Best Of: Broadway legend André De Shields / Apache Chef Nephi Craig
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From WHYY in Philadelphia, I'm Terry Gross with Fresh Air Weekend. Today, Andre DeShields. At the age of 80, he's back on Broadway in Cats the Jellicle Ball. He won a Tony for his performance in Hadestown and co-stars in the new film of the revival. He made his Broadway debut in the title role of the 1975 original Broadway production of The Wiz. De Shields describes himself as afroqueer, a longtime HIV survivor, and unreformed hippie. He's always gone his own way in how he thinks, speaks, dresses, and moves. I don't rush anywhere. I walk slowly. My reputation is that Andre De Shields doesn't walk, he floats. Later, Apache chef Nephi Craig explains how cooking and teaching about indigenous foods saved his life.
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Who is André De Shields and why is he called a Broadway legend?
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This is Fresh Air Weekend. I'm Terry Gross. When Andre DeShield's name is mentioned, it's often preceded by the words Broadway Legend or The Great. He won a Tony for his performance in the musical Hadestown in 2019, and the show won seven other Tonys, including Best Musical. Stars of the original Broadway cast reunited for a revival of the show last year in London. That production was filmed and is now showing in select theaters. Right now, DeShields is one of the stars of Cats, the Jellicle Ball, which won three Tonys last month. It uses the same songs as Cats, but with different beats, and is set in the queer underground ballroom culture of the 80s. That show is closing August 8th. DeShields is especially remarkable considering he's 80 and has been HIV positive since 1991.
He grew up in Baltimore in what he describes as the innermost part of Baltimore's inner city and figured getting an education would be key to getting out. He earned his B.A. in English Literature at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and an M.A. in African American Studies from NYU. He started his career in experimental theater in Chicago. When his theater group performed in New York, he decided to stay. He soon got cast as The Wizard in the 1975 original Broadway cast of The Wiz, which was produced a few years before the movie. He was nominated for a Tony for his performance in the show Ain't Misbehavin', which was built around music associated with Fats Waller, and he won an Emmy when it was produced for a 1982 NBC broadcast.
He was nominated for another Tony for his performance in The Full Monty. He's performed in a wide range of dramas, including King Lear, Waiting for Godot, and Death of a Salesman.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:39
2
Who is André De Shields and why is he called a Broadway legend?
1:39–18:37
3
How did André De Shields' early life and education shape his career?
18:37–33:28
4
What was De Shields' experience with HIV and how did it influence his perspective?
33:28–53:20
Speakers
10 identifiedMore from Fresh Air
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