January 12 …

André De Shields is an acclaimed American actor, singer, dancer, director, choreographer, and educator whose six-decade career has left an indelible mark on theater, film, television, and cultural life.

Born on January 12, 1946 in Dundalk, MD and raided in Baltimore, De Shields was the ninth of 11 siblings. He completed his high school education at Baltimore City College in 1964, briefly attended Wilmington College, and earned a BA in English literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1970. He later obtained an MA in African-American studies from New York University’s Gallatin School in 1991.

De Shields’s career encompasses avant-garde theater, Broadway, regional performances, television, and film. His early notable stage credits include “Warp!” in 1973 and the lead role in “The Wiz” in 1975. He gained wider recognition in “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” for which he won a Primetime Emmy in 1982 for the NBC broadcast.

De Shields later achieved Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and Grammy accolades for his portrayal of Hermes in Hadestown. He also earned the 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and the 2020 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.

De Shields’s artistic development was deeply influenced by teachers and collaborators from his university days and early theater experiences — most notably director Stuart Gordon, who cast him at Wisconsin. He has also been shaped by peers and contemporaries across generations, such as Daryl Waters and Savion Glover, as well as the casts and creative teams of landmark productions like “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “The Wiz,” “Play On!,” and “Hadestown.”

De Shields has served as a mentor to younger artists through teaching roles at NYU Gallatin and various workshops. Many emerging performers and students cite his teaching style, eloquence, and exemplary presence as pivotal in their development.

De Shields’s accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award in 1982, Tony Award in 2019, Grammy Award in 2020, numerous Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards and nominations, Obie for Sustained Excellence, Fox Foundation Fellowship, honorary doctorates, and many festival and lifetime-achievement honors.

The contributions of André De Shields as an educator and public speaker, advocacy for dignity and literacy in performance, and embodiment of longevity and versatility solidify his legacy in American cultural and theatrical history.