OUR OWN-- LIKE, HAVE A MAKEUP ARTIST TO DO, LIKE,
WHATEVER MAKEUP. >> Stephen: THAT'S SOMETHING
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT BROADWAY THEATER.
IIS THATs, YES, IT'S A PINNACLE FOR MANY PEOPLE IN THEIR CAREER
TO BE ON BROADWAY IT'S A FANTASTIC SPACE AND FANTASTIC
TRADITION, BACKSTAGE IT'S VERY LIMITED.
IT'S TIGHT. >> IT'S LIMITED.
I HAVE TO SIGN IN. I'M LIKE SUCH A FRESHMAN ON
BROADWAY. EVERY DAY THEY'RE LIKE,
"RASHEED, DID YOU SIGN IN? DID YOU SIGN IN?"
THERE ARE SO MANY LITTLE ELEMENTS BUT I APPRECIATE
EVERYBODY WORKING ON OUR TEAM, ON OUR PRODUCTION, ECAUSE YOU
SEE ALL THE WORK THAT GOES INTO IT AND THE PASSION AND THE
CREATIVITY. AND IT'S LIKE WE WORKING, WE'RE
IN REHEARSALS. WE'RE STILL IN PREVIEWS RIGHT
NOW. OPENING NIGHT IS THE 19th,
AND I'M JUST-- LIKE, MAN, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST
EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD ALREADY. AND THE CAST IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
>> Stephen: AND YOU HAD TROUBLE GETTING THERE ONE NIGHT?
>> OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I HAD TO-- YEAH.
WELL,A WE TALKED ABOUT NEW YORK CITY BEING BUSY, ONE-- ONE DAY
WE HAD TWO SHOWS, AND I DECIDED TO GO TO BIRN-- NOT TOO FAR
AWAY. MAYBE, LIKE, TWO MILES AWAY FROM
THE THEATER. YOU ALL ARE ALREADY LIKE, WHAT
ARE YOU DOING, COMMON? OUR SHOW IS AT 8:00.
I DECIDED TO LEAVE AT 7:10. I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE
THEATER AT 7:30. I GET IN THE UBER, AND IT SAYS A
40-MINUTE DRIVE TO GET THERE. I'M PANICKING.
OH, MY GOD, I CANNOT BE LADY. THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO SAY THIS
DUDE IS A RAPPER COMING LATE. THEY TRY-- ANYWAY, I SEE THEREAT
BIKE TAXI, AND I TELL MY SISTER SABRINA, WE'VE GOT TO GET IN THE
BIKE TAXI. WE GET IN THE BIKE TAXI.
WE'RE ROLLING. HE'S OUT THERE PLAYING THE BEE
GEES "STAYING ALIVE." AND WE REALLY TRY TO STAY ALIVE.
>> Stephen: IS THIS WHAT THIS PHOTO IS?
>> THIS IS THE PHOTO. >> Stephen: YOU GUYS ARE
TRYING TO KEEP YOUR COMPOSURE WHILE THE GUY IS DRIVING?
>> I'M TRYING TO STAY CALM AND COOL.
AND SABRINA TOLD HIM TO HURRY UP, HURRY UP.
HE SAID, "THE MORE YOU TELL ME TO GO FASTER THE SLOWER I'LL
GO." WE CHILL, AND I SAID I HAVE A
PERFORMANCE TO DO. AND HE SAID, REALLY, YOU'RE
DOING THEATER?" AND I SAID WE'RE DOING THEATER."
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS. I GOT OUT, RAN A COUPLE OF
BLOCKS, AND MADE IT TO THE SHOW. I LEARNED.
I'M EARLY EVERY TIME. >> Stephen: NOW YOU'RE STAYING
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. >> Stephen: COMMON, GOOD TO
SEE YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> Stephen: "BETWEEN RIVERSIDE
AND CRAZY" IS IN PREVIEWS NOW AND OPENS DECEMBER 19 AT THE
HAYES THEATER. IT'S COMMON, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THE STAR OF "EMILY IN PARIS,"
LILY COLLINS.