*Sunday night, Audra McDonald made history after winning her 5th Tony Award. That ranks the amazing actress as the first black woman with that many Tony’s.
Aside from that, she won the Best Actress award for her performance as “Bess” in “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”
While many don’t know of this great actresses’ accomplishments, we decided to educate you on Ms. McDonald and help her name get out in the spotlight more because it deserves to be so.
1. Place Of Birth
Audra was born in Berlin, Germany and raised in Fresno, California. She is the elder of two daughters and began studying acting at a young age to counteract her “hyperactive” disorder.
2. Family
She is engaged to actor Will Swenson. She was married to bassist Peter Donovan and has one daughter.
3. 5-Time Tony Award Winner
Her four previous wins were in the featured role category for “Carousel,” “Master Class,” “Ragtime,” and “A Raisin in the Sun.” She won last night for her Best Actress victory as “Bess” in “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”
4. Music Career
Throughout her career, McDonald has maintained ties to her classical training and repertoire. She frequently performs in concert throughout the US and has performed with musical organizations such as the New York Philharmonic and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Carnegie Hall commissioned the song cycle The Seven Deadly Sins: A Song Cycle for McDonald, and she performed it at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall on June 2, 2004.
The recording of the Los Angeles Opera production of Kurt Weill’s opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, featuring McDonald and Patti Lupone, won two Grammy Awards, for Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Album in February 2009.
5. NAACP Image Award
She has won 4 NAACP Image Awards all for her acting.
I saw this woman and Porgy and Bess and she was OUTSTANDING! I “get” all the hype surrounding her now. This sister is BAD!
Yes, she is a superstar. She was also in Private Practice playing Taye Diggs’ wife until he dumped her for their white mutual friend.