Sheelagh Cook

April 30, 2015

THE 238-Joyce Hope Scott

Final Project

Audra McDonald

African American actors and actresses tend to go unnoticed for all their hard

work. But, they work just as hard as White American actors do. One of the most

influential actresses is the African American community is Audra McDonald. Audra

is most for her work on stage and screen.

Audra was born on July 30, 1970 in West Berlin, Germany. She grew up in a

very musically inclined family and thus exposed to the arts at a very young age. Both

of parents were musicians and her aunts traveled around the country calling

themselves The McDonald Sisters, they performed gospel music throughout the

1970s. Audra herself first stepped on the stage when she was in elementary school.

She performed mostly in community theatre settings and school. She went on to

attend a performing arts high school in California. After that she attended Julliard in

New York City, where she graduated from in 1993.

After having a few rough years because she battled depression, while

attending college. She made her Broadway debut in the Secret Garden in 1992. She

started her run in the show in the chorus but then she moved to the role of Ayah

before ending her run with the show in 1993. Her next role of Broadway was the

original cast of Carousel playing the role of Carrie Pipperidge. This role won her, her
first Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. This

show and role was the true beginning of her Broadway career. Her next Broadway

role was the play Master Class, in 1996. She played the role of Sharon Graham, which

earned her, her second Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a

Play. Then in 1998 she was casted as Sarah in the musical, Ragtime. Again, she won a

Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Bring her

Tony Award total to three before the age of 30.

In 2004 she stared as Ruth Younger in the play A Raisin in The Sun. Two

major events happened because of this role. First, She won her fourth Tony Award

for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. Second, in 2008 she started in

the television movie along side Sean Combs. The movie got her nominated for a

Primetime Emmy Award but sadly she did not win. After the movie she took a break

from Theatre and focused more on a television career. She then stared in the ABC

show Private Practice. Private Practice was the spin-off of the hit TV show Grey’s

Anatomy. Although it was not as popular as Grey’s Anatomy, she was apart of the

show until 2013.

In 2012, while still working on Private Practice she returned to the Broadway

stage. This time in the musical Porgy and Bess along side Norm Lewis. Playing the

role of Bess earned her, her fifth Tony Award for Best Performance Leading Actress

in a Musical. Her most recent Theatre role was in the play Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar

and Grill. In this play she portrayed the role of the famous Billie Holiday. This being

her most recent role also earned her, her most recent Tony Award. She won the
award for Best Performance of a Leading Actress in a Play. Bringing her most recent

Tony Award total to six.

Her work on the stage is a true testament to her acting and vocal abilities.

She is one of those actresses that can easily switch between musical and plays,

where many can only focus on one. Winning six Tony Awards isn’t easy. Especially

she was the first person to do it. She is also the first person to win Tony Awards in

the four major categories out of any other actor or actress. The four major

categories are Best Performance of a Leading Actress in a Play/Musical and Best

Performance of a Featured Actress in a Play/Musical. No one ever before in history

has done that, there’s also a high chance no one ever will.

Her accomplishments as an actress prove to be a great role model and

example for African American performers. If you were to approach someone in the

1960s and say that by 2015 and African American actress has one the most Tony

Awards and is the only one to win the four major categories. I guarantee you no one

would actually believe you. Although the topic of race equality still has a lot of work

to be done, Audra’s career is a great example of progress. African American actors

and actresses should really look up to her because he is a true inspiration.

References

The Official Website of Singer and Actress Audra McDonald. (n.d.). Retrieved April
30, 2015, from http://audramcdonald.net

Audra McDonald. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 12:42, Apr 30,
2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/audra-mcdonald.

Audra McDonald. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2015, from

http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=52250