Rachel and Kurt’s post-McKinley fate rests in Whoopi Goldberg‘s hands.

Glee sources confirm to TVLine exclusively that the Oscar winning actress-turned-View master has signed on for an extremely pivotal multi-episode arc.

Goldberg will play Carmen Tibideaux, a theatrical grande dame and a professor at New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts (NYADA) who travels to Ohio to preside over Kurt and Rachel’s auditions — and apparently she sticks around long enough to deliver a verdict: I’m told she’ll appear in roughly three episodes, the first of which is set to air on May 1. (Glee‘s season finale is set for May 22.)

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Fun fact: The New York-based Goldberg accepted the gig despite her well documented fear of flying (Gleeshoots in Los Angeles). Of course, last month she headed West to shoot an episode of The Middle playing Sue’s guidance counselor (it airs May 2), so perhaps she’s developing a friendlier relationship with the skies? [UPDATE: An Middle insider tells us that Goldberg actually travelled to L.A. in a fancy schmancy bus, not an airplane.)

Prior to the back-to-back Glee/Middle stints, Goldberg’s last scripted TV series role was in Benjamin Bratt’s A&E drama The Cleaner.

