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Baltimore's Beloved Native Son: André De Shields

Baltimore native André De Shields, winner of a 2019 Tony Award for his performance as Hermes in the Broadway musical Hadestown, returns to his hometown to tell the story of Charm City’s influence on his journey; he’ll perform next month with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Lia Chang
LIA CHANG
Baltimore native André De Shields, winner of a 2019 Tony Award for his performance as Hermes in the Broadway musical Hadestown, returns to his hometown to tell the story of Charm City’s influence on his journey; he’ll perform next month with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Lia Chang

When André De Shields won a Tony award for creating the agile, elegant messenger-god Hermes in the Broadway musical Hadestown, he said he was making good on a decades-old promise to be a native son Baltimore could be proud of.

De Shields was born 75 years ago into a large family, to a mother who yearned to be a dancer and a father who would have loved to be a singer:

“What I believe is that I’m the lucky number 9th of 11 children who represents the manifestation of their deferred dreams.” 

He graduated from Baltimore City College before striking out for fame and genius onstage. De Shields is coming back to his hometown to perform his life story alongside the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Links: Tickets and information for An Evening with André De Shields and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.
Melissa Gerr is a Senior Producer for On the Record. She started in public media at Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minn., where she is from, and then worked as a field producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. She made the jump to audio-lover in Baltimore as a digital media editor at Mid-Atlantic Media and Laureate Education, Inc. and as a field producer for "Out of the Blocks." Her beat is typically the off-beat with an emphasis on science, culture and things that make you say, 'Wait, what?'