No stranger to New York's cabaret scene, De Shields reigned as King of Cabaret during the 1970s with the creation of his innovative theatrical concerts. In a career spanning more than forty years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, director, choreographer and educator. He is the recipient of the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival Living Legend Award, the 2009 AUDELCO Award for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical/Male (Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe), and the 2007 Village Voice OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance. De Shields has appeared on Broadway most recently in Impressionism.