André De Shields Honored with 2026 Live Out Loud Legend Award

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The CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL star was celebrated at The Lighthouse, Pier 61 Chelsea Piers.

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Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner, Broadway Icon and CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL star André De Shields was honored recently with the 2026 Live Out Loud Legend Award at Live Out Loud’s 25th Anniversary Gala at The Lighthouse, Pier 61 Chelsea Piers. Check out the photos below!

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He was joined by actors Amber Iman , Shereen Ahmed , John-Andrew Morrison , Madge Dietrich , Jason Veasey , Music Director Drew Wutke , Violinist and Composer Dr. Edward W. Hardy , Fashion Designer Patrick Cupid, and Multi-media Content Producer Lia Chang .

André was nominated for a 2026 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award and garnered a fourth Tony nomination for his role as Old Deuteronomy in the critically-acclaimed revival of CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL, currently running on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre. The show has been nominated for 9 Tony Awards.

At eighty Earth years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor/activist, educator, iconic philanthropist and Broadway Deity. As Actor, Mr. De Shields’ mission is to fill intimate spaces with enormous beauty. He defines intimate spaces as the hearts of humanity. As Activist, he endeavors to restore majesty, elegance and literacy to the Black Thespian’s toolbox, to advocate for long term survivors of HIV and AIDS, and to champion the legacy of the Wellderly (elderly individuals who continue to kick butt). His idiosyncratic career has resulted in a treasure trove of accolades, among them an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has founded The André De Shields Fund. His other markers of esteem include being declared the triple crown winner of the 2019 awards season, having garnered Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Grammy Awards for his universally acclaimed role in HADESTOWN as Hermes, messenger to the gods. Perennially renowned for his show-stopping performances in four legendary Broadway productions –THE WIZ (title role), AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ (Emmy Award), PLAY ON! (Tony nom), and THE FULL MONTY (Tony nom); his portrayal of Old Deuteronomy in the radically re-imagined CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL was rewarded with the 2024 A.U.D.E.L.C.O. Award, the 2025 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical, the 2025 Dorian Theater Award for Outstanding Featured Performance in an Off-Broadway Production, and the 2025 LGBTQ Theater Trailblazer Award. In addition to special citations from the New York Drama Critics Circle and the Obie Awards, he also received, nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical from the Drama Desk and for Distinguished Performance Award by The Drama League. Mr. De Shields reigned as The Grand Marshal of the 51st Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, achieving the sui generis reputation as one of the ten wonders of New York City. SAWUBONA! www.goatman.vip

Photo Credit: Lia Chang

Andr De Shields

Live Out Loud Board Member Joseph Mode, Dr. Edward W. Hardy , Jason Veasey , Shereen Ahmed , Andre De Shields , Drew Wutke , Madge Dietrich , John-Andrew Morrison .

Live Out Loud Board member Joseph Mode, Dr. Edward W. Hardy , Lia Chang , Jason Veasey , Shereen Ahmed , Andre De Shields , Drew Wutke , Madge Dietrich , John-Andrew Morrison

Amber Iman and Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields

Legend Award

Eboni K. Williams and Andre De Shields

Eboni K. Williams

Beth Brinkman

Michael Byrne and Andr De Shields

Jordan Rand and Alaire Thomas

Najah Kamiliah Flemming and Andre De Shields

Najah Kamiliah Flemming, Rae Molina, Bailey Reign Richards, and Shequida Hall

Rae Molina

Charles Browning with Nicholas Ryan Gant & Vocal Energy Choir

Leo Preziosi Jr.

Drew Wutke , John-Andrew Morrison , Andre De Shields , and Dr. Edward W. Hardy

Drew Wutke , John-Andrew Morrison , Andre De Shields , and Dr. Edward W. Hardy

Drew Wutke and Andre De Shields

Lia Chang and Andre De Shields

Lia Chang and Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields and Amber Iman

Madge Dietrich and Shereen Ahmed

Andre De Shields and John-Andrew Morrison

Kadeem Fyffe and Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields and Joseph Mode

Shequida Hall

Shequida Hall and Andre De Shields

Jason Veasey and Andre De Shields

Madge Dietrich , Dr. Edward W. Hardy , Andre De Shields , John-Andrew Morrison , Drew Wutke , and Shereen Ahmed

Dr. Edward W. Hardy and Andre De Shields ,

Dr. Edward W. Hardy and Andre De Shields ,

Dr. Edward W. Hardy and Andre De Shields ,

Drew Wutke

Dr. Edward W. Hardy and Lia Chang

Shereen Ahmed , Drew Wutke , and John-Andrew Morrison

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Photos-Andr-De-Shields-Receives-2026-Legend-Award-at-Live-Out-Louds-25th-Anniversary-Gala-20260522)._