Tony, Grammy and Emmy Winning Hadestown Star André De Shields is kicking off New Year’s Day playing the hard-bitten restaurant critic Anton Ego in Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, presented by the Tony Award-winning theatrical production company Seaview’s (Slave Play, Sea Wall/A Life), to benefit The Actors Fund at 7:00 p.m. EST.
In addition to De Shields, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical will star Wayne Brady (Django), Tituss Burgess (Remy), Kevin Chamberlin (Gusteau), Andrew Barth Feldman (Linguini), Grammy Award nominee Adam Lambert (Emile), Tony winner Priscilla Lopez (Mabel), Tony nominee Ashley Park (Colette), Owen Tabaka (Young Ego), and three-time Tony nominee Mary Testa (Skinner).
The ensemble features Adrianna Hicks, Cori Jaskier, Raymond J. Lee, John Michael Lyles, Courtney Mack, Mallory Maedke, Talia Suskauer, Anna Uzele, Nikisha Williams, Joy Woods, JJ Niemann, Larry Owens, and Samantha Pauly.
Presented in association with TikTok and TodayTix Presents, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical will begin streaming on Friday, January 1, 2021 at 7:00pm ET for 72 hours only. Tickets for this one-of-a-kind Actors Fund benefit are now on sale exclusively on TodayTix.com.
Tickets start at $5 and are available exclusively on TodayTix by visiting TodayTix.com or downloading the TodayTix app. All ticket sale proceeds to benefit The Actors Fund Covid-19 Emergency Relief Fund. Click HERE for more information about The Actors Fund and below for more details about the show.
The one-time performance of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical will feature content created by members of TikTok’s #RatatouilleMusical Community, whose collective work has earned the engagement of more than 200 million fans around the globe, and will be performed with the 20-piece Broadway Sinfonietta orchestra.
Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical is adapted for this virtual benefit event by Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, choreographed by Ellenore Scott, directed by Lucy Moss, and features music from Danny Bernstein (@dannykbernstein), Gabbi Bolt (@fettuccinefettuqueen), Kevin Chamberlin (@chamberlin_kevin), RJ Christian (@rjthecomposer), Nathan Fosbinder (@fozzyforman108), Emily Jacobsen (@e_jaccs), Sophia James (@sophiajamesmusic), Katie Johantgen (@katiejoyofosho), Daniel Mertzlufft (@danieljmertzlufft), Alec Powell (@phisherpryce), and Blake Rouse (@blakeyrouse).
The creative team also includes Daniel Mertzlufft (Music Supervisor, Arranger, Original Music & Lyrics, @DanielMertzlufft), Macy Schmidt (Orchestrator & Music Coordinator), David Bengali (Video Design and Production), Chris Routh (Set Design, @ShoeboxMusicals), Emily Marshall (Music Director & Coordinator), Jeffrey Gugliotti (Associate Choreographer), Tilly Grimes (Costume Consultant), Jessie Rosso (@JessieRosso) and Geoffrey Ko (Music Copying), Kate Leonard (Additional Lyrics), Michael J. Mortiz, Jr. (Audio Producer, Mixer, Master), Angie Teo (Audio Mixer), Cody Renard Richard (Stage Manager), Amy Jo Jackson (Dialect Coach), and Taylor Williams, CSA (Casting).
Jeremy O. Harris, Michael Breslin, and Patrick Foley will serve as Executive Producers.
Founded by Macy Schmidt, the Broadway Sinfonietta is an extraordinary all-female identifying, majority women-of-color 20-piece orchestral collective designed to uplift the existence, excellence and equity of female BIPOC musicians in the Broadway industry.
footlights: André De Shields and The ‘Ratatouille’ Whirlwind
vulture: How Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical> Came to Be (and Yes, Disney’s Okay With It)
acbsnews.com: How “Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical” was born during the coronavirus pandemic
channel3000.com: UW–Madison alumnus to star in ‘Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical’
abcnews.go.com.: Tituss Burgess, Adam Lambert star in ‘Ratatouille’ musical
The Hollywood Reporter: ‘Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical’ Serves Crowdsourced Culinary Content to Aid The Actors Fund
Below is a highlight of André’s interviews, performances and speeches during 2020.
Jan. 10: The Actors Fund Special Performance of 2020 was an unforgettable afternoon at the Tony Award-winning best musical Hadestown. Tony Award winner André De Shields rocked the house after the performance with a ‘curtain sermon’ about The Actors Fund that will be long remembered.
HADESTOWN Star André De Shields Shares His GRAMMY Award and Special Edition Bulova Watch
Jan. 27: WJZ-‘Hadestown,’ Featuring Baltimore’s André De Shields, Wins Grammy For Best Musical Theater Album
Jan. 29: womanaroundtown.com: André De Shields:Old Dawg; New Tricks – Marvelous!
Photos and Video: The Cast of HADESTOWN Celebrates Rachel Chavkin and Jordan Roth at NYTW Gala
March 9, 10, 11 – Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown in New York, André performed his theatrical concert OLD DAWG; NEW TRICKS for the Broadway Cabaret Series at Old School Square’s Crest Theatre and The Broadway Concert Series Presented by Vi at Aventura at Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. Below are highlights of the show. Click here to read more about the show.
Apr. 10: Baltimore Native and Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award Winning Actor André De Shields collaborated with the Office of the Mayor to deliver an important message on how we all can stay healthy and safe during the #COVID19
Apr. 14: André De Shields performs in “A Hill on Which to Drown” | En Garde Arts presents Uncommon Voices
May 3 – THE FULL MONTY’s André De Shields, John Ellison Conlee, Jason Danieley, Romain Fruge, Marcus Neville, Patrick Wilson and David Yazbek Reunite for STARS IN THE HOUSE Click here to read more.
May 6: Badger Commencement 2020 Shout Out – André De Shields, ’70, offers a heartwarming message to the UW-Madison graduates of 2020
May 9 – André Received an Honorary Doctor of Arts Degree from the Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee. Click here to read more and below for his speech.
May 11: Theatermania interview
May 12 – The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues – “COVID & Incarceration” collaborated with several arts and advocacy organizations – The Broadway Advocacy Coalition; The Confined Arts; RAPP; Zealous, The Center for Institutional and Social Change at Columbia Law School and American Friends Service Committee – to feature real stories from those currently and previously incarcerated, their families, and the advocates serving them during this global pandemic. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAI3w66jG2A/ André performed a monologue from A Father’s Sorrow, written by Shaka Senghor. This Special Edition of Viral Monologues is made possible by the support of Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aids. Click here to read more.
May 14: Katy Keene – Try (feat. Ashleigh Murray & Andre DeShields)
André De Shields in “A FATHER’S SORROW” by SHAKA SENGHOR Hear more from Elder Qualls and how you can support his call to action at https://www.NowHearUs.org
May 20 – NYU Gallatin’91 Alum André De Shields presented a NYU Class of 2020 All-University Commencement Message.
May 26: Playbill: Eva Noblezada, Reeve Carney, and more Hadestown Cast Reunite to Perform ‘Road to Hell (Reprise)’
May 28- The Jimmy Kimmel Show
May 29 – Yin & Yang, aka André De Shields and Garth Kravits, put their own spin on the Sam Cooke R & B classic, “Bring It On Home To Me,” accompanied by Andrew Gutauskas on saxophone.
Yin & Yang, aka André De Shields and Garth Kravits, put their own spin on the Sam Cooke R & B classic, “Bring It On Home To Me,” accompanied by Andrew Gutauskas on saxophone. When asked what inspired the pair to collaborate virtually on this song, De Shields shared, “my ambition for collaborating with Garth on what will ultimately be a series of duets is to restore joy and love to a world that has lost its way.” Kravits said, “André and I very quickly agreed that the essence of this cover and the others that will follow, would be fun, pure and simple. Just to enjoy singing with one another so that the viewing and listening audience might share in what we’re laying down.” Click here to read more the pair.
June 1 – NPR released the Tiny Desk Concert featuring Hadestown cast members, musicians and creator Anaïs Mitchell. The concert was filmed on March 2.
The set list includes “Way Down Hadestown”, “Come Home With Me/Wedding Song”, “When The Chips Are Down”, “Flowers”, and “Why We Build The Wall.”
Cast members and musicians featured are: André De Shields: Hermes; Kimberly Marable: Persephone; Jewelle Blackman: Fate, accordion; Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer: Fate, violin; Kay Trinidad: Fate, percussion; Reeve Carney: Orpheus; Eva Noblezada: Eurydice; Patrick Page: Hades; Anaïs Mitchell: composer, vocals, guitar; Liam Robinson: piano, accordion; Brian Drye: trombone, glockenspiel; Megan Gould: violin; Ilusha Tsinadze: guitar; Ben Perowsky: drums; Malcolm Parson: cello; and Chris Tordini: bass
June 4 – A Virtual Town Hall: The Impact of Covid-19 and Systemic Inequity in Communities of Color, A Holistic Plan for Healing Our Communities via Zoom.
Presented by The Arts and Culture Committee of The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, the Harlem Arts Alliance, and Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, the office of the Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer and the 42 members of the Coalition of Theatres of Color (CTC) a 501(c)3 not for profit consortium. The meeting addressed the proposed FY21 city funding for arts institutions. Given the codependent nature of arts, community and culture in New York, survival of CTC institutions is indissoluble from the survival of New York. The impact of COVID-19 on the arts and culture community has been devastating. Each of our members – large and small – are struggling to survive the next few months and sadly many may not; drastically and irrevocably shifting the landscape of our field for many years to come. Today our institutions and missions are more vital than ever in playing a key role in the recovery of our great city as many of our organizations are more than just theaters. Speakers included Corey Johnson, Speaker of the NYC Council; I. Daneek Miller, Council Member, BLAC Co-Chair; Laurie Cumbo, Council Member, BLAC Vice Chair; Inez E. Dickens, New York State Assemblymember; André De Shields, Actor, Choreographer; Danny Glover, Actor, Activist; Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Actor, Playwright, Director; David Martine (Chiricuhau Apache/Shinnecock); Sade Lythcott, CTC Chair, National Black Theatre; Diane Fraher, American Indian Artists Inc. (AMERINDA); Madaha Kinsey-Lamb, Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center; Carl Clay, Black Spectrum Theatre; Tisa Chang, Pan Asian Rep; and Libertad O. Guerra, The Clemente.
Jun. 7: CBS Sunday Morning -On Broadway: Keeping the lights on. COVID-19 has shuttered stages on the Great White Way, but there are some traditions in Broadway theaters that can’t be totally turned off. Correspondent Mo Rocca talks with “Hadestown” star André De Shields, multiple Tony-winner Bernadette Peters, Broadway producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper, and Seth Rudetsky & James Wesley, the couple behind the “Stars In the House” web series, about how theater artists are coping with the shutdown by turning to a whole new stage.
Jun. 17: André De Shields sings ‘dating in armageddon’
Jun. 17: NYTW – STAGING QUEERNESS with André De Shields, Leigh Fondakowski, Ryan J. Haddad & L Morgan Lee
Jun. 19: #ToBeBlack with André De Shields | The Public Theater
Jul. 3: André De Shields is Frederick Douglass: Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory
Jul. 7: Playbill-MLB Star Steven Brault Sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” With The Cast Of Hadestown
Jul. 9: “Sweet Home Chicago” COVID-19 Artist Relief Music Video
Jul. 9: Major League Baseball Players and cast of ‘Hadestown’ Cover ‘Wait for Me’
Jul. 23: Classic Stage Company: Classic Conversations with André De Shields
Aug. 6: André De Shields Sings None Of Us Are Free
Aug 6: HADESTOWN’s André De Shields, Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, Kimberly Marable sing ROAD TO HELL
Aug. 10: André De Shields sings ‘I Wanna Be Like You’ for #ballotsoverbroadway
Oct. 15: Broadway on Demand: Class is now in session with Tony Award® Winner André De Shields. André is sharing some catalytic elements that you’ll want to put in your toolkit whenever you need to inhabit a character.
Oct. 19: André De Shields on #Food Network Kitchen’s BREAKFAST WITH BESSER
Oct. 23: PopMatters – André De Shields on “Ain’t Misbehavin'”
Oct.23: PopMatters – André De Shields on “The Wiz”
Oct. 23: PopMatters – André De Shields on the Motown Revue
Oct. 23: PopMatters – André De Shields on Donna Summer
Oct. 23: PopMatters – André De Shields on “Hadestown”
Read more in André De Shields’ interview with Christian John Wikane at PopMatters.
Nov. 2: Sing Out For Freedom 2020: An Election Eve Concert in Support of the #ACLU & #NYCLU André De Shields, accompanied by Gaelynn Lea on violin. “Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of the Nation” The final words of Congressman John Lewis as published by The New York Times.
André De Shields & Lillias White Inspire with Duet of ‘If You Believe’ – Behind-the-scenes: BROADWAYVS: André De Shields & Lillias White Sing ‘If You Believe’
Nov. 30: André De Shields receives 2020 AUDELCO Award for Lifetime Achievement
Dec. 4: WJZ Holiday Memories with Tony Award Winner André De Shields
Dec. 31: The Artist Dojo Interview
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman. She stars in and served as Executive Producer for the short independent films Hide and Seek, Balancing Act, Rom-Com Gone Wrong, Belongingness and When the World was Young. She is also the Executive Producer for The Cactus, The Language Lesson, The Writer and Cream and 2 Shugahs.
All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2021 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang 