- Audra McDonald
Infobox actor
name = Audra McDonald
imagesize =
caption =
birthname = Audra Ann McDonald
birthdate = Birth date and age|1970|7|3
birthplace =Berlin ,Germany
occupation =actress ,singer
spouse = Peter Donovan (2000–present)
tonyawards = Featured Actress - Musical
1994 "Carousel "
1998 "Ragtime"
Featured Actress - Play
1996 "Master Class "
2004 "A Raisin in the Sun "
awards =Drama Desk Awards
1994 "Carousel "
2004 "A Raisin in the Sun "
2007 "110 in the Shade "Theatre World Awards
1994 "Carousel "Outer Critics Circle Award
1994 "Carousel "
2004 "A Raisin in the Sun "Audra Ann McDonald (born
July 3 ,1970 ) is an American four-timeTony Award -winningactress andsinger . She currently stars in the ABC television drama "Private Practice " as Dr.Naomi Bennett . [cite news | author= | title='Practice' is perfect for McDonald | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ib2e03aed98ee11408481b5f676fc4bf3 | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=2007 | accessdate=2008-05-21]Biography
Born in
Berlin ,Germany and raised in Fresno,California , the elder of two daughters, she began to study acting at a young age to counteract her diagnosis as "hyperactive ". McDonald graduated from the Roosevelt School of the Arts program within Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno. [cite news | author= | title=Audra - Living Her Dream | url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=FB&p_theme=fb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAE83372BB1CEA1&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | work=The Fresno Bee | date=15 January 1989| accessdate=2008-05-21] She studied classical voice as an undergraduate at theJuilliard School of Music, graduating in 1993.McDonald became a three-time Tony Award winner by the age of 28 — for her performances in "Carousel", "
Master Class ", and "Ragtime" — placing her alongsideShirley Booth ,Gwen Verdon andZero Mostel by accomplishing this feat within five years. She was nominated for another Tony Award for her performance in "Marie Christine " before she won her fourth in 2004 for her role in "A Raisin in the Sun ", placing her in the company of other four-time winning actressesAngela Lansbury ,Gwen Verdon andMary Martin . She reprised her "Raisin" role for a 2008 television adaptation.Throughout her career McDonald has maintained ties to her classical training and repertoire. In 2005 "" was commissioned for and performed by her at Carnegie's Zankel Hall. She sang two solo one-act operas at the
Houston Grand Opera in 2006:Francis Poulenc 's "La Voix Humaine " and the world premiere ofMichael John LaChiusa 's "Send (who are you? I love you) ". In 2007, McDonald starred withPatti LuPone in theLos Angeles Opera production ofKurt Weill 's opera "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny " directed byJohn Doyle .McDonald has also made several television appearances, both musical and dramatic. In 2001, she received an
Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie for theHBO film "Wit" starringEmma Thompson and directed byMike Nichols . She also has appeared on ', ', "", the short-lived "Mister Sterling ", "The Bedford Diaries ", and "Kidnapped", and in the 1999 television remake of "Annie" as Daddy Warbucks' secretary Miss Farrell. She rang in 2007 with theNew York Philharmonic in a concert of music from the movies televised on "Live from Lincoln Center " byPBS .On the big screen, McDonald has appeared in "Best Thief in the World" (2004), "It Runs in the Family" (2003), "
Cradle Will Rock " (1999), "The Object of My Affection " (1998), and "Seven Servants" (1996).McDonald has recorded four solo albums for
Nonesuch Records . Her first, the 1998 "Way Back to Paradise", featured songs written by a new generation of musical theatre composers who had achieved varying degrees of prominence in the 1990s, particularly Michael John LaChiusa,Adam Guettel andJason Robert Brown . Her subsequent albums, "How Glory Goes " and "Happy Songs", have featured more traditional theater and cabaret songs along with some songs by these new composers. Her fourth album, "Build a Bridge", features songs from the jazz/pop canon, from composers as diverse asLaura Nyro ,Elvis Costello ,Nellie McKay ,Neil Young ,Rufus Wainwright ,John Mayer andRandy Newman . She frequently appears in concert and has performed with a number of the most prestigious orchestras world-wide.McDonald married bassist Peter Donovan in 2000. They have one daughter, Zoe Madeline.
McDonald appeared as Lizzie in the
Roundabout Theatre Company 's 2007 revival of "110 in the Shade ", directed byLonny Price atStudio 54 , for which she shared theDrama Desk Award for Best Acress in a Musical withDonna Murphy . In May, while she was in previews for the show, her father was killed when an experimental aircraft he was flying crashed north ofSacramento .McDonald appears as Naomi Bennett, ex-wife of Sam, portrayed by
Taye Diggs , in "Private Practice ", a spinoff of "Grey's Anatomy ". She replacedMerrin Dungey , who played the role in the series pilot.In September of 2008, American
musical theatre composer Michael John LaChiusa was quoted inOpera News Online , as working on an adaptation ofBizet 'sopera Carmen with McDonald in mind. [cite news |author=Portantiere, Michael |title=Over the Borderline |url=http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/issue/article.aspx?id=4980&issueID=325 |work=Opera News Online |date=September 2008, vol 73, no. 3 |accessdate=2008-09-02]Discography
olo Recordings
* "Way Back to Paradise" (1998)
* "How Glory Goes " (2000)
* "Happy Songs" (2002)
* "Build a Bridge" (2006)Featured Recordings
* "
Dawn Upshaw SingsRodgers & Hart " (duet on "Why Can't I?") (1996)
* "Leonard Bernstein 's New York" ("A Little Bit in Love" and "Tonight" duet with Mandy Patinkin) (1996)
* "George andIra Gershwin : Standards and Gems" ("How Long Has This Been Going On?") (1998)
* "George Gershwin : The 100th Birthday Celebration" ("Porgy and Bess" selections) (1998)
* "Cradle Will Rock " ("Joe Worker") (1999)
* "Myths and Hymns " ("Pegasus") (1999)
* "My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies" ("The Webber Love Trio") (1999)
* "Broadway In Love" ("You Were Meant For Me" from "The Object of My Affection ") (2000)
* "Broadway Cares: Home for the Holidays" ("White Christmas") (2001)
* "Bright Eyed Joy: The Songs OfRicky Ian Gordon " ("Daybreak in Alabama", etc.) (2001)
* "ZEITGEIST" ("Think Twice") (2005)
* "Barbara Cook at the Met" ("When Did I Fall In Love?" and "Blue Skies") (2006)
* "Jule Styne in Hollywood" ("10,432 Sheep") (2006)
* "The Wonder of Christmas" ("Sweet Little Jesus Boy", "Children Go Where I Send Thee") (2006)Cast Recordings
* "
Carousel " (1994 Broadway Revival Cast Recording) (1994)
* "Ragtime " (Original Cast Recording) (1998)
* "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky " (Studio Cast Recording) (1998)
* "Wonderful Town " (Studio Recording) (1999)
* "Marie Christine " (Original Cast Recording) (1999)
* "Annie " (1999)
* "Sweeney Todd Live at theNew York Philharmonic " (2000)
* "Dreamgirls in Concert" (Concert Cast Recording) (2001)
* "110 in the Shade " (2007 Broadway Revival Cast Recording) (2007)Bootleg Recordings
* Only Heaven (Ricky Ian Gordon) 1997
* "Live at the Donmar, London" (2000)
* "Creators at Carnegie: " (hour one) (2004)
* "Creators at Carnegie: Live At Carnegie Hall" (hour two) (2004)
* "Send (who are you? i love you)" (2006)
* "The Human Voice" (2006)
* "Audra McDonald Sings the American Songbook Live from Lincoln Center" (2006)
* "Audra McDonald Sings the Movies Live from Lincoln Center" (2006)
* "Discoveries at Disney Concert Hall" (2007)
* "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" (2007)Audio Books
* Alice Walker's "By The Light of My Father's Smile" (1998)
* Connie Briscoe's "A Long Way From Home" (1999)
* Rita Dove's "Second-Hand Man" (2003)Filmography
* "
The Object of My Affection " (1998) – Wedding Singer
* "Wit " (2001) – Susie Monahan
* "A Raisin In The Sun " (2008) – Ruth Younger
* "Private Practice " (2007–2008) – Dr Naomi Bennett;guest appearances
* "" (2000) – Audrey JacksonTheatre
Broadway
* "Carousel" (1994)
* "Master Class " (1996)
* "Ragtime" (1998)
* "Marie Christine" (1999)
* "A Raisin in the Sun " (2004)
* "110 in the Shade " (2007)Awards and nominations
;Awards
* 1994: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical – "Carousel"
* 1994:Theatre World Award – "Carousel"
* 1994:Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical – "Carousel"
* 1994: Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical – "Carousel"
* 1995: Ovation Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play – "Master Class "
* 1996: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play – "Master Class "
* 1998: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical – "Ragtime"
* 2004: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play – "A Raisin in the Sun "
* 2004:Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play – "A Raisin in the Sun "
* 2004:Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play – "A Raisin in the Sun "
* 2007: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical – "110 in the Shade ";Nominations
* 1999:Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical – "Marie Christine"
* 2001:NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Variety - Series or Special – "Audra McDonald in Concert"
* 2004:Drama League Award – "A Raisin in the Sun "
* 2007:Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical – "110 in the Shade "
* 2008: PrimetimeEmmy Award: Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or a Movie for "A Raisin in the Sun"References
External links
*
*
* [http://www.nonesuch.com/Hi_Band/index_frameset2.cfm?pointer=mcdonald.gifAudra McDonald's site at Nonesuch Records]
* [http://www.americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/audra_mcdonald Audra McDonald] - "Downstage Center" interview at American Theatre Wing.org
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8310617678595561535&q=innerviews InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse: Audra McDonald] (TV Interview)
* [http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200702/20070205.html Audra McDonald's February 5, 2007 interview on the Tavis Smiley Show] (TV Interview)
* [http://uarts.info/wiki/index.php?title=Audra Audra McDonald in Show Music Magazine]###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Musical
years=1993-1994
for "Carousel"
before=Rachel York
for "Putting It Together "
after=Rachel York
for "Victor/Victoria"
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