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| re: A "must" Read - Interview w/ Andre DeShields | |
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Markus 07:01 am UTC 11/21/10 |
| In reply to: | A "must" Read - Interview w/ Andre DeShields - Jacqueline 02:39 am UTC 11/21/10 |
| Thank you very much! Nice read but too many leading questions for my taste. ;-) Markus > > http://broadwayworld.com/article/Saturday_Special_Spotlight_Andre_De_Shields_20101120 > > (hyperlink at bottom) > > Saturday Special Spotlight: Andre De Shields > by Pat Cerasaro > > Today we are talking to an Emmy-winning stage star best > known for his unforgettable turns as the Wizard of Oz > himself in the original Broadway cast of THE WIZ, as well > as his Emmy-winning performance in both the Broadway and > filmed version of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'. In recent years, he > has found much success with his choices of eccentric, > oft-controversial roles, particularly those roles in the > hot-button play PRYMATE and the David Yazbeck/Terrence > McNally musical THE FULL MONTY. In this portion of our > conversation, De Shields impresses with his effortless > grace, studied theories on his craft and the art of > theatre, all with taking a look forward to his newest > stage venture - KNOCK ME A KISS by Charles Smith - which > opens this weekend. We also discuss his role in the career > of legendary songwriter Jim Steinman - from RHINEGOLD and > BLOODSHOT WINE with Joe Papp in the 70s all the way to the > workshop for the forthcoming BAT OUT OF HELL: THE > MUSICAL. > > Divine Andre & Bloodshot Wine > > PC: I am one of the world's biggest Jim Steinman fans and > you have done so much of his work over the years. Could > you tell me about the first show you did together, at The > Public Theater with Joseph Papp, RHINEGOLD? > > ADS: You didn't see that! You're too young! > > PC: Yes, but Jim put the score up on his website. I love > it. I've heard so much lore about the show over the > years. > > ADS: I absolutely remember DAS RHINEGOLD. It was my first > exposure - collaboration - with Jim Steinman and Barry > Keating. Of course, Jim wrote the music and did the > arrangements and Barry directed and did vocal arrangements > and the book. We were at the Mercer Arts Center, which no > longer exists. > > PC: What happened to it? > > ADS: It collapsed after we performed in it! > > PC: No way! > > ADS: (Laughs.) I think it was a very auspicious > happening! > > PC: Talk about bringing down the house! > > ADS: (Laughs.) It was never rebuilt. > > PC: So, what was the rehearsal process like? > > ADS: I think my memory serves me well when I say that > there was a trio of Rhine maidens and one of them was > Karla De Vito. > > PC: Yes, of course! As one of the Niebelungians! > > ADS: She, of course, went on to collaborate with Meat Loaf > and Jim on the BAT OUT OF HELL album. > > PC: Ellen Foley is actually on the album, but Karla did > the Saturday Night Live appearance and the whole tour. > > ADS: Oh, I know Ellen, too! OK. OK. At least I'm not quite > having a senior moment, then. (Laughs.) > > PC: Could you tell me about your role in the show and what > it was like? > > ADS: I was Albereech, the humpback dwarf. > > PC: Was it your first show in New York? > > ADS: I had just come to New York in January of ‘73. So, > yes, this was one of the first performances after having > come to New York that I had a chance. It was sort of like > a showcase to get me introduced to the New York terrain. > > PC: What did you think the future of the show would be? > > ADS: We had a great time. We had great hopes for its > future, but, as you know, it didn't go anywhere > commercially. But, I have the fondest memories of it and > it laid the groundwork for a second collaboration with Jim > Steinman and myself called BLOODSHOT WINE. Now, you can't > tell me you know about that show! > > PC: Just "Private of Privates"! Tell me everything. > > ADS: (Laughs.) Well, I can't tell you everything, but... > > PC: Close is good enough! > > ADS: It was the first event that opened the cabaret at the > Manhattan Theatre Club, back when the Manhatten Theatre > Club was on 73rd St. at 1st and 2nd Ave. before it became > the stalwart organization that it is now - before AIN'T > MISBEHAVIN'. > > PC: And AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' established it as a venue, > right? > > ADS: Yes, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' established it. But, Jim > Steinman and I were in there with BLOODSHOT WINE before > AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'. > > PC: What was that night like, with BLOODSHOT WINE? > > ADS: You know, I always remember the first names of most > of the people. I have a program of it somewhere, but I'd > have to search it out. From what I can remember, Barry > Keating directed. Joanna Albrecht was the lyric soprano. > It was very much German Expressionism after Bertolt > Brecht. I did a song called "Who'd Do The Dirty?" > > PC: What a weird, fun song that is! > > ADS: That is from DAS RHINEGOLD. But, it was the beginning > of my infamy in New York, because I performed another song > by Jim called "Who Needs The Young?" > > PC: What a spectacular song! > > ADS: Oh, so you know it? > > PC: Of course! It's from THE DREAM ENGINE/NEVERLAND and, > now, BAT OUT OF HELL. > > ADS: Right. OK. So, I performed it originally as a > hermaphrodite. > > PC: Oh, wow! What was your costume? > > ADS: Half of my body was costumed in full, formal tails > and top hat. The other half of my body was just in full, > formal black lace evening gown. (Pause.) I must say that, > judging from the audience's gasps and their overall > response, that it was quite a stunning performance. > > PC: I bet! It sure sounds it! > > ADS: I still have the photo of that event and me in the > costume. Ken Howard took the photograph. > > PC: Could you tell me about your recent participation in > the workshop of Jim Steinman's BAT OUT OF HELL stage > musical? > > ADS: Yes, I did the workshop and I played Captain Hook. > > PC: Could you talk about your role in the show? Are you > continuing with it to the West End or wherever it ends > up? > > ADS: I was Captain Hook and my wife was played by Justin > Bond. (Pause.) I mean, can you imagine us as a duo? It's > mind-blowing. > > PC: They couldn't find anybody to fill your shoes - or > Justin's pumps! > > ADS: Absolute... decadence! > > PC: It's so appropriate to have a corrupt evil queen and > king in the age of Sarah Palin and so on. Do you think > Steinman was ahead of his time - and, perhaps, still is? > > ADS: I've always had a great time working with Jim > Steinman. Again, it was a piece that we did for intended > investors and so on. Barry Keating directed. They had > great dreams for commercial success, but, as far as I know > - and I only know from reports that I get - that it hasn't > progressed from that. My impression, though, although I > have not seen SPIDER MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK, but what Jim > was designing in that performance, I think, would have > been a combination of his vampire piece and SPIDERMAN in > terms of his use of technology and futuristic themes and > bloodlust. > > PC: And magic. > > ADS: Yes, magic and bloodlust. > > For more of Andre De Shields' special blend of talent, > artistry, magic - and, maybe, a little bloodlust - catch > him in KNOCK ME A KISS by Charles Smith, opening tomorrow > night. The play is described as "a fictional account > inspired by the actual events surrounding the 1928 > marriage of W.E.B. Du Bois' daughter Yolande to one of > Harlem's great poets, Countee Cullen. The marriage marked > the height of the Harlem Renaissance and was viewed as the > perfect union of Negro talent and beauty. It united the > daughter of America's foremost black intellectual, > cofounder of the NAACP and publisher of Crisis Magazine, > with a young poet whose work was considered to be one of > the flagships for the New Negro movement. The marriage is > a triumph of pomp and pageantry but fails to be a union of > man and woman." > > Tickets for KNOCK ME A KISS, which runs now through > December 5th, are available here. Performances will be at > Henry Street Settlement's Abrons Arts Center/Recital Hall, > 466 Grand Street (between Pitt & Willett Streets). By > subway: "F" train to Delancey Street; "M" and "J" train to > Essex Street; or by "M14A" bus to Pitt Street. Don't miss > it! > | |
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