Broadway legend and University of Wisconsin-Madison alum André de Shields says he’s dropping a “joy bomb” on the world with his work in a reimagined revival of a classic musical.
Last weekend, de Shields performed at the 2026 Tony Awards, where he was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. The nomination was for his portrayal of the wise and respected Old Deuteronomy in “CATS: the Jellicle Ball” a new version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s play.
This version of “CATS” is rooted in ballroom culture — a subculture centered around a specific style of dance that developed in the 1960s through the ‘80s among New York’s underground Black and Latino LGBTQ+ community…