Audra McDonald to Play NJPAC This Friday

Currently earning rave reviews in Broadway's revival of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, leading lady Audra McDonald will perform at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center this Friday, April 20 at 8 p.m. with the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Andy Einhorn. The program will include the songs of Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Frank Loesser, Lerner and Loewe, Stephen Sondheim and more.

Tickets range from $25-$110 and are available by telephone at 1-888-466-5722, at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark, or at www.njpac.org. The performance is made possible in part by Capital One, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Discover Jersey Arts and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation. This performance is presented in association with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

Considered one of the most accomplished leading ladies of her time, McDonald first made Broadway history as the youngest-ever four-time Tony Award winner. She has since earned raves for her flawless recordings and critics are thrilled with her portrayal of Bess in The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. "For devastating theatrical impact, it's hard to imagine any hurricane matching the tempest that is the extraordinary Audra McDonald," the New York Times' Ben Brantley wrote. "It seems safe to predict that Ms. McDonald, a four-time Tony winner, will be in contention for all the prizes on offer this season."

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is the sixth largest performing arts center in the United States. As New Jersey's Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted over 6 million visitors (more than one million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit www.njpac.org for more information.

Programming has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.

NJPAC is a wheelchair accessible facility and provides assistive services for patrons with disabilities. For more information, call 888-GO-NJPAC.