Audra McDonald
| Audra McDonald | |
|---|---|
| Born | Audra Ann McDonald July 3, 1970 Berlin, Germany |
| Occupation | Actress/Singer |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Spouse | Peter Donovan (2000–2009) |
Audra Ann McDonald (born July 3, 1970) is an American actress and singer. She starred in the ABC television drama Private Practice as Dr. Naomi Bennett.[1] She has appeared on the stage in both musicals and dramas, such as Ragtime and A Raisin in the Sun. She maintains an active concert and recording career, performing song cycles and operas as well as performing in concert throughout the US. She has won the Tony Award four times.
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[edit] Early life
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.[2] She got her start in acting with Dan Pessano and Good Company Players, beginning in their Junior Company. "I knew I wanted to be involved in theater when I had my first chance to perform with the Good Company Players Junior Company." "The people who have had the most impact on my life: Good Company director Dan Pessano and my mother."[3] She studied classical voice as an undergraduate under Ellen Faull at the Juilliard School,[4] graduating in 1993.
[edit] Career
- Theatre
McDonald became a three-time Tony Award winner by the age of 28 — for her performances in Carousel, Master Class, and Ragtime — placing her alongside Shirley Booth, Gwen Verdon and Zero 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 actresses Gwen Verdon and Mary Martin. She reprised her Raisin role for a 2008 television adaptation, earning her a second Emmy Award nomination.[5]
McDonald appeared as Lizzie in the Roundabout Theatre Company's 2007 revival of 110 in the Shade, directed by Lonny Price at Studio 54, for which she shared the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Musical with Donna Murphy.[6] On April 29, 2007, while she was in previews for the show, her father was killed when an experimental aircraft he was flying crashed north of Sacramento.[7]
McDonald appeared in a revised version of Porgy and Bess, as "Bess", at the Loeb Drama Center (Cambridge, Massachusetts) in August through September 2011 and is expected to recreate the role on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre starting in previews on December 12, 2011. This American Repertory Theater production is being "re-imagined by Suzan-Lori Parks and Diedre Murray as a musical for contemporary audiences."[8]
- Concerts
Throughout her career, McDonald has maintained ties to her classical training and repertoire. She frequently performs in concert throughout the US[9] and has performed with musical institutions 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.[10] She sang two solo one-act operas at the Houston Grand Opera in March 2006: Francis Poulenc's La Voix Humaine and the world premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's Send (who are you? I love you).[11] On February 10, 2007, McDonald starred with Patti LuPone in the Los Angeles Opera production of Kurt Weill's opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny directed by John Doyle.[12] 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.[13]
In September 2008, American musical theatre composer Michael John LaChiusa was quoted in Opera News Online, as working on an adaptation of Bizet's opera Carmen with McDonald in mind.[14]
- Television and film
McDonald has also made many television appearances, both musical and dramatic. In 2001, she received her first Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie for the HBO film Wit starring Emma Thompson and directed by Mike Nichols.[15] She also has appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street (1999), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000), Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1999), the short-lived Mister Sterling (2003), The Bedford Diaries (2006), and Kidnapped (2006–2007), and in the 1999 television remake of Annie as Daddy Warbucks' secretary & soon-to-be wife, Miss Farrell.[16] She sang with the New York Philharmonic in the annual New Year's Eve gala concert on December 31, 2006, featuring music from the movies; it was televised on Live from Lincoln Center by PBS.[17]
McDonald appeared as Naomi Bennett, ex-wife of Sam, portrayed by Taye Diggs, in the television drama Private Practice, a spinoff of Grey's Anatomy. She replaced Merrin Dungey, who played the role in the series pilot.[18] McDonald left Private Practice at the end of season four.[19][20]
In films, 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 by Daryush Shokof which was her film acting debut in (1996).[16]
- Recording
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 and Jason Robert Brown. Her next album, How Glory Goes (2000) combined both old and new works, and included composers Harold Arlen, Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Kern.[4] Her next album Happy Songs (2002) was big band music from the '20s, '30s and '40s.[21] Her fourth album, Build a Bridge (2006), features songs from the jazz/pop canon, from composers as diverse as Adam Guettel (who wrote the title song), Laura Nyro, Elvis Costello, Nellie McKay, Neil Young, Rufus Wainwright, John Mayer and Randy Newman.[22]
- Other
At the 2010 BCS National Championship Game on January 7, McDonald sang America the Beautiful for the sold-out stadium fans to celebrate the final game of the college football season.[23]
[edit] Personal life
McDonald married bassist Peter Donovan in September 2000.[4] They have one daughter, Zoe Madeline, who was born on February 14, 2001, and was named after McDonald's Master Class co-star and good friend Zoe Caldwell and actress Madeline Kahn. McDonald and Donovan divorced in 2009.[24] Currently she is in a relationship with Broadway actor Will Swenson, who is notable for his performances in the 2009 revival of Hair and the original Broadway cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.[25] On January 3, 2012, it was announced that McDonald and Swenson are engaged.[26]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Solo Recordings
- Way Back to Paradise (NONESUCH, 1998)[28]
- How Glory Goes (2000)[29]
- Happy Songs (2002)
- Build a Bridge (2006)
[edit] Featured Recordings
- Dawn Upshaw Sings Rodgers & 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 and Ira 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 Of Ricky Ian Gordon ("Daybreak in Alabama", etc.) (2001)
- ZEITGEIST ("Think Twice") (2005)
- Guest Artist, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (2004)[31]
- Barbara Cook at the Met ("When Did I Fall In Love?" and "Blue Skies") (2006)
- Jule Styne in Hollywood ("10,432 Sheep") (2006)[32]
- Guest Artist, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's The Wonder of Christmas ("Sweet Little Jesus Boy", "Children Go Where I Send Thee") (2006)[33]
- New York Pops American River Suite (featured on "Prologue/Through The Mist/Half Moon") [Recording offered as a FREE download for a limited time on the official New York Pops website.]
[edit] 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- by John Adams (Studio Cast Recording) (1998)[34]
- Wonderful Town (Studio Recording) (1999)
- Marie Christine (Original Cast Recording) (1999)
- Annie (1999)
- Sweeney Todd Live at the New York Philharmonic (2000)
- Dreamgirls in Concert (2001 Concert Cast Recording) (released February 2002)[35]
- 110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast Recording) (2007)
- Rodgers & Hammerstein's Allegro (First Complete Recording) (2009)[36]
[edit] Video recordings
- Audra McDonald - Live at the Donmar London, VHS (1999)
- My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies("The Webber Love Trio"),DVD & CD (1999)
- Bernstein - Wonderful Town with Kim Criswell, Thomas Hampson, Wayne Marshall, Simon Rattle, and Berlin Philharmonic, DVD (2005)
- Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, DVD (2005)
- Weill - Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, DVD (2007)
- Sondheim! The Birthday Concert, Blu-ray DVD (2010)
[edit] Audio books
- Alice Walker, By The Light of My Father's Smile (1998)[37]
- Connie Briscoe, A Long Way From Home (1999)[38]
- Rita Dove, Second-Hand Man (2003)[39]
[edit] Work
[edit] Feature films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Seven Servants | ||
| 1998 | The Object of My Affection | Wedding Singer | |
| 1999 | Cradle Will Rock | Blitzstein - 'Joe Worker' Singer | |
| 2003 | It Runs in the Family (2003 film) | Sarah Langley | |
| 2004 | The Best Thief in the World | Ruth |
[edit] Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II | Herself | TV special documentary | |
| 1997 | Leonard Bernstein’s New York | Herself | TV documentary | |
| 1999 | Annie | Grace Farrell | ||
| 1999 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Teresa Giardello | Episode: "Forgive Us Our Trespasses" | |
| 1999 | Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years | Bessie in her 20s | TV movie | |
| 2000 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Audrey Jackson | Episodes: "Contact", "Slaves" | |
| 2000 | The Last Debate | Barbara Manning | TV movie | |
| 2001 | Wit | Susie Monahan | Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress | |
| 2003 | Mister Sterling | Chief of Staff Jackie Brock | ||
| 2003 | Partners and Crime | TV movie | ||
| 2003 | Tea Time with Roy & Sylvia | Sylvia | Short | |
| 2004 | Evening at Pops | Herself | TV series documentary | |
| 2004 | Broadway: The American Musical | Herself | TV series documentary | |
| 2005 | Character Studies | Herself | TV series | |
| 2005 | Live from Lincoln Center | Clara | Episode: "Passion" | |
| 2006 | The Bedford Diaries | Professor Carla Bonatelle | ||
| 2006-2007 | Kidnapped | Jackie Hayes | TV series | |
| 2007–2012 | Private Practice | Dr. Naomi Bennett | ||
| 2008 | A Raisin In The Sun | Ruth Younger | Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress | |
| 2009 | Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Naomi Bennett | Episode: "Before and After" | |
| 2009 | The Music Instinct: Science and Song | As the narrator | TV documentary | |
| 2009 | Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s on Me | Herself | TV documentary | |
| 2009 | She got problems | Herself | Short |
[edit] Theater
| Year | Show | Role | Awards and nominations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Secret Garden | Ayah | |
| 1994 | Carousel | Carrie Pipperidge | Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical; Drama Desk Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical |
| 1995 | Something Wonderful | ||
| 1996 | Master Class | Sharon/Sharon Graham | Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play |
| 1998 | Ragtime | Sarah | Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical |
| 1999 | Marie Christine | Marie Christine | Tony Award Best Leading Actress in a Musical (nominee); Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical (nominee) |
| 2004 | A Raisin in the Sun | Ruth Younger | Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play; Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play |
| 2004 | Henry IV | Lady Percy | |
| 2007 | 110 in the Shade | Lizzie Curry | Tony Award Best Actress in a Musical (nominee); Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical (winner) |
| 2009 | Twelfth Night | Olivia | Also starring Anne Hathaway as Viola |
| 2011 | Porgy and Bess | Bess |
[edit] 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 - tied with Donna Murphy
- 2009: Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording and Grammy Award for Best Classical Album - Kurt Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny[43]
- Nominations
- 2000: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical – Marie Christine
- 2001: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Variety - Series or Special – Audra McDonald in Concert
- 2001: Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or a Movie for Wit (HBO)
- 2004: Drama League Award – A Raisin in the Sun
- 2007: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical – 110 in the Shade
- 2008: NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Private Practice
- 2008: Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or a Movie for A Raisin in the Sun
- 2009: NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Private Practice[44]
- 2010: NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Private Practice
[edit] References
- ^ "'Practice' is perfect for McDonald". The Hollywood Reporter. 2007. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ib2e03aed98ee11408481b5f676fc4bf3. Retrieved 2008-05-21.[dead link]
- ^ "Audra - Living Her Dream". The Fresno Bee. 15 January 1989. 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. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
- ^ "Audra McDonald's a tough act to follow in "Evita"". The Fresno Bee. 5 December 2007. http://www.fresnobeehive.com/opinion/2007/12/audra_mcdonalds_a_tough_act_to.html. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
- ^ a b c Green, Blake."Never Short of Breath", sfgate.com (originally in the San Francisco Chronicle), July 16, 2000
- ^ Gans, Andrew.Chenoweth, Dench, Linney, McDonald, Rashad Nominated for Emmy Awards", playbill.com, July 17, 2008
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Utopia and Spring Awakening Win Top Honors at Drama Desk Awards", playbill.com, May 21, 2007
- ^ Jones, Kenneth."Stanley McDonald Jr., Father of Tony-Winner Audra McDonald, Dies in Air Crash", playbill.com, April 30, 2007
- ^ Gans, Andrew and Hetrick, Adam."Norm Lewis-Audra McDonald Porgy and Bess Will Play Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre" playbill.com, June 29, 2011
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Audra McDonald to Offer Concerts Throughout U.S.", playbill.com, April 8, 2008
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Audra McDonald Premieres The Seven Deadly Sins June 2 at Zankel Hall", playbill.com, June 2, 2004
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Audra McDonald to Debut New LaChiusa Piece at Houston Grand Opera", playbill.com, July 26, 2005
- ^ Simonson, Robert, and Gans, Andrew."Doyle to Direct LuPone and McDonald in Mahagonny", playbill.com, January 16, 2006
- ^ Gans, Andrew."In the Heights Cast Recording Wins Grammy; Hudson and LuPone-McDonald "Mahagonny" Also Win", playbill.com, February 8, 2009
- ^ Portantiere, Michael (September 2008, vol 73, no. 3). "Over the Borderline". Opera News Online. http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/issue/article.aspx?id=4980&issueID=325. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth."Emmy Noms Go to 'Wit,' 'South Pacific,' 'Laughter on the 23rd Floor' and More", July 12, 2001
- ^ a b c Audra McDonald credits at the Internet Movie database imdb.com, accessed August 15, 2009
- ^ Gans, Andrew."PBS to Broadcast Audra McDonald's New Year's Eve Concert", playbill.com, November 29, 2006
- ^ Buckley, Michael.STAGE_TO_SCREENS_Audra_McDonald_Kenneth_Branagh_Craig_Wright_Jill_Clayburgh/all "Stage To Screens: Audra McDonald, Kenneth Branagh, Craig Wright, Jill Clayburgh" playbill.com, September 24, 2007
- ^ "Audra McDonald to Exit Private Practice". TVGuide.com. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Audra-McDonald-Exit-1029028.aspx. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Audra McDonald Departing ABC's "Private Practice" playbill.com, February 9, 2011
- ^ Simonson, Robert."Audra McDonald Sings Composers of Today and Future at Joe's Pub", playbill.com, May 22, 2002
- ^ Suskin, Steven."On The Record: A Complete Cabaret With Judi Dench, and Audra McDonald's "Build a Bridge", November 12, 2006
- ^ Moon, Josh."Alabama wins 13th national championship" montgomeryadvertiser.com, January 8, 2010
- ^ "McDonald Sets Record Straight". BroadwayWorld News Desk. June 3, 2009. http://broadwayworld.com/article/McDonald_Sets_Record_Straight_Regarding_Erroneous_NY_Daily_News_Item_20090603.
- ^ "Audra McDonald Finds Boyfriend Will Swenson's New Priscilla Drag Style 'Hot'". Broadway.com. September 16, 2010. http://www.broadway.com/shows/priscilla-queen-desert/buzz/153583/audra-mcdonald-finds-boyfriend-will-swensons-new-priscilla-drag-style-hot/.
- ^ "Will Swenson & Audra McDonald Get Engaged!". BroadwayWorld News Desk. January 2, 2012. http://broadwayworld.com/article/Will-Swenson-Audra-McDonald-Get-Engaged-20120103.
- ^ McDonald record listing nonesuch.com, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ Way Back to Paradise listing barnesandnoble.com, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ Simonson, Robert.Audra McDonald's 'How Glory Goes' Released in Stores Feb. 22" playbill.com, February 10, 2000
- ^ McDonald listing masterworksbroadway.com, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ "Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square: Featuring Audra McDonald and Peter Graves" mormontabernaclechoir.org, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ Jule Styne in Hollywood listing footlight.com, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ The Wonder of Christmas mormontabernaclechoir.org, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky", listing nonesuch.com, accessed August 15, 2009
- ^ Suskin, Steven."ON THE RECORD: Dazzling Dreamgirls and 1943 Show Tunes", playbill.com, March 10, 2002
- ^ Hetrick, Adam and Gans, Andrew."Complete Allegro Recording, with McDonald, Gunn and Wilson, to Arrive In Stores Feb. 3", playbill.com, December 8, 2008
- ^ By The Light of My Father's Smile audio book amazon.com, accessed August 15, 2009
- ^ A Long Way from Homeaudio book amazon.com, accessed August 15, 2009
- ^ Getting There from Here: Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story isbndb.com, accessed August 15, 2009
- ^ McDonald Broadway credits ibdb.com, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ Awards and nominations, theatre playbill.com, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ Awards and nominations, TV imdb.com, retrieved January 8, 2010
- ^ Gans, Andrew."In the Heights Cast Recording Wins Grammy; Hudson and LuPone-McDonald "Mahagonny" Also Win" playbill.com, February 8, 2009
- ^ BWW News Desk.Anika Noni Rose, Audra McDonald, Denzel Washington et al. Receive NAACP Image Award Noms." broadwayworld.com, January 6, 2010
[edit] External links
- Audra McDonald at the Internet Broadway Database
- Audra McDonald at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Audra McDonald at the Internet Movie Database
- Audra McDonald at PlaybillVault
- Audra McDonald at Nonesuch Records
- Audra McDonald - Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org
- Audra McDonald's February 5, 2007 interview on the Tavis Smiley Show (TV Interview)
- African American actors
- American female singers
- American film actors
- American musical theatre actors
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- Actors from California
- Musicians from California
- Drama Desk Award winners
- People from Fresno, California
- Tony Award winners
- Juilliard School alumni
- 1970 births
- Nonesuch Records artists
- Living people