Although he’ll soon be wowing audiences in the much-anticipated Broadway production of Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Follows, talented actor and singer Joshua Henry, isn’t content to rest upon those laurels. He’s looking beyond sharing the stage with Broadway heavyweights Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell and is already committing to gigs for next year. Henry is one of several guest artists who have signed on to perform with The New York Pops during the orchestra’s 2016-2017 season at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall.
Henry will be joined on stage by actress and singer Caissie Levy in “Life is a Cabaret: The Songs of Kander and Ebb” to celebrate composer John Kander’s 90th birthday. Over five decades, Kander and his songwriting partner, Fred Ebb, have composed songs for several hit Broadway shows, including Cabaret, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Scottsboro Boys, and Chicago.
It’s obviously fitting that Henry would perform in a tribute to this icon as he secured a Tony Award nomination for his role as “Heywood Patterson” in Kander and Ebb’s musical The Scottsboro Boys in 2010.
As we previously mentioned, Henry is joining the stellar all-star cast of Shuffle Along when previews begin on March 14, at the Music Box Theatre, with official opening set for April 21. The production will present the landmark 1921 African-American musical revue Shuffle Along alongside the behind-the-scenes details that led the songwriting team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake and librettists F.E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles to create this groundbreaking work. Henry will take on the role of Noble Sissle with Brandon Victor Dixon playing Eubie Blake.
“Life is a Cabaret: The Songs of Kander and Ebb” will be performed on Friday, March 10, 2017, at 8 PM, Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. The New York Pops led by music director Steven Reineke, has announced its 2016-17 five-concert subscription season at Carnegie Hall.