André De Shields is an African-American actor, singer, director, dancer, novelist, choreographer, lyricist, composer, and professor. His recent musical theatre credits include Hadestown.
In a career spanning forty-seven years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, director, choreographer and educator. Mr. De Shields is an esteemed alumnus of both the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2004 Doctor of Fine Arts honoris causa) and New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. His numerous accolades include a second honorary Doctor of Fine Arts (SUNY-Buffalo State College), the 2007 Village Voice OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance, the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival’s Living Legend Award, a 2012 Fox Foundation Fellowship in Distinguished Achievement, Florida Atlantic University’s 2014 Making Waves Award, the Theatre School at DePaul University 2015 Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Riant Theatre’s 2016 Pioneer of the Arts Award, the Black Theatre Network's 2016 Winona Lee Fletcher Award, three Chicago Joseph Jefferson Awards and nine AUDELCO Awards. His body of work includes Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional Theatre, Feature Films, Television, Distinguished Visiting Professorships and Motivational Speaking. A multiple Tony Award nominee, Mr. De Shields is best known for his show stopping performances in six legendary Broadway productions: Impressionism (costarring with Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen); the world premiere of Mark Medoff’s Prymate (Drama Desk nomination); The Full Monty, for which he received Tony, Drama Desk and Astaire Award nominations, in addition to both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards; Play On! (Tony nomination); Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Drama Desk nomination) and The Wiz (title role).
Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner André De Shields performs "Who'd Do the Dirty?" in a concert presentation of Jim Steinman and Barry Keating's cult musical RHINEGOLD- a musical he first appeared in as Loki The Fire God, in 1973. He was joined by Bradley Dean as Odin, and Andrew Polec as Thor.
The cast also featured Iris Beaumier, Madge Dietrich, Jon Lonoff, Mariah Lyttle, Larry Purifory, Gregory Sullivan.
Drew Wutke served as Music Director with band members Hajime Yoshida, Nicole Patrick and Dave D'Aranjo.
Rhinegold is based on Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold opera, written in 1869. The musical played the Mercer Arts Center in 1973, followed by a run at Playwrights Horizons in 1975.
André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, activist, educator, and philanthropist. His legendary career has resulted in a treasure trove of accolades, the most recent of which is the 89th Annual Drama League Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater. He was the triple crown winner of the 2019 awards season, garnering Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Grammy Awards for his acclaimed role as Hermes in Hadestown, followed by a paranormal portrayal as Ben Loman in the 2023 revival of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Perennially known for his show-stopping performances in four legendary Broadway musicals—The Wiz, Ain't Misbehavin (Emmy Award), Play On!, and The Full Monty—Mr. De Shields has achieved the status of “Broadway Deity.”
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer, activist, documentarian and an Award winning filmmaker and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Lia is also the host and Executive Producer of BACKSTAGE PASS WITH LIA CHANG, an Arts and Entertainment and Lifestyle program that airs on Sundays at 6:30pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, Spectrum 56/1996 and streams on MNN2. Lia was recently profiled on Asian American Life. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. www.liachang.com www.liachangphotography.com
Video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
Manhattan Neighborhood Network
Video: André De Shields sings "Who'd Do the Dirty?" from Jim Steinman and Barry Keating's RHINEGOLD Concert at the Laurie Beechman Theatre https://wp.me/p8ilTC-ejR
Peter Erik Lopez's Portraits of Broadway Deity André De Shields, Drag Icons Amanda Lepore and Kevin Aviance on View in BEYOND GENDER Exhibition at the Ceres Gallery, 547 W. 27th St. #201, NYC through Jun. 24 for Pride Month https://wp.me/p8ilTC-ebZ
André De Shields Gives Keynote Address at NYU Gallatin Graduation Exercises for Class of 2023 at Beacon Theatre https://youtu.be/9uyiiWePcqs
Video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
André De Shields Gives Keynote Speech for GMHC's HIV and Aging Conference 2023 at New York Academy of Medicine on 6/7/23.
Video by Backstage Pass with Lia Chang/MNN.org
André De Shields Receives 2023 Drama League Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater
Photos and video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
MNN.org
André De Shields & Amber Gray perform a Medley of (What Did I Do to Be So) Black & Blue and The Tragic Mulatto at The Team's 18th Birthday Celebration at 26 Bridge in Brooklyn on March 27, 2023. www.theteamplays.org
Video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang: Inside the TEAM's 18th Anniversary Gala with André Robin De Shields, Amber Renae Gray, Rachel Chavkin, Vinie Burrows and More https://wp.me/pXK8r-4Oy
In a career spanning fifty-five years, André De Shields, at age 77, has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, activist, educator and philanthropist. As Actor Mr. De Shields’ mission is to fill intimate spaces with enormous beauty. He defines intimate spaces as the hearts of humanity. As Activist he endeavors to restore majesty, elegance and literacy to the Black Thespian toolbox. His legendary career has resulted in a treasure trove of accolades, among them Doctor of Fine Arts honoris causa from his Alma Mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has founded THE ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS FUND. His other marks of esteem include having been the triple crown winner of the 2019 awards season, garnering Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Grammy Awards for his universally acclaimed role as Hermes, messenger to the gods, in Hadestown. Mr. De Shields transitioned from 2022 into 2023 with a paranormal portrayal as Ben Loman in the searing production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, starring Wendell “The Lion” Pierce. Perennially known for his idiosyncratic, show-stopping performances in four legendary Broadway productions—The Wiz, Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Emmy Award), Play On! and The Full Monty—Mr. De Shields has achieved the status of “Broadway Deity.” www.andredeshields.com.
Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown) emcee dThe TEAM's 18th Anniversary Gala at 26 Bridge in Brooklyn on March 27, 2023.
Performances include musical offerings from André De Shields, JJJJJerome Ellis ("The Clearing"), a story from Brenda Abbandalando (The Sign in Sydney Brustein's Window), and an exclusive first look at Reconstructing, co-directed by Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown; Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) and Zhailon Levingston (Chicken & Biscuits) and featuring Eric Berryman ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"), Vinie Burrows (Light Shining in Buckinghamshire), Libby King (RoosevElvis), Jill Frutkin (Mission Drift), James Monaco (The Conversationalists) and Modesto Flako Jimenez (Taxilandia).
Reconstructing (Still Working but the Devil Might Be Inside), co-directed by Rachel Chavkin and Zhailon Levingston (Chicken & Biscuits), explores intimacy between Black- and white-identifying Americans in the historical and present-day context of a violently anti-Black USA. The work will operate on a meta-theatrical level, making the artistic process legible and holding up that process as a microcosm for "how we move through history together." (Artist Eric Berryman)
Reconstructing is collaboratively authored by Brenda Abbandondolo, Denée Benton (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812), Jhanaë Bonnick (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street), Vinie Burrows, Rachel Chavkin, Eisa Davis (Bulrusher), André De Shields, JJJJJerome Ellis, Katherine Freer (Ride the Cyclone), Jill Frutkin, Amber Gray (Hadestown), Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play), Matt Hubbs (RoosevElvis), Modesto "Flako" Jimenez, Marika Kent (Catch as Catch Can), Libby King, Ian Lassiter (King Lear), Zhailon Levingston, Jake Margolin (Mission Drift), James Monaco, Kristen Sieh (The Band's Visit), Nick Vaughan (The Royale), and Jillian Walker (SKiNFoLK: An American Show). Jillian Walker serves as Process Director. Milta Vega-Cardona serves as Process Chaplain. Rachel Chavkin and Zhailon Levingston are the Co-Directors.
ABOUT THE TEAM
Founded in 2004, The TEAM is an award-winning, internationally-celebrated theatre collective, dedicated to creating new work about the experience of living in America today. Led by Tony Award-winning Artistic Director Rachel Chavkin, and spirited by some of the most wild and deep artists making today, the TEAM has created 11 works-including Mission Drift, RoosevElvis, and Primer for a Failed Superpower-and presented them nationally at theaters like The Public Theater, PS122, A.R.T, and Walker Art Center, and internationally at London's National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Barbican, and Almeida Theatre, Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre, Lisbon's Culturgest, and the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Current TEAM programming includes but is not limited to: the development of our newest "mainstage" work, Reconstructing (Still Working but the Devil Might Be Inside; The Petri Projects Program, an artist-driven new work development lab; and "Live From Mount Olympus," a podcast of Greek myths geared towards a contemporary, young audience and featuring an all-star cast of actors from the TEAM's network.
BACKSTAGE PASS with Lia Chang: Photos and Video: Inside the GMHC's 10th Annual Cabaret and Howard Ashman Award Ceremony with Honoree André De Shields https://wp.me/pXK8r-4J8
Tony, Grammy and Emmy Winner André De Shields reprises his iconic role of The Wiz at Ode to Black Broadway with the Brooklyn Nets https://wp.me/pXK8r-4Hd
The twenty-fifth episode of BACKSTAGE PASS with Lia Chang, executive produced and hosted by Lia, airs on March 12 at 6:30pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, and Spectrum 56/1996, and streams on MNN2. If you miss the episode, it will be archived on my youtube channel.
BACKSTAGE PASS with Lia Chang
André De Shields 2023 Interview w/ Seth Rudetsky - Sirius XM radio (Broadway Channel 72) Seth Speaks
I'm at the SiriusXM studios with Tony, Grammy and Emmy winning Broadway Legend Andre De Shields and Seth Rudetsky for the taping of Seth Speaks Broadway. On Feb 6, Andre will be receiving the GMHC 2023 Howard Ashman Award at Joe's Pub. In addition to chatting about the mission of the Gay Men's Health Crisis, Andre performed So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard from The Wiz and The Viper from Ain't Misbehavin' in the original keys. This interview can be streamed on demand on the @siriusxm app.
André De Shields Celebrates 77th Birthday at DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
DEATH OF A SALESMAN castmates, led by Wendell Pierce, surprise André De Shields
on his 77th birthday on stage after the curtain call.
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
Video by Lia Chang
Tony, Grammy and Emmy winning Death of A Salesman star André De Shields gives a Master Class at NYU Grad Acting, Tisch School of the Arts on November 11, 2022. In conversation with Laurence Maslon, Arts Professor, Associate Chair of the Graduate Acting Program, NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
BACKSTAGE PASS with Lia Chang
TONY WINNER AND HADESTOWN STAR LILLIAS WHITE PRESENTED THE 2022 BIV INSPIRATION AWARD TO TONY, GRAMMY AND EMMY WINNING DEATH OF A SALESMAN STAR ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS AT BROADWAY INSPIRATIONAL VOICES (BIV)'S BETTER DAYS: FUNDRAISING COCKTAIL PARTY AND AWARDS CEREMONY AT ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY'S AMERICAN AIRLINE THEATRE'S PENTHOUSE LOBBY IN NEW YORK ON OCTOBER 24, 2022
Artscape Is Back!!!
Check André De Shields out in this wonderful new video by BOPA called “What Is Art.” Watch it, like it, and share it!
The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA) announces the return of Artscape on September 20-24, 2023!!
From hip-hop to craft cocktails to award-winning art, Baltimore is teaming up with creative talent like me.
Meet Me at Artscape 2023!!
@promoandarts
@andre_deshields
@hadestown
@salesmanonbroadway
#Artscape #BOPA #ArtscapeBaltimore #Artscape2023
LIVE FROM NYPL & PEN America: André De Shields Reads Passage from Toni Morrison's BELOVED before RESTRICTED ACCESS: AN AMERICAN HISTORY OF BOOK BANNING Panel
Multimedia: Wendell Pierce and Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award® Winner André De Shields Discuss DEATH OF A SALESMAN at BroadwayCon First Look; Previews Begin September 19
https://wp.me/pXK8r-40h
Death of a Salesman stars Wendell Pierce and Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award® winner André De Shields were part of BroadwayCon's First Look programming in the Grand Ballroom of The Manhattan Center in New York on July 8, 2022. The pair, who play brothers Willy and Ben Loman in the highly anticipated Broadway revival of Death of A Salesman, chatted with Master of Ceremonies Jared Grimes about the show.
Video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
André De Shields presents his DEATH OF A SALESMAN co-star Sharon D Clarke with the 2022 Theatre World Award for her Broadway Debut in CAROLINE OR CHANGE at the 76th Annual Theatre World Awards on June 6, 2022.
Video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
Standing Ovation for André De Shields during his entrance for his final turn as Hermes in HADESTOWN on May 29, 2022
Video by Lia Chang/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
André De Shields played his final performance as Hermes in HADESTOWN at the Walter Kerr Theatre on May 29, 2022. After the curtain call, Mayor Eric Adams presented André with a proclamation that May 29, 2022 is "André De Shields Day" in the City of New York. Then André sang "Believe in Yourself".
Video by Rob Laqui/Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
André De Shields Presents 2022 WP Theater Ceiling Breaker Award to Mara Isaacs, Special performance by Anais Mitchell
André De Shields presented the 2022 Ceiling Breaker Award to Mara Isaacs at the WP Theater Women of Achievement Awards Gala; Schele Williams and Vanessa Williams were also Honored with 2022 Trail Blazer Awards https://wp.me/pXK8r-3BF
Photos and video by Lia Chang
André De Shields Receives the Inaugural Gallatin Distinguished Alumni Award for Service to the School and Lifetime Achievement in the Arts on April 30, 2022; Sings Lift Every Voice and Sing
Video by Lia Chang
Inside the NYU Alumni Association's Annual Awards Luncheon with 2022 NYUAA Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient André De Shields https://wp.me/pXK8r-3nc
Video by Lia Chang
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR Star André De Shields, Director Carl Cofield and Sound Designer David R Molina Win 2022 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards https://backstagepasswithliachang.wordpress.com/2022/03/29/st-louis-shakespeare-festivals-king-lear-star-andre-de-shields-director-carl-cofield-and-sound-designer-david-r-molina-win-2022-st-louis-theater-circle-awards/
Lori Tishfield sings "The Tragic Mulatto"
Music and Lyrics by André De Shields
Accompanied by Sean Mayes on Piano and Rudy Bird on Percussion
The Cabaret
André De Shields: BLACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: A MUSICAL MEDITATION ON HOW NOT TO BE EATEN BY THE SPHINX Wins 2021 BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award https://wp.me/p8ilTC-bFn
Video by Lia Chang
André De Shields & Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang/Lia Chang Photography
Photos and Video: Final Day to See André De Shields in Concert with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore City College Choir
https://wp.me/pXK8r-3im
In Rehearsal: André De Shields & Baltimore City College Choir for BSO Concerts
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is presenting An Evening with Tony, Grammy and Emmy Winning Hadestown Star André De Shields, Friday, December 3 – Sunday, December 5, 2021 in Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. The Baltimore native returns to his hometown to tell the story of Charm City and its influence on his journey to personal success, alongside the BSO, with conductor Andy Einhorn. Sean Mayes is music directing, orchestrating and arranging this concert series. De Shields will be joined by vocalists Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, and Freida Williams, and the Baltimore City College Choir.
Photos and Video: Tony, Grammy and Emmy Winning Hadestown Star André De Shields, Choir Students from His Alma Mater, Baltimore City College, Rehearse for Dec. 3,4, 5 Concerts with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra https://wp.me/pXK8r-3dZ
André De Shields & Company sing L-O-V-E in BLACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: A MUSICAL MEDITATION ON HOW NOT TO BE EATEN BY THE SPHINX
Video by Lia Chang
André De Shields: BLACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: A MUSICAL MEDITATION ON HOW NOT TO BE EATEN BY THE SPHINX Garners 2021 United Solo Special Award Nomination
https://backstagepasswithliachang.wordpress.com/2021/10/20/andre-de-shields-black-by-popular-demand-a-musical-meditation-on-how-not-to-be-eaten-by-the-sphinx-garners-2021-united-solo-special-award-nomination/
André De Shields Congratulates Musical Theater student Jayden Nelson BFA'25 as the Inaugural Recipient of the André De Shields H'20 Scholarship Award at Boston Conservatory
Kimberly Marable, Lori Tishfield and Freida Williams, percussionist Rudy Bird, and musical director/pianist Sean Mayes perform NOW IS THE TIME, featuring music and lyrics by André De Shields, in André De Shields' Black By Popular Demand: A Musical Meditation On How Not To Be Eaten By The Sphinx at The Cabaret. https://wp.me/p8ilTC-auW
Video by Lia Chang
Watch: André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada, Reeve Carney, Tom Hewitt and the Company of HADESTOWN sing 'Way Down Hadestown' on Good Morning America https://wp.me/p8ilTC-aKw
Video by Lia Chang
Opening Night at Feinstein’s/54 Below of André De Shields' "Black By Popular Demand: A Musical Meditation On How Not To Be Eaten By The Sphinx"; Live Performances Continue 8/6, 8/7 with an additional Live Stream on 8/7 at 7pm https://wp.me/p8ilTC-atB Rudy Bird, Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Samuel-Moses Jones, Kimberly Marable, Sean Mayes #54below
Link for tkts https://54below.secure.force.com/ticket/?_ga=2.8182257.219873928.1628091542-255680799.1619568941#/events/a0S1Y00000TEK1XUAX
Link for livestream https://events.broadwayworld.com/event/andre-de-shields-black-by-popular-demand-8-7-7-pm-et/
Aug. 3-7: Tony, Grammy and Emmy Winning Hadestown Star André De Shields in BLACK BY POPULAR DEMAND with Featured Vocalists Kimberly Marable, Lori Tishfield and Freida Williams at Feinstein’s/54 Below https://wp.me/p8ilTC-afr #54below Feinstein's/54 Below will livestream the concert on Aug. 7.
Tickets Aug 3-7 https://54below.secure.force.com/ticket/?_ga=2.38391331.1609807677.1627509267-255680799.1619568941#/events/a0S1Y00000TEK1XUAX
Tickets for Livestream on Aug. 7 https://events.broadwayworld.com/event/andre-de-shields-black-by-popular-demand-8-7-7-pm-et/
Jul. 28-Aug. 1: St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR Starring André De Shields, Brian Anthony Wilson, Allen Gilmore, J. Samuel Davis, Nicole King, Rayme Cornell, Jacqueline Thompson, Daniel José Molina, Leland Fowler and More Available On Demand https://wp.me/p8ilTC-ajY
The video capture of KING LEAR was directed and edited by Colin O’Brien, with Phillip Hamer serving as Director of Photography.
André De Shields Sings "None Of Us Are Free" for Virtual Theatre World Awards Benefit Gala, accompanied by Sean Mayes on the keys and Andrew Atkinson https://wp.me/p8ilTC-aa4
Video by Michael D'Angora and Tom D'Angora, shot at The Triad #54below
This song is the opening number for André's concerts at Feinstein's/54 Below (Aug. 3-7) and The Cabaret (Aug. 12-14).
Hadestown
In the warmth of summertime, songwriter Orpheus and his muse Eurydice are living it up and falling in love. But as winter approaches, reality sets in: these young dreamers can’t survive on songs alone. Tempted by the promise of plenty, Eurydice is lured to the depths of industrial Hadestown. On a quest to save her, Orpheus journeys to th...
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