André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang
Two-time Tony Award nominee, Emmy Award and Obie Award winner André De Shields turned 72 backstage at Playwrights Horizons on January 12th, where he is currently appearing in the world premiere of MANKIND, written and directed by two-time Obie Award winner Robert O’Hara.
Ariel Shafir, Anson Mount, Bobby Moreno and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang
At places, he was surprised with a cake by his castmates Bobby Moreno, Anson Mount, Stephen Schnetzer, Ariel Shafir and David Ryan Smith.
MANKIND was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons with the support of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and will play a limited engagement through Sunday, January 28. Click here to buy tickets.
Joan Jeffri, Traci DiGesu, Jessica Hernandez, Bobby Moreno, Cassey Kivnick. André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang
After the show, several of his worlds collided in his dressing room including Joan Jeffri and Traci DiGesu from The Actors Fund of America, Emilya Cachapero and Jessica Hernandez from TCG, Lori Tan Chinn and Cassey Civnick from HALFTIME, and Garth Kravits.
During the run of MANKIND, De Shields has been in rehearsal, directing and choreographing the NJPAC and Crossroads Theatre Production of Ain’t Misbehavin’, and will head to NJPAC on Monday to tech. The cast includes Johmaalya Adelekan (Ragtime), Zurin Villanueva (Mean Girls and Shuffle Along), Rheaume Crenshaw (Groundhog Day), David Samuel (Ruined, Arena Stage), Borris York (Holiday Inn; Love Never Dies, U.S. tour), and musical direction from David Alan Bunn.
(Front Row) Johmaalya Adelekan, Zurin Villanueva, Rheaume Crenshaw; (back row) David Samuel, André De Shields, Borris York. Photo by Lia Chang
Ain’t Misbehavin’ will be performed in NJPAC’s Victoria Theatre from Thursday February 1 to Sunday, February 4. NJPAC is located at 1 Center Street in the heart of Newark’s Arts District. The Center has convenient parking and mass transit options. For tickets, please visit http://www.njpac.org/events/detail/aint-misbehavin or call 1.888.GO.NJPAC.
Ariel Shafir, Lia Chang, Bobby Moreno, Lori Tan Chinn, André De Shields, Cassey Civnick and Emilya Cachapero. Photo by Lia Chang
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Lia Chang and André De Shields. Photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
Lia Chang Photography 