Audra McDonald

Audra McDonald is an American actress and singer widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed performers in Broadway history, having won six competitive Tony Awards across all four acting categories, a record. She trained at the Juilliard School and rose to prominence in the 1990s through musical theater, becoming closely associated with roles that blend classical vocal technique with dramatic depth, from Carousel to Master Class to Ragtime.

Her voice, a legitimate soprano with strong classical grounding, sets her apart from many contemporary musical theater performers, and she has used it across cabaret, opera, and popular song as well as staged musicals. Her portrayal of Billie Holiday in «Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill» is considered one of her signature achievements, showcasing her range beyond legit singing into jazz-inflected interpretation.

Beyond the stage, McDonald built a substantial television and film career, notably as Naomi Bennett on «Private Practice» and voicing Madame de Garderobe in Disney's live-action «Beauty and the Beast». She continues to record and perform, moving fluidly between Broadway revivals, concert appearances, and screen work, and remains a defining voice in American musical theater.