STAGE TUBE: Andre De Shields Chats Broadway-Bound GOTTA DANCE, Legendary Career and More

The Theatre School at DePaul University will honor André De Shields with the 2015 Award for Excellence in the Arts tonight, November 9 at the Atlantic Ballroom of the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel (221 North Columbus Drive), Chicago, IL. In honor of the occasion, De Shields sat down with Dean Richards to chat about his upcoming show GOTTA DANCE, his storied Broadway career and more. Watch the interview below!

GOTTA DANCE, the new Broadway-bound musical about professional basketball's first ever aged 60-and-older dance team, makes its pre-Broadway premiere this winter at Broadway In Chicago's Bank of America Theatre (18 W Monroe St, Chicago). GOTTA DANCE begins performances on December 13, 2015 and runs through January 10, 2016.

Joining the GOTTA DANCE team are Joanna Jones (NBC's "Sing Off"), Madeleine Doherty (Gigi), Tracy Jai Edwards(Legally Blonde), Diane Findlay (Fish in the Dark), Lenora Nemetz (Gypsy), Jonalyn Saxer (Honeymoon in Vegas), and Kay Walbye (Urinetown), along withAlexander Aguilar, Adinah Alexander, Sydni Beaudoin, Holly Ann Butler, Paula Caselton, Ari Groover, Colby Lewis, Lance Roberts, Elise Santora, Austin Scott III, and Virginia Ann Woodruff. They join previously announced stars including Tony Award nominee André De Shields, five-time Emmy® Award nominee Georgia Engel, Tony Award-winner Lillias White, television and film icon Stefanie Powers (in her Broadway debut), Haven Burton, Lori Tan Chinn, and Nancy Ticotin.

GOTTA DANCE brings together an all-star creative team that includes a book by Tony Award- nominee Chad Beguelin (Aladdin) and Tony Award-winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), music by Tony and Emmy Award nominee Matthew Sklar (Elf) and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), with additional music by Marvin Hamlisch (an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Oscar winner) and direction and choreography by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots), with co-choreography by Nick Kenkel.

One remarkable dance team. One big chance. One small twist. You gotta be over 60. GOTTA DANCE is the incredible true story of ten determined dreamers who audition to dance at half time for a major NBA team. They have three things in common: they love to dance, they have something to prove, and they are all over 60. It isn't until they make the cut that they find out they won't be dancing tap, salsa or swing-they are going to bring down the house with a style that's entirely new to them: hip hop. Don't miss this original Broadway-bound musical about a group of ordinary seniors with extraordinary dreams as they battle prejudice, self-doubt and each other for a chance to bust a move at center court in front of 20 thousand screaming fans.