By Marilyn Lester***Since winning the 2019 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Hermes in Hadestown), André De Shields has deservedly been collecting awards from a plethora of organizations, seemingly at breakneck speed. But this latest honor is especially meaningful, being the 2023 GMHC Howard Ashman Award for De Shields’ activism on behalf of those affec
ted by HIV and AIDS.
Underscoring the importance of receiving the Ashman Award, De Shields, who identifies as an Afro Queer man, has fairly recently made the decision to openly acknowledge that he’s a long-term HIV survivor.
But the man who bears the name of the award, lyricist Howard Ashman, was not so fortunate, and his legacy is a powerful reminder of why the continued work of GMHC is essential. Ashman died in 1991 at age 40 from AIDS-related complications, extinguishing a huge talent in its prime. Known most for Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Little Shop of Horrors (which he conceived, wrote and directed) he had already won an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy Award by the time he passed away.
In André De Shields, the Universe has created and fostered one who has not only had a rich career as an actor and director, but going even further, one who has added attributes of philanthropist, educator, mentor, activist, philosopher, critical thinker and Pole Star at large. This griot, whose breakout performance was as the title character in Broadway’s The Wiz—and who has been much-lauded since—is powerfully focused on an overarching and continuing mission of “eradicating the inauthentic while elevating the inexplicable.”
Being a cabaret, before the presentation of the award, De Shields was saluted in a superb string of performances by these Broadway, cabaret, movie and TV star friends, under the music direction of Kyle Branzel:
- John Edwards (MJ: The Musical);
- Claybourne Elder (Company);
- J Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot);
- Julie Halston (And Just Like That…);
- Crystal Monee Hall (Rent);
- John-Andrew Morrison (A Strange Loop);
- Grace Porter (Death of a Salesman);
- Khadija Sankoh (Little Shop of Horrors);
- Tiffany Renee Thompson (Little Shop of Horrors);
- D’Kaylah Unique Whitley (Little Shop of Horrors).
- Kimberly Marable (Hadestown);
- Marc Shaiman (Some Like It Hot).
Of course, this event being a benefit, a live auction was held, which produced significant funds to further the crucial work of GMHC’s lifesaving programs for people with HIV and AIDS, including HIV/STI testing, prevention, mental health and substance use treatment, legal and immigration support, housing, workforce development, policy advocacy and meals and nutrition.
Capping a beautifully realized program, the Howard Ashman Award was presented to De Shields by GMHC Board member and 2016 recipient, Javier Muñoz. In the acceptance spotlight, De Shields revealed the full monty (pun intended) of his nature, giving proof to the words of admiration extolled by those who preceded him on stage. The list of attributes of love and respect for him includes graciousness, charm, gratitude, wisdom, insight, humor, talent and the courage and gentle ferocity to speak truth to power.
In the words of his speech were unsparing observations and appraisals of current social conditions and items in the news, and some self-observation, plus a loving declaration that the gathering in the room represented a true multi-cultural democracy. But the end-message was delivered in song, with De Shields’ music director, Sean Mayes at the keys; the number was the Wiz’s own song, “Believe in Yourself,” and understandably it brought down the house.
Congratulations to André De Shields and GMHC for a stellar evening of entertainment, activism and enlightened consciousness-raising.
Photo of André De Shields and Sean Mayes from a video capture by Lia Chang
