The Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning actor André De Shields will carry his play about abolitionist Frederick Douglass to Flushing City Corridor, in Queens, N.Y., tomorrow, on the 157th anniversary Douglass appeared there in 1865.
André De Shields poses within the press room with the award for finest efficiency by an actor in a … [+]
On June 19—at present celebrated as Juneteenth, the day in 1865 enslaved individuals in Texas had been proclaimed free, made a federal vacation final yr—Douglass delivered a speech in Flushing known as “The Previous and Current,” during which, the venue stated, “he addressed the function of African-People in antebellum America.”
“Although Douglass started his life as a slave, by means of heroic effort, he grew to become certainly one of America’s most essential and traditionally influential icons,” stated De Shields, whose play is known as Andre De Shields Is Frederick Douglass: Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory.
The actor gained Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Grammy Awards for his efficiency as Hermes, messenger to the gods, in Hadestown. He was additionally nominated for a Tony Award within the unique Broadway productions of The Full Monty and, Play On!, for an Emmy award for his efficiency in Ain’t Misbehavin’ and likewise appeared within the title function of The Wiz.
In a current interview, De Shields stated he had created the Douglass play in 2009 to commemorate the inauguration of Barack Obama, the primary African American President, studying three “autobiographical narratives” about Douglass.
He stated Douglass, who “lived to be an historical man,” was the “biggest orator of the 19th century.”
“The Douglass I current is an anachronism,” strolling out of the 19th century and speaking concerning the 21st century, De Shields stated, including, “What’s taking place now resembles what was taking place then, the slaughter of Black and brown individuals.”
De Shields, who has an MA in African American research from New York College’s Gallatin Faculty of Individualized Research, stated he had adjusted his unique Douglass play “to the present physique politic, the present tradition. In 2009 Douglass spoke concerning the first Black president, one thing he by no means might dream of in his life.” .
He additionally stated that in his play he’s utilizing Douglass’ insights “to assist a misplaced society to understand how misplaced it’s, how off-kilter its ethical compass has develop into, how we’ve breached, abused the stewardship we had been charged with.”
The Flushing Town Hall performances will open with a gospel Juneteenth presentation by Chuk Fowler and Firm, which, City Corridor stated, “willl invite audiences to replicate on the importance of Juneteenth with photographs, phrases, and songs, together with the hymn, ‘Carry Each Voice and Sing’ — extra generally often known as the ‘Black Nationwide Anthem.’”
Harlem-born Fowler gained the Apollo Theater’s beginner evening twice, later performing in nightclubs, theaters and resorts, and likewise taught music in New York public faculties.
A Smithsonian affiliate, Flushing City Corridor presents multi-disciplinary world arts that it says “have interaction and educate the worldwide communities of Queens and New York Metropolis in an effort to foster mutual appreciation, (supporting) native, immigrant, nationwide and worldwide artists, growing partnerships and collaborations that improve our efforts”
Additionally it is a member of New York’s Cultural Establishments Group, which it describes as “a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts facilities, historic societies, zoos and botanical gardens throughout all 5 boroughs with a definite private-public partnership with the Metropolis of New York and a dedication to serving all New Yorkers.”
