Cedric the Entertainer Has Specific Pre-Show Rituals, Including Listening to This Specific Type of Music (Exclusive)

Caroline Killilea, Aliza SesslerSun, May 17, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC

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Cedric the Entertainer at the opening night of 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone'
Credit: John Nacion/Getty

Key Takeaways

Cedric the Entertainer makes his Broadway debut in Joe Turner's Come and Gone alongside Taraji P. Henson

The play, written by August Wilson and directed by Debbie Allen, explores Black experiences during the Great Migration

Cedric tells PEOPLE that Henson brings "beautiful energy" to the cast and calls this dramatic role a transformative career moment

Only one kind of music can get Cedric the Entertainer in the performance zone: '80s pop.

The actor, 62, is making his Broadway debut in Joe Turner's Come and Gone as Seth Holly. Taraji P. Henson stars opposite Cedric as Seth's wife Bertha, and the characters run a Pittsburgh boarding house in 1911, offering refuge to Black travelers during the Great Migration.

Cedric tells PEOPLE that he's choosy about his pre-show rituals, and his music in particular, to make sure vibes are high for the entirety of the show.

"I get on the floor and stretch and then I listen to music and it'll vary depending on my mood," he explains. "I go back to the '80s pop. I've been listening to Tears for Fears and the Spandau Ballet, all that kind of stuff getting me vibed out. It's all good."

Cedric the Entertainer
Credit: John Nacion/Getty

Come and Gone is written by August Wilson and originally opened on Broadway in 1988. It is the second of ten installments in Wilson's American Century Cycle about the African American experience during the 20th century. Debbie Allen directs the revival, and it officially opened on April 25.

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Another key aspect of life on Broadway that's helped lift Cedric's spirits? His costar Taraji P. Henson, who makes her Broadway debut alongside him. Her character is a matriarchal figure, and Cedric says Henson herself brings that same "beautiful energy" to the cast every day.

"She shows up for everybody herself and including all the cast members. She makes sure that we're all there to love on each other and do it right. And she's bringing that Bertha motherly energy to the whole play," he explains.

Cedric the Entertainer
Credit: Bruce Glikas/WireImage

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Taking on this new stage of his career has been a fun adventure for Cedric, who has starred in CBS's sitcom The Neighborhood for eight seasons.

"I wanted to try to transform into something that felt a little more dramatic, something that allowed me to push who I was as an actor. And that's what's special about this time for me right now," he shares. "And to be in this play and this particular production has just been exactly what the doctor ordered, if I could say so myself."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”