Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Photo by Lia Chang
Tony, Grammy and Emmy Winning Hadestown Star André De Shields returned to his hometown for a trio of concerts last weekend to tell the story of Charm City and its influence on his journey to personal success, alongside the BSO, with conductor Andy Einhorn in Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The first performance on Dec. 3 was live-streamed and is available to watch on demand through December 17. Click here for digital access to the live-stream.
Lia Chang, Lori Tishfield, André De Shields, Freida Williams, Sean Mayes, Debbi Blackwell-Cook. Photo by Kevin Brown
Sean Mayes served as music director, orchestrator and arranger for this concert series, in addition to playing the piano. De Shields was joined by vocalists Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, and Freida Williams, and the Baltimore City College Choir, with Choral Director, Marcus D. Smith.
André De Shields, Freida Williams, Andy Einhorn, Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, Choral Director Marcus D. Smith and members of the Baltimore City College Choir. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Lori Tishfield, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang
Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams. Photo by Lia Chang
Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Sean Mayes. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tishfield, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Freida Williams. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tishfield, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Freida Williams. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tishfield, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Freida Williams. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Lori Tishfield. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Lori Tishfield. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Lori Tishfield. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Lori Tishfield. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Debbi Blackwell-Cook. Photo by Lia Chang
Conductor Andy Einhorn, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields, Freida Williams, Lori Tishfield and Debbi Blackwell-Cook in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Lori Tishfield and Debbi Blackwell-Cook in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields, Freida Williams, Lori Tishfield and Debbi Blackwell-Cook in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Lori Tishfield and Debbi Blackwell-Cook in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Lori Tishfield and Debbi Blackwell-Cook in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
A standing ovation for André De Shields, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Debbi Blackwell-Cook Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Andy Einhorn, Sean Mayes at curtain call with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields in performance with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields, Conductor Andy Einhorn, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at curtain call at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Baltimore City College Choral Director Marcus D. Smith, Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Conductor Andy Einhorn, Sean Mayes, André De Shields at curtain call with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Baltimore City College Choral Director Marcus D. Smith, Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Andy Einhorn, Sean Mayes, André De Shields at curtain call with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Baltimore City College Choral Director Marcus D. Smith,, Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Andy Einhorn, Sean Mayes, André De Shields at curtain call with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Baltimore City College Choir at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields and guests in the green room. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields, the Company and guests in the green room. Photo by Lia Chang
Debbi Blackwell-Cook and Dwight Cook. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tishfield, Freida Williams, Debbi Blackwell-Cook. Photo by Lia Chang
Freida Williams, Lia Chang, Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Lori Tishfield, Sean Mayes. Photo by Sarah K. Whitfield
Dwight Cook, Debbi Blackwell-Cook and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tishfield, André De Shields, Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Sean Mayes, Sarah K. Whitfield. Photo by Lia Chang
Sean’s writing partner, Sarah K. Whitfield, who co-authored the recently released, An Inconvenient Black History of British Musical Theatre: 1900 – 1950, flew in from the UK for the final performance. It was delightful to have her in the house.
Sarah K. Whitfield and Sean Mayes. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tishfield, André De Shields, Debbi Blackwell-Cook, Sean Mayes, Sarah K. Whitfield. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields, Sarah K. Whitfield, Sean Mayes. Photo by Lia Chang
André De Shields and Sean Mayes. Photo by Lia Chang
A showstopper at the age of 75, De Shields was the triple crown winner of the 2019 award season, securing a Tony, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk Award. In an illustrious career that has spanned more than half century, he has distinguished himself as an actor, director, choreographer, playwright and educator, getting his start as the title character in The Wiz. De Shields picked up an Emmy for his performance as the Viper in the NBC special Ain’t Misbehavin’, two Tony nominations for Play On! and The Full Monty, and has established himself as a veritable cabaret king — choreographing two shows for Bette Midler and creating six solo theatrical concerts. In 2019 he was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. De Shields starred in his breakout role, the title character in The Wiz, which ran for more than 1,600 performances and won seven Tony Awards – including best musical. He starred in the original cast of the Fats Waller musical Ain’t Misbehavin’, a role he later revived, directed, and choreographed for the 30th anniversary run. Andre’s first Tony nomination was for Play On!, a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, featuring Duke Ellington’s music. He received another Tony nomination in 2001 for The Full Monty. De Shields’ other Broadway credits include Impressionism and Prymate. De Shields embraced cabaret early on. Beginning in the ’70s, he created a string of original shows that performed at such landmark New York clubs as Gypsy’s, the Grand Finale, Reno Sweeney, Les Mouches, the Club at La MaMa, the Horn of Plenty, Greene Street, as well as in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London. In 1984, he co-wrote, choreographed, co-directed, and starred in the Broadway musical revue André De Shields’ Haarlem Nocturne. More recent cabaret appearances have included Feinstein’s/54 Below, The Cabaret, Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series, Joe’s Pub, Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York, Old School Square’s Crest Theatre in Delray Beach, Fl. and Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. He is a recipient of the 2018 Bob Harrington Life Achievement Bistro Award.
André De Shields, Lori Tishfield, Sean Mayes, Freida Williams and Debbi Blackwell-Cook. Photo by Lia Chang
De Shields recently starred in the title role of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s King Lear. On opening night, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones issued a Mayoral Proclamation naming June 4, 2021 as “King Lear/André De Shields Day”. New York Senator Brad Hoylman presented Mr. De Shields with a Senate Proclamation on April 8th, 2021 proclaiming the day “André De Shields Appreciation Day”. The surprise proclamation was arranged by producer Tom D’Angora to honor the extensive charity work and activism, along with the public appearances, Mr. De Shields has done for the community this year.
De Shields is the recipient of the 2021 John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. 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. He received the Key to the City of Baltimore from Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young in August, 2019.
André De Shields receives the Key to the City of Baltimore from Mayor Jack Young in the Ceremonial Room of Baltimore City Hall on August 19, 2019. Photo by Lia Chang
Other accolades include the 8th Annual Off Broadway Alliance Legend Award, the 33rd Annual Bob Harrington Life Achievement Bistro Award, the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival’s Living Legend Award and the 2007 Village Voice Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance. His film and TV roles include Keys, who first appeared in a 2014 episode of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” He has also appeared on “Law and Order” twice, as Dr. Elvin Simmonds (Custody,1996) and Mr. Miller (Cost of Capital,2006); Dale Rustin on NBC’s “New Amsterdam”; Anton Ego in Ratatouille: The TikTok Tok Musical, the Algebra Tutor in “John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch” on Netflix; Chubby in “Katy Keene” on the CW; and Wyndham on “Almost Family.” He stars in Foxing’s new music video, Draw Down the Moon, and can be heard on the podcasts Live From Mount Olympus as Hermes and One Speckled Hen. He can be seen in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s tick, tick…BOOM! and as Gavin Plimsoll in Charles Busch and Carl Andress’ comedy film, The Sixth Reel. De Shields is a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and SDC. andredeshields.com
Kimone Kocica, Maria Veres, André De Shields and Marie Gatien. Photo by Lia Chang
Special note: Anyone needing a bite to eat when attending an event at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Orchestra should head over to Soup’s On at 11 W. Preston St. where delicious gourmet soups and sandwiches are the order of the day. Over the course of my week in Baltimore, I had the Maryland Crab soup, the Butternut Squash soup, the Artichoke, Leek, Potato with Mascarpone Cheese soup, the Beef Stroganoff Soup, and the Roasted Pork with Goat Cheese, Strawberry, Carmelized Onion and Fresh Watercress sandwich, and the Portobello Mushroom w/ Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Pepper Jack Cheese and Fresh Watercress with Garlic Aioli sandwich. Click here for the menu, which changes daily.
Soup’s On, 11 E. Preston in Baltimore, MD. Photo by Lia Chang
Baltimore Magazine: André De Shields’ BSO Performances Will Honor Baltimore’s Past And Future
wypr.org: André De Shields: A conversation with the “King of Broadway
wbaltv.com: Baltimore native Andre de Shields returns for performance alongside BSO
Washington City Paper City Lights: André De Shields Goes Home
Lia Chang and André De Shields. Photo by Marie Gatien
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 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. She stars in and served as Executive Producer for the short independent films Hide and Seek, Balancing Act, Rom-Com Gone Wrong, Belongingness and When the World was Young (2021 DisOrient Film Audience Choice Award for Best Short Narrative). She is also the Executive Producer for The Cactus, The Language Lesson, The Writer and Cream and 2 Shugahs.
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