Andre De Shields Brings I PUT A SPELL ON YOU to Laurie Beechman, 10/12

Following an SRO engagement of his acclaimed theatrical concert BLACK BY POPULAR DEMAND at the Laurie Beechman Theatre last May, two-time Tony Award nominated and Emmy Award winning performer ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS returns to the cabaret stage! His latest theatrical concert, I PUT A SPELL ON YOU will be performed for two shows only, Friday evenings October 5 and 12 at The Laurie Beechman Theatre Downstairs at The West Bank Café (407 West 42 Street).  Showtime is 11:00 PM.  General admission tickets booked in advance are $25 plus $15 food/beverage minimum.  

“If you want to be riveted, challenged and uplifted, well, look no further. André De Shields is a New York treasure and a living legend. Celebration of that is in order.” – Kevin Scott Hall, bistroawards.com

Certainly no stranger to New York’s famed cabaret scene, De Shields reigned as King of Cabaret during the 1970s with the creation of his innovative theatrical concerts in such popular clubs as Reno Sweeney, Horn of Plenty, The Grand Finale, Les Mouches, The Club at La MaMa and many other venues around the world. The Hollywood Reporter dubbed De Shields “the most lethal pelvis since Elvis!”

I PUT A SPELL ON YOU will feature De Shields along with his longtime partners in crime, vocalists Freida Williams and Marléne Danielle, with accompaniment by pianist Larry Spivack, and special guest appearances by composer Steve Margoshes and singer Ula Hedwig.

In a career spanning more than forty years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, director, choreographer and educator. He is the recipient of the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival Living Legend Award, the 2009 AUDELCO Award for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical/Male (Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe), and the 2007 Village Voice OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance.  De Shields is best known for his show stopping performances in the original Broadway

productions of four legendary musicals: 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’ (Emmy Award) and The Wiz (title role). He recently performed a featured role in Chicago’s Goodman Theatre production of Camino Real and the New York Times had this to say “De Shields essentially walks off with the show, or rather slinks off with it!”  For more information go to www.andredeshields.com

Photo Credit: Lia Chang