MY WEEKEND: André De Shields
ANDRÉ De Shields, the Tony-winning star of “Hadestown,” is no stranger to hell: He’s called Hell’s Kitchen home since 1983. It used to be a frightening place, the 73-year-old says. “Even people native to New York City wouldn’t come west of Eighth Avenue, thinking their lives would be imperiled,” says the Baltimore native, who was drawn to the affordability and convenience of what he calls “the bedroom of Broadway.” He tells BARBARAHOFFMAN where you’ll find him when he’s not onstage.
I have chimneys in my studio apartment — stacks of books that look like chimneys. I’ve bought some of them at the Strand, which is a universe unto itself. When you walk in, it’s like a maze, but the aisles are immaculate, and you can find your way out easily. But while you’re in there, you can become lost in large, vague, unlimited explorations of the unknown
There’s a greenmarket that comes to my block every Saturday from late April to the first of December. It’s where I get my produce. On the way to a Saturday matinee, I bring it to the theater: peaches, blueberries, strawberries, cucumbers. When I’m walking home, this is what I snack on. When my sweet tooth craves something, I go to dark chocolate. Westerly Natural Foods sells Gnosis chocolate, which is 95 percent dark chocolate. As the Hebrews have known for millenniums, bitter is better.
When I need something to wear, I go to my closet. I’ve remained the same size for 40 years, and I love vintage clothing stores. The suit I wore to the Drama Desk luncheon, a faux cheetah skin, I bought at Trash and Vaudeville. It’s no longer on St. Marks Place — it moved farther east, to Alphabet City. I went there recently thinking I could find a zebra-print suit to match my shoes, but they didn’t have one. Remember Reminiscence? It was very popular for Hawaiian shirts, one of which I wore to the theater the other day, and got oohs and aahs. Once the Sunday matinee is over, I make dinner reservations at the West Bank Cafe. It’s a favorite spot of mine, not only because the food is enticing — I recommend the grilled Scottish salmon — but because the owner, Steve Olsen, is a friend. A week ago, 10 of my buddies from high school came up to see “Hadestown.” When I spoke with the maitre d’, he apologized profusely: There was a closingnight party, and the restaurant was closed. I said, “I understand, but if you check with Steve, he’ll say it’s OK.” So it turned out, me and my buddies were partying with the cast of “Be More Chill.” And that’s the kind of serendipity that doesn’t happen in many places!