It may not be widely-known that Courtney B. Vance has Broadway credits, and 2 Tony Award nominations for his performances in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fences (1987/1988), and for his lead role in John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation (1990-1991).

Announced earlier today by the show's producers, Vance is returning to the Broadway stage to co-star alongside Tom Hanks a play called Lucky Guy, the Nora Ephron work coming this spring, directed by anotherAfrican American veteran of the stage, as well as a Tony Award winner, George C. Wolfe.

Lucky Guy is based on the life of the late New York City tabloid columnist Mike McAlary (to be played by Hanks) – a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and columnist known for his "bulletproof swagger and unyielding reporting" who worked at the New York Daily News for 12 years, covering the NYPD police beat. He also wrote a book about police corruption in New York's 77th Precinct, titled Buddy Boys. He also reportedly co-wrote the screenplay for the movie Copland, starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro.

McAlary died in 1998 from colon cancer.

Courtney B. Vance will play the role of Mr. McAlary’s editor, Hap Hairston – his first return to Broadway since 1990. Welcome back Mr Vance!

Also joining Hanks and Vance will be Maura Tierney (Emmy Award nominee for her role on E.R., making her Broadway debut) playing Mr. McAlary’s wife, Alice.. 

Lucky Guy is set to begin previews at the Broadhurst Theater on March 1, with opening night scheduled for April 1.