John Legend To Produce Off-Broadway Play About Dick Gregory

Oscar- and Grammy-winning dad-to-be John Legend has an Off-Broadway production in the works.

Legend and Mike Jackson will produce “Turn Me Loose,” a comedy-drama by Gretchen Law about the life of the comedian and activist Dick Gregory.

Joe Morton (“Scandal”) will star as Gregory, a black stand-up comic who wove jokes about racism and bigotry into his act in the 1960s. Gregory is now 83.

The show is the latest endeavor by Legend, who produces the WGN slavery-themed series “Underground.”

Legend will write an original song for “Turn Me Loose.”

“People like Dick Gregory ... show me what the definition of an artist is,” Legend noted in a statement.

The play begins previews May 3 and opens May 19 at the Westside Theater.

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