Audra McDonald Becomes Most Tony-Nominated Performer in History with GYPSY

Audra McDonald has broken a new Tony record, becoming the most-nominated performer in Broadway history. Her nomination in the latest production of Gypsy marks the 11th for the performer, following her 2023 nomination for Ohio State Murders. She has been nominated in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her turn as the iconic Mama Rose.

In her reaction to her nomination, McDonald shared, “I’m so honored to have been nominated for Gypsy alongside Joy Woods, Danny Burstein and Camille A. Brown. As a Black actor, Rose was never a character I thought I would play until my dear friend Gavin Creel planted the idea in my head. It took a long time for the idea to germinate, and I never would’ve been able to get here without the vision of our director George C. Wolfe, and the immense talent of our creative team and cast. I feel so incredibly grateful to share this Gypsy with the world and to be a part of the legacy of one of the most perfect musicals ever written.”

Before today's honor, she was tied as the most-nominated performer alongside Chita Rivera and Julie Harris, both of whom ended their careers with a total of 10 nominations. McDonald has already broken records as the performer with the most Tony wins, receiving 6 since her first honor in 1994 for Carousel.

Since that time, she has won 5 more Tonys for Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, Porgy and Bess, and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. Her other nominations come from her performances in Marie Christine, 111 in the Shade, and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.

In addition to her Tony-winning and nominated performances, McDonald has appeared on Broadway in The Secret Garden, Henry IV, and Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed. 

The six-time Tony winner is currently starring in Gypsy at the Majestic Theatre, with tickets are now on sale through Sunday, October 5, 2025. George C. Wolfe's new production began performances Thursday, November 1, 2024, and opened Thursday, December 19, 2024, to an explosion of critical praise for the production and McDonald's history-making performance. Read reviews for the show here, which has just received a total of 5 Tony nominations.

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