Audra McDonald

Also Credited As: Audra Ann McDonald

Birth Place: Berlin, GERMANY

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Audra McDonald BIO

Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and an actor. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards and an Emmy, in 2015 she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and received a National Medal of Arts—America’s highest honor for achievement in the field—from President Barack Obama. In addition to her Tony-winning performances in Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill—the role that also served as the vehicle for her Olivier Award-nominated 2017 debut in London’s West End—she has appeared on Broadway in The Secret Garden; Marie Christine (Tony nomination); Henry IV; 110 in the Shade (Tony nomination); Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed; and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Tony nomination).

A Juilliard-trained soprano, her opera credits include La voix humaine and Send at Houston Grand Opera, and Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at Los Angeles Opera, where the resulting recording earned her two Grammy Awards.

On television, she was seen by millions as the Mother Abbess in NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! and played Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC’s Private Practice. She won an Emmy Award for her role as host of PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center and has received nominations for Wit, A Raisin in the Sun and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. Having first appeared as Liz Lawrence on CBS’s The Good Wife, she stars in The Good Fight on Paramount+ as well as in Spectrum’s pandemic-themed drama, The Bite.

On film, she has appeared in Seven Servants, The Object of My Affection, Cradle Will Rock, It Runs in the Family, The Best Thief in the World, She Got Problems, Rampart, Ricki and the Flash, Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast, the movie-musical Hello Again, and MGM’s Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect.

Her upcoming film projects comprise Higher Ground’s Rustin and FilmNation’s Down Low. McDonald has issued five solo albums on the Nonesuch label as well as Sing Happy with the New York Philharmonic on Decca Gold. She also maintains a major career as a concert artist, regularly appearing on the great stages of the world and with leading international orchestras. A founding member of Black Theatre United, board member of Covenant House International, and prominent advocate for LGBTQAI+ rights, her favorite roles are those performed offstage, as an activist, wife to actor Will Swenson, and mother.

Audra McDonald Photos

Audra McDonald STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2022
Performer

[Williamstown, MA (Regional)]
Williamstown Theater Festival Production, 2020
Blanche DuBois

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2019
Frankie

[West End]
West End Production, 2017
Billie Holiday

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2016
Lottie Gee

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2014
Lady Day

[Motion Picture]
NBC Live Televised Production, 2013
Mother Abbess

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2012
Bess

[Off-Broadway]
Shakespeare In The Park Revival, 2009
Olivia

[Broadway]
Roundabout Revival, 2007
Lizzie Curry

[Regional (US)]
Regional Concert, 2005
Fay Apple

[Broadway]
Stephen Sondheim Tribute Benefit, 2005
Performer

[Broadway]
Concert [Broadway], 2005
Clara

[Broadway]
Special Benefit Production, 2005
Performer

[Regional (US)]
Regional Concert, 2004
Dot

[Williamstown, MA (Regional)]
World Premiere, 2004
Performer

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2004
Ruth Younger

Ruth Younger

Ruth Younger

[Broadway]
Lincoln Center Revival, 2003
Lady Percy

[Regional (US)]
Regional Concert, 2003
Clara

[Off-Broadway]
New York Concert, 2002
Julie Jordan

[Broadway]
New York Concert, 2001
Deena Jones

[Off-Broadway]
New York Concert, 2000
Beggar Woman

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1999
Marie Christine L'Adrese

[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1999
Performer [Replacement]

Performer [Replacement]

[New York]
Workshop, 1998
Nina

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1998
Sarah

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1995
Sharon

[Broadway]
Broadway Concert, 1995
"Something Wonderful" Performer

Performer

[Broadway]
Broadway Production, 1994
Carrie Pipperidge

[Los Angeles]
Los Angeles Opera Revival, 2007
Jenny


Audra McDonald Awards and Nominations

Tony Awards - 2020 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune

Olivier Awards - 2018 - Best Actress

Audra McDonald, Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill

BroadwayWorld Awards - 2014 - Best Leading Actress in a Play

Audra McDonald, Lady Day at emerson's Bar & Grill

Drama Desk Awards - 2014 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2014 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill

Drama Desk Awards - 2012 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Audra McDonald, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

Drama League Awards - 2012 - Distinguished Performance Award

Audra McDonald, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

Audra McDonald Videos

Audra McDonald News


Video: THE GILDED AGE Star Carrie Coon Wants A Musical Of the Hit Drama

Carrie Coon, who has won audiences with her portrayal of Bertha Russell on HBO's The Gilded Age, wants to see the hit drama come to Broadway as a musical! Watch the video.

Donna Lynne Champlin & More to Star in SWEENEY TODD at Virginia Arts Festival

Virginia Arts Festival will present Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical Sweeney Todd in an orchestral performance. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.

Lucie Jones, Carole Bufford, and More to Play 54 Below Next Week

Next week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club and 2022 Tony Awards Honoree for Excellence in the Theatre, will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. Learn more about the performances and how to get tickets here!

Video: Audra McDonald Sings 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain' at MY FAVORITE THINGS

More than 10 years since The Sound of Music Live! premiered on television, Audra McDonald reprises her stunning rendition of 'Climb Ev’ry Mountain' for My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert. Watch a video clip here!

Work by Rachel Bloom, Sara Porkalob & More Set for 2024 Williamstown Theatre Festival Summer Season

The 2024 Williamstown Theatre Festival summer season has revealed its lineup. See the shows being presented and learn how to purchase tickets.

Westport Country Playhouse to Offer Guided Tours

Westport Country Playhouse will present “From the Page to the Stage” guided tours, available to the public by reservation on selected Friday and Saturday mornings.

Video: Aaron Tveit Sings 'Ten Minutes Ago' at THE RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN 80TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

We want to ring out the bells after seeing Aaron Tveit sing 'Ten Minutes Ago' during the star-studded event, My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert, which will be available for on-demand streaming in North America from March 24 - 31. Watch a video clip here!

Rodgers & Hammerstein Concert MY FAVORITE THINGS Will Be Available to Stream in the US

My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert will be available to stream on-demand in North America from Sunday, March 24 through Sunday, March 31, 2024. We have all of the details on how you can watch from home!

DREAMGIRLS Starts Performances at McCarter This Week - Full Cast Announced!

McCarter Theatre Center has announced the cast for the revival of the Tony and Grammy award-winning DREAMGIRLS. Learn more here!

Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone Will Perform Concerts at Scottsdale Arts

 Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has announced upcoming performances from legendary Broadway performers. Learn more about the upcoming shows here!

New Music Venue The Central Park Café Opens Across The Street From Carnegie Hall

The Central Park Café is bringing the finest in New York cabaret to their restaurant across the street from Carnegie Hall. Learn more about the venue!

Jinkx Monsoon, Cheyenne Jackson & More Set for Provincetown Town Hall Summer 2024 Season

A star-studded music and comedy season has been set for the summer of 2024 at Provincetown’s largest entertainment venue, the Town Hall. See who is performing and learn how to purchase tickets.

Len Cariou & Peter Filichia To Be Honored at 78th Annual Theatre World Awards

The Theatre World Awards Board of Directors has announced two of the individuals to be honored at 78th Annual Theatre World Awards to be held on Monday evening, June 10, 2024 beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Stars to Celebrate HISTORY OF BLACK BROADWAY: WOMEN'S EDITION at 54 Below

Celebrate the history of Black Broadway through the eyes of Black women. Stars from & JULIET, THE LION KING, BACK TO THE FUTURE, and more pay tribute to legends like Lena Horne, Audra McDonald, and Diahann Carroll. Live and streaming.

The Philadelphia Orchestra to Rename Its Home at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Philadelphia Orchestra President and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky and Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin announced that Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will be rededicated as Marian Anderson Hall in honor of the legendary contralto, civil rights icon, and Philadelphian.

MY FAVORITE THINGS: THE RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN 80th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Will Screen in Cinemas in Australia and New Zealand

The star-studded My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert, filmed last December, will be screened in more than 100 cinemas across Australia and New Zealand from 21st March 2024.

Interview: Audra McDonald talks about AN EVENING WITH AUDRA MCDONALD, her role in 'Rustin' and more

When it comes to concerts, Audra McDonald says she’s learned to choose a song list that really appeals to her. And she’s done just that for her current tour, which will bring her to Symphony Hall for her eighth appearance with the Celebrity Series of Boston, this time with an orchestra of local musicians, on February 27.

John Douglas Thompson & Nicole Ari Parker to Lead Red Bull Theater's ANTONY & CLEOPATRA

RED BULL THEATER has revealed updated casting for the next offering of a new season of OBIE Award-winning Revelation Readings: Antony & Cleopatra by William Shakespeare. See who is starring!

Spotlight: Audra McDonald Comes to the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts

Audra McDonald February 23rd @ Tilles Center for the Performing Arts LIU Post

Audra McDonald FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Audra McDonald's next show will be Ohio State Murders which opens on 12/8/2022 on Broadway.

Audra McDonald has appeared on Broadway in 17 shows.

Audra McDonald has appeared on London's West End in 1 shows.

Audra McDonald's first West End show was Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill which opened in 2017

Audra McDonald has been nominated for numerous awards throughout her career, including Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "Ohio State Murders," Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for the same production, and Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Ohio State Murders." She has also received nominations for her performances in "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune," "Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill," "Porgy and Bess," "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess," "110 in the Shade," "A Raisin In The Sun," "Marie Christine," "Ragtime," and "Master Class." Additionally, she has been recognized with awards such as the Olivier Awards for "Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill" and the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre at the Drama League Awards.

Audra McDonald has won numerous awards throughout her Broadway career, including Best Leading Actress in a Play for "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill," Outstanding Actress in a Play for the same production at the Drama Desk Awards, and Outstanding Actress in a Musical for "Porgy and Bess" at the Outer Critics Circle Awards. She has also won Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" at the Tony Awards. McDonald's accolades also include wins for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for "Porgy and Bess" at the BroadwayWorld Awards and Outstanding Actress in a Musical for "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess" at the Drama Desk Awards. Additionally, she has received awards such as the Distinguished Performance Award for "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess" at the Drama League Awards and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for "A Raisin in the Sun" at the Outer Critics Circle Awards. McDonald has also been recognized with a Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre award and has won Tony Awards for various roles, including Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for "Ragtime" and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for "Master Class."

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