J. Harrison Ghee, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Joshua Henry and More Join New 42 Artist Council

New 42 has added J. Harrison Ghee, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Joshua Henry, Jerry Mitchell, and André De Shields to its Artist Council, a group of professional artists who serve as ambassadors to broaden the public’s awareness of the importance of the arts and of arts education.

The New 42 Artist Council unites professional artists who are devoted to the performing arts, and who know that a love of the theater can start at any age. These generous artists are committed to championing the New Victory Theater and New 42’s mission of making extraordinary performing arts part of everyone’s life from the earliest years onward.

The New 42 Artist Council includes Co-Chairs John Lithgow and Sarah Jessica Parker as well as council members Sara Bareilles, Laura Benanti, Danny Burstein, Warren Carlyle, Lilli Cooper, Rachel Dratch, Mandy Gonzalez, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Hecht, Bill Irwin, Nikki M. James, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Julianna Margulies, Arian Moayed, Cynthia Nixon, Billy Porter, Meryl Streep, Susan Stroman, Julie Taymor, Alex Timbers, Sergio Trujillo, Ben Vereen, and Betsy Wolfe.

More about the new members of New 42’s Artist Council:

Tony Award and Grammy Award winner J. Harrison Ghee made history as the first nonbinary actor to win in a leading individual performance category for creating the role as Daphne/Jerry in Some Like It Hot, which also garnered them Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards. Also on Broadway, Ghee starred as Hermes in Hadestown, Lola in Kinky Boots, created the role of Andre Mayhem in Mrs. Doubtfire and co-starred opposite Harry Connick, Jr. as Johnny Hooker in The Sting. Ghee captured audiences as The Lady Chablis in the musical premiere of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and starred in the Off-Broadway smash hit Saturday Church as Black Jesus/Pastor Lewis. On television, Ghee played the title role in “Robyn’s Story” on the hit FOX anthology series ”Accused,” starred as Kwame in Netflix’s ”Raising Dion,” and guest starred on NBC’s “Stumble” and HBO’s ”High Maintenance.” Ghee was cast in the first North American national tour of Oh, Mary!, joining as Mary’s Husband before stepping into the title role of Mary Todd Lincoln — the first actor in the show’s history to play both roles. Ghee is currently on the national kidney transplant waiting list and has been open about their health journey, using their platform to raise awareness about organ donation. An outspoken advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, Ghee has been involved with many organizations, including Broadway Cares and God’s Love We Deliver, among others. Ghee hopes their work inspires others to dream big and go full-out. A Fayetteville, North Carolina native, Ghee moved to New York City to study at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and began their professional career working at Tokyo Disney, on cruise ships and national tours.

Renée Elise Goldsberry

Renée Elise Goldsberry is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy Award-nominated actress and singer. She recently released her debut album, Who I Really Am, featuring original music written by Goldsberry that blends soul, blues, pop, folk, and her gospel roots. She is also the subject of the acclaimed 2025 documentary Satisfied, which explores her Hamilton journey alongside the emotional terrain of family-building and new motherhood, now available on demand. Goldsberry returns to CBS this fall to star in the new series “Cupertino.” Most recently, she starred in the Netflix comedy series “Girls5Eva,” earning multiple Critics Choice and TCA Award nominations for her scene-stealing performance as the deliciously self-obsessed Wickie Roy. She originated the role of Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025, and appeared in the Disney+ filmed version, which won a Primetime Emmy Award. Her Broadway credits include starring roles in Rent, The Color Purple, The Lion King, and David Lindsay-Abaire’s award-winning play Good People. Her screen credits include A House of Dynamite, Waves, “The Good Wife,” “Altered Carbon,” “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” The House with a Clock in Its Walls, “She-Hulk,” Albany Road, and her breakout, two-time Daytime Emmy Award-nominated role as Evangeline Williamson on “One Life to Live.”

Joshua Henry most recently starred as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Ragtime, for which he won the 2026 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. In March of 2026, he released his newest album, Joshua Henry (Live at Lincoln Center). His additional credits as a recording artist include opening for Diana Ross at the Hollywood Bowl in 2022, performing alongside Common at The Kennedy Center in 2021, and the launch of his first album, GROW, in 2021. Broadway credits include: Into the Woods, Carousel (Tony nomination), The Scottsboro Boys (Tony nomination), Violet (Tony nomination), and many more. He also starred as Aaron Burr in the cultural phenomenon Hamilton, portrayed Gaston in ’s “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration,” and appeared in the Academy Award-nominated film tick, tick… BOOM! He will soon star in The Conversation at the Astor Place Theatre, an Off-Broadway original musical he wrote alongside Julia Harriman, with songs by Nick Green.

Jerry Mitchell was nominated for the Tony Award for his choreography for BOOP!, having previously received that Award twice, for the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Kinky Boots (also Tony-nominated for Best Director) and the revival of La Cage aux Folles. Prior to BOOP!, for which he also won the Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards as Choreographer, Jerry directed and choreographed Pretty Woman for Broadway and the West End, after directing the Gloria Estefan musical, On Your Feet!, for Broadway and the West End. Jerry was nominated for an Olivier Award for his choreography in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which he also directed and co-produced in London. Currently, he is the director and choreographer of The Devil Wears Prada on the West End. In the 35 preceding years, Jerry has been involved with more than 50 Broadway, West End and touring productions, starting as a dancer for Agnes DeMille in Brigadoon and thereafter assisting Michael Bennett and Jerome Robbins. His Broadway debut as choreographer, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, was followed by The Full Monty (Tony-nominated), The Rocky Horror Show, Hairspray (Tony-nominated, NBC Live), Gypsy, Never Gonna Dance (Tony-nominated), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony-nominated), La Cage aux Folles, Imaginary Friends, Legally Blonde (Tony-nominated, which he also directed on Broadway and in London), Catch Me If You Can and Kinky Boots. He also choreographed both the Off-Broadway productions and films of Hedwig & The Angry Inch and Jeffrey. For film, Jerry created memorable dance sequences for Scent of a Woman, The Object of My Affection, In and Out and Drop Dead Gorgeous, among others. Jerry received the Drama League’s Founders’ Award for Excellence in Directing and the George Abbott Lifetime Achievement Award from his peers, the latter being especially meaningful to him in that he was directed by the 96 year old Mr. Abbott in the Broadway revival of On Your Toes. Thirty or so years ago, Jerry conceived and created Broadway Bares, a comedy burlesque show performed annually for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, for which he continues to serve as Executive Producer and was recognized in the form of a third Tony Award in 2023.

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 nomination), and The Full Monty (Tony nomination); 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 received nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical from the Drama Desk and for Distinguished Performance Award by The Drama League. In 2026, Mr. De Shields garnered his fourth Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for the Broadway production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball, received the 2026 New 42 Ovation Award, and rang the closing bell for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in June as part of The “Ring the Bell for LGBTQI+ Equality” Initiative. 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