Del.icio.usAudra McDonald
The older of two daughters, she began to study acting at a young age to counteract her diagnosis as "hyperactive." She is a 1993 graduate of Juilliard.
McDonald became a three-time Tony Award winner by the age of 28, placing her alongside Shirley Booth, Gwen Verdon, and Zero Mostel by accomplishing this feat within five years.
In addition to her long list of stage credits, McDonald has acted in film and on television. She has also recorded three solo albums, in which she performs the works of the new generation of Broadway theatre composers, particularly Michael John LaChiusa, Adam Guttel, and Jason Robert Brown. She frequently appears in concert and has performed with a number of the most prestigious orchestras worldwide.
McDonald married bassist Peter Donovan in 2000. They have one daughter, Zoe Madeline, named after Zoe Caldwell and Madeline Kahn.