Andre De Shields News

Monday, January 23 was the Aquarius New Moon AND Chinese New Year (year of the Dragon) - it was also the 80th birthday of one of our national treasures - James Rado - co-author of the legendary musical HAIR. Rado celebrated this milestone at The Copacabana, with a crowd of over 125 - family and friends - including original Broadway HAIR cast members - Natalie Mosco, Marjorie LiPari, Robert I. Rubinsky (aka Bobby The Middle-Aged Celebrity); HAIR alumni including Heather MacRae, André De Shields, Ula Hedwig, Zora Rasmussen, Dale Soules. Other guests included Luther Creek (SPIDER-MAN, 25th Anniversary tour of HAIR, RENT) who performed excerpts from Rado's latest musical AMERICAN SOLDIER (written with brother Ted Rado) at the party along with Rosalind Brown, A.D. Coughlan, Ula Hedwig, Sean Jenness, Marjorie LiPari, Michael Lynch, Natalie Mosco, Cheryl Pepsii Riley, Gordon Ramsey, Robert I. Rubinsky, Sam Underwood and Alex York.

As the clock ticks towards 2012, BroadwayWorld caught up with 100 of your Broadway favorites and industry supporters about their hopes for themselves and those they love in the new year.

Christmas 2011 is just days away and in celebration of the holiday season, we reached out to the stars of Broadway to find out what traditions they like best about the holiday season. Between spending time with family and friends, blasting Christmas music and Christmas tree decorating, eating Chinese food and watching movies, the stars seem to love it all!

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presented THE SHEWING-UP OF BLANCO POSNET - a cowboy comedy by George Bernard Shaw - on Monday, December 19 at The Players Club in Manhattan. David Staller produced and directed. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photo coverage below!

The 40th Anniversary production and first-ever Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz's rock musical GODSPELL officially opened at the Circle in the Square Theater on November 7, 2011. Before the show, the celebrities walked the red carpet and we were there!

Irish and Broadway stars came out Saturday night for Bill Whelan's first in a series of 4 concerts at the Irish Arts Center. Among the attendees: five-time Tony Award-winner Angela Lansbury, Emmy Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee Andre De Shields, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, award-winning author Colum McCann, Consul General of Ireland Noel Kilkenny, Malachy McCourt,Chief Executive Eugene Downes of Culture Ireland, Aidan Connelly Executive Director Irish Arts Center, Pauline Turley, Vice Chair Irish Arts Center and many more. Whelan conducted the nine-piece orchestra, played the piano, told stories and sang along with special guests world-renowned fiddler ATHENA TERGIS, Irish singer MORGAN CROWLEY and Irish Dancer and former RIVERDANCE star MICK DONEGAN.

Last night, October 27, CHINGLISH opened at the Longacre Theatre, making its Broadway premiere following its world premiere production at Goodman Theatre in Chicago this summer. The show began performances on October 11. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the celebratory opening and brings you photo coverage below!

Michael Riedel writes today in the New York Post, after attending the final performance of the Andre De Shields directed Ain't Misbehavin' at the Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick, NJ that the show might soon be headed back to Broadway.

As Pulitzer and 9-time Grammy Award®-winner Wynton Marsalis eases into his 50th birthday on October 18, 2011, he casts his memory back a dozen years to 1998-99.

As Pulitzer and 9-time Grammy Award®-winner Wynton Marsalis eases into his 50th birthday on October 18, 2011, he casts his memory back a dozen years to 1998-99.

Welcome to the effervescent, energetic world of Fats Waller, a world of rent parties, hot jazz and the exuberance of the Harlem Renaissance. The 'joint' will definitely be 'jumpin' as Crossroads Theatre Company presents the Tony Award- winning musical, Ain't Misbehavin', directed and choreographed by André De Shields. The season-opening show will run from October 6 through 23. Tickets are on sale now!

This summer is a busy one for award-winning Broadway star André De Shields. He has been nominated as 'Best Leading Actor' for his title role in Charles Smith's new play The Gospel According to James, produced last Spring at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater in Chicago, Dennis Zacek, Artistic Director. Based on the doubling lynching depicted in the infamous Lawrence Beitler photograph, this drama involves the fictional meeting between a witness and a survivor of that seminal moment in Indiana history. The play garnered four Black Theater Alliance Award nods, including Best Direction for director, Chuck Smith and Best Writing for playwright, Charles Smith. The play was originally commissioned by and experienced its world premiere at The Indiana Repertory Theatre in Indianapolis.

In a first-of-its-kind event, an international congress of theater scholars and practitioners are set to chronicle the history and chart the future of Chicago theater in "Chicago - Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future."

In a first-of-its-kind event, an international congress of theater scholars and practitioners are set to chronicle the history and chart the future of Chicago theater in "Chicago - Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future."

In a first-of-its-kind event, an international congress of theater scholars and practitioners are set to chronicle the history and chart the future of Chicago theater in "Chicago - Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future."

ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS, starring in the World Premiere of Charles Smith's The Gospel According To James, in the role of James Cameron, at Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) in Indianapolis, will play his final performance when the show closes on April 10. The production is directed by Chuck Smith.

ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS has been tapped for the World Premiere of Charles Smith's The Gospel According To James, in the role of James Cameron, at Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) in Indianapolis. Directed by Chuck Smith, the new play will run from March 22 through April 10.

Grammy nominated and Broadway phenom Marty Thomas (Xanadu, Secret Garden, Wicked) prepares to redefine the nightclub scene with his new act Marty Thomas Presents: Divas at the hottest spot in Hell's Kitchen. With Industry-Bar dominating every happy hour crowd of the week in the heart of the Theatre District, it only seemed fitting that the neighborhood destination finally brings the cabaret-style spotlight back center stage

Grammy nominated and Broadway phenom Marty Thomas (Xanadu, Secret Garden, Wicked) prepares to redefine the nightclub scene with his new act Marty Thomas Presents: Divas at the hottest spot in Hell's Kitchen. With Industry-Bar dominating every happy hour crowd of the week in the heart of the Theatre District, it only seemed fitting that the neighborhood destination finally brings the cabaret-style spotlight back center stage