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.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472