Interview: Spend An Evening With Tony Award-Winner Audra McDonald At SPAC

Audra McDonald is an icon in the musical theatre and film industries, having won 26 notable awards, including six Tonys (notably winning more performance Tonys than any other actor), two Grammys, and a Primetime Emmy. She is largely recognized for her work in CAROUSEL, RAGTIME, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, and PORGY AND BESS, among many other productions. And now, she is currently touring her solo concert, AN EVENING WITH Audra McDonald, where she is accompanied by different instrumentalists at every stop - including one next Thursday, August 10th, at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) with the Philadelphia Orchestra. I had the privilege of speaking with Audra last week to get the inside scoop on her touring essentials, and what exactly goes into this process.

This solo concert of hers is one that has a long history; Audra has been performing versions of it over the last ten years! But, she still is able to find magic within the process and shared with me that her favorite parts are the intimate moments she experiences with the audience. She stated that, in many ways, people are very similar, and everyone can connect through music. She works hard to stay connected to both the material and the audience, and to deliver an authentic performance.

For those who are less familiar with the amazing talent that is Audra McDonald, she is well-known for her classic soprano voice. She made her Broadway debut in THE SECRET GARDEN at the age of 22 - one year before graduating from Juilliard School. I was curious to find out what the repertoire for her concerts looks like. She said that she always sings out of the American Musical Theater songbook, and doesn’t tend to stray far outside of it. She even chuckled and added that she “survived the arias at Juilliard,” but hasn’t really gone back to them since. She does have one song that is an absolute must to perform: Summertime from the Gershwin opera PORGY AND BESS. Audra’s rendition of that piece happens to be one of my favorites, and is widely known.

The song selection for her concert changes though; the lineup is dependent on several factors. Sometimes it’s just the fact that it’s the fifth or sixth show of the week and her own instrument, her voice, feels different. Sometimes song choice changes based on the instrumental group accompanying her. Audra actually performs with a range of bands, large and small, ranging from orchestras and symphonies down to her trio of piano, drums and bass - or even just piano. At the end of the day, she’s also just human: sometimes she may just want to change things up if she gets bored of a song, or really enjoys singing something that she may not have performed in a while.

For this upcoming concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC, I was curious to know what the rehearsal process is like, and was very surprised to hear that, while the concerts with an orchestra do usually require rehearsal, it’s rare to get more than two or three hours together. Obviously the process is simpler when she works with her own music director, since they’re already very familiar with her breathing patterns, and how she delivers all of the music. Part of the fun and the challenge of performing with various bands is working with new music directors, and trying to find that synchronization, working through the trial and error of getting acquainted with each other’s style.

For Audra, what is even more challenging than selecting songs and getting settled in with new accompaniment is staying healthy and calming all of the anxiety that comes along with touring. She worries about flight times, making it to the venue, what kind of sleep she’ll get, and things of that nature. She says “the doing” is the easiest part, but the lead up to each performance when she doesn’t sleep well and arrives at a venue with minutes to spare can be stressful. 

How does she stay healthy and push through the difficulties that come with touring? I wondered the same thing! She says she is someone who wears a mask on a plane, and has been doing so even before the pandemic. As a singer, her voice is her instrument and she tries very hard to avoid catching any illness. Of course, she also keeps snacks like almonds in her dressing room, and always has a humidifier. Audra mentioned that the life of a touring vocalist is not as glamorous as people believe it to be. She usually doesn’t even get to see or experience the cities she’s in since she keeps her schedule so busy. Part of the reason for this driving schedule, though, is to complete the tour and return to her family as soon as possible, which was heartwarming to hear.

It was a great pleasure, and a humbling experience, speaking with one of my own idols. Audra McDonald will be performing for one night only at SPAC on August 10th at 7:30pm. Tickets and more information may be found at www.spac.org.