Theater legend André De Shields dropped into our podcast ahead of his Feinstein’s/54 Below show for a conversation about coming of age during the age of Aquarius, why he took on the monumental role of King Lear for the second time, and how destiny led him to his Tony-winning role in Hadestown.
A showstopper at the age of 75, De Shields was the triple-crown winner of the 2019 award season, garnering Tony, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk Awards for his universally praised role as the messenger to the gods, Hermes, in Hadestown. In an illustrious career that has spanned more than half a century, he has distinguished himself as an actor, director, and educator. His notable theatrical appearances include roles in the original Broadway productions of The Full Monty (Tony Award® nomination), Play On! (Tony Award® nomination), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Emmy Award) and the title role in The Wiz.
In 2020, he received the 2020 Grammy Award for Musical Theater Album for Hadestown, an Honorary Doctor of Arts Degree from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, the 2020 AUDELCO for Lifetime Achievement and the 2020 Red Bull Theater Matador Award for Excellence in Classical Theater. 2019 honors include The Actors’ Equity Foundation Richard Seff Award, which honors veteran stage actors’ best supporting performances of the year, the Project1Voice Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2019 SAGE Joyce Warshow Lifetime Achievement Award, and The York Theatre Company’s 2019 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre, among others. He was also inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. Among his other accolades are the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival’s Living Legend Award and the 2007 Village Voice Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance.
For tickets to André's show at Feinstein's/54 Below, visit: https://54below.com/events/andre-de-shields/.
Photo of Mr. De Shields by Lia Chang.
Credits
The Feinstein’s/54 Below podcast is hosted by Nella Vera, Kevin Ferguson, and Grace Benigni and produced by Bailey Everett and Michael Galvez, with support from the Feinstein’s/54 Below marketing staff.
Original artwork design by Philip Romano.
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