BWW Reviews: Audra McDonald in Concert Thrills the O.C.

To be completely honest, I have always been a fan of two-time Grammy winner / four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald. Ever since I first listened to her take on Carrie Pipperidge in the splendid 1994 revival of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic CAROUSEL, I fell... well, in love. Not only did I appreciate her classically-trained yet musical theater-leaning way of interpreting songs—all as a young'in obsessively spinning the show's cast album—I also detected both strength and vulnerability in her gorgeous soprano voice that many outstanding greats of musical theater before her convey with similar unbridled ease. She's the real deal—and I was so glad that the Broadway community thinks so too.

Fast forward to her third Tony-winning role in RAGTIME (which, in the spirit of full disclosure, happens to be my all-time favorite musical) ...and I was forever hooked. Emotionally powerful and vocally ethereal, McDonald really ascended here for me and henceforth became as important an idol to me alongside Streisand, Peters, and LuPone. If you manage not to shed even a little tear during her heartbreaking "Your Daddy's Son," then you may want to check yourself for a pulse.

So going in to review McDonald's one-night-only solo concert at the lush Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on October 15—her only Southern California stop before her return to Broadway in the controversial revival of PORGY & BESS—I understandably had excited expectations. The anticipation was palpable, especially since my only prior experience witnessing her talent was within the confines of a musical wrapped around a narrative story, or in her recent foray into series television where she spent four seasons on ABC's hit drama Private Practice. Here, though, she'll be singing live in a no-frills cabaret-concert setting, backed only by her hardworking jazz trio, where she'll be able to give her own Audra-esque spin on a nicely assembled collection of familiar and not-so-familiar tunes—mostly from the world of musicals.

It goes without saying that it's really difficult to remain unbiased, only because before a single note is even sung, you already knew that what you're about to hear is nothing short of brilliant. And of course, no surprise, she certainly delivered. In her nearly two-hour set, the supremely talented McDonald was equal parts exquisite, charming, buoyant, diva-like, and touching as she transitioned from fun, upbeat standards to stirring modern musical theater classics.

As she walked on stage to welcome the audience wearing a stunning monochromatic dress that showed off her guns (the First Lady would be proud), the Julliard-trained chanteuse belted out Bock and Harnick's "When Did I Fall In Love" from the 1959 musical FIORELLO! Right off the bat, audience members who've never heard of her singing were stunned by her effortless musicality and inimitable performance style. A much older lady seated near me—who must have only known McDonald for her TV work—remarked, "I didn't know she sings!" Well, hold on to your seat, ma'am, because you ain't heard it all yet!

Beaming like a star making a triumphant comeback performance, she explained her obvious over-excuberant demeanor during the performance to two specific things: her gluttony of Doritos chips and her delicious lunch stop at Chipotle Mexican Grill, both of which were consumed in exaggerated quantities on her drive down to Orange County, after playing a gig with her bandmates in her hometown of Fresno. It became such an amusing running joke throughout the evening that you would think execs from both these companies have already snatched her up as a paid spokesperson.

From the start, McDonald commanded that stage, both as a singer, storyteller, and stern professor. It was definitely her stage to control, even stopping songs for a tempo change or to allow for latecomers to take their seats. I did all I can to resist applauding her when she even scolded some loudly talkative people in the wings. You go, Ms. McDonald! (It's a pet peeve of mine too!)

She continued her display of vocal prowess with "Stars and the Moon" from Jason Robert Brown's SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD—which for me was, hands down, the best rendition of the song I've ever heard—followed by a wonderful pairing of "It Might As Well Be Spring" (from STATE FAIR) and "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here" (from ON A CLEAR DAY...) In the medley—as was the case for the rest of her concert—McDonald was a master class in control, comic timing, and dramatic build-up. Yep, she elicited tears and laughter with nary a script or set in sight.

Like most cabaret acts from Broadway superstars, McDonald offered a few interesting, often hilarious tid-bits about her life while sprinkling in a few amusing random bon mots throughout the evening. She talked about everything from the homeless man who inspired her to add her touching version of "My Buddy" to be the oldest song in her repertoire, to her writing a fan letter to Bernadette Peters when she first arrived at Julliard that went unanswered. In context, the banter felt easy and unplanned though remarkably connected. She spoke candidly about her daughter not particularly liking her singing style, which in turn gave way to a beautiful, wonderfully unexpected medley of "Whose Little Angry Man Are You?" from RAISIN and "Baby Mine" from Disney's Dumbo—her roundabout way of being able to sing lullabies.

When it comes to ballads, McDonald is a skillful orator capable of deeply resonating performances. Her hauntingly gorgeous take on Kander and Ebb's "Go Back Home" from the duo's final produced musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS was just as lovely as her late show rendition of the Styne/Comden/Green standard "Make Someone Happy." She's also quite a fierce advocate for Marriage Equality, dedicating the Gershwin's "He Loves and She Loves" from FUNNY FACE to the LGBT community's struggles. "No need to be afraid, folks," she told the heavily conservative OC audience. "It's just love!"

McDonald also bravely went a bit meta, mentioning that she wanted to include, of course, a Sondheim composition in her repertoire, and got a list back from the composer himself with lots (and lots!) of suggestions and notes. Considering the "notes" Sondheim famously submitted to the press chastising her involvement with the upcoming Broadway transfer of a revisionist PORGY & BESS, it was a slightly cheeky, but ultimately reverential move on her part to heed his advice and take on "Moments in the Woods" from INTO THE WOODS—handpicked by Sondheim himself for her to sing at these concerts. She sang it well, naturally.

Though many of her fans probably expected her to whip out a few selections from her own accomplished turns on Broadway, she chose smartly to refrain from it. Instead the audience was treated to songs made famous by others or more obscure songs from several up and coming modern era composers. Her most familiar from the set, the ubiquitous "I Could Have Danced All Night" from MY FAIR LADY even prompted an audience sing-along, but the rest of the evening found her see-sawing between less-known selections from the Great American Songbook and touching story songs from the likes of Adam Guettel (with the lovely "Migratory V" which she herself played the piano on and was dedicated to the memory of her dad) and newcomer Adam Gwon (whose touching, 9/11-themed "I'll Be Here" from ORDINARY DAYS produced a lot of tear-stained faces).

More than anything, the concert gave audiences a chance to really witness McDonald's witty, comic chops. Known for mostly heartbreaking, emotionally dramatic turns, it was so much fun to watch a giddy, bawdy McDonald dive into less serious material with great aplomb (I'm sure the Doritos helped). She channelled a bit of Barbara Cook in "Dear Friend" from SHE LOVES ME and, later, got the night's loudest, boisterous cheers after the lively, über-caffeinated "I Can't Stop Talking About Him" by Frank Loesser. But in perhaps the evening's most hilarious bit, McDonald—in a nod to her opera music training from Julliard—decided to sing a re-envisioning of the traditional German lieder. In the song cycle titled "The CraigsList Lieder" actual CraigsList postings were repurposed as lyrics—to very funny results, of course.

For the concert's finalé, McDonald chose to pay tribute to another pioneering woman of musicals, Lena Horne. She humbly credited the late actress for ushering in the ability for people like her, Diahann Carol, Ethel Waters, and a host of other African-American women to earn a place in musical theater. Horne's gospel-tinged "Ain't It De Truth," a song cut from the movie musical Cabin in the Sky became a rousing closer that had McDonald inviting the audience to sing along again.

Superb from beginning to end, McDonald's concert was a musical testament as to why she's earned her place as a genuine Broadway superstar—that magical combination of impressive acting skills, perfect control, and a blessed voice that's bigger than what most theater houses are able to contain. As disappointed as her TV fans are of her departure from Private Practice, her return to the stage here and the upcoming Broadway transfer of PORGY & BESS will no doubt be a cause for celebration for those who've missed seeing her perform live.

Judging from the loud reception she earned at her concert on Saturday night—plus the long line of fans that queued up to meet her at the stage door—I think she'll do just fine going back to where she truly belongs: on the stage, singing. I hope someone remembers the Doritos and Chipotle for her dressing room.

Follow this reviewer on Twitter: @cre8ivemlq

Photos of Audra McDonald by Michael Wilson.

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The Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2011-2012 Cabaret Series continues with Stephen Sondheim: In Conversation with Special Guests starring Christine Ebersole and Brian Stokes-Mitchell performing October 29, 2011; followed by Tony winner Chita Rivera (Nov. 10-13); Tony winner Paulo Szot (Dec. 15-18); and Grammy winning Jazz artist Steve Tyrell (Jan. 5-8, 2012).

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.SCFTA.org.

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