Audra McDonald Graces Cover of Variety's 'Power of Women' Issue

Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald graces the cover of Variety's 'Power of Women' issue (at left). The Broadway alum is being recognized for her work with Covenant House, an organization that helps homeless teens in 30 cities across six countries.

Kevin Ryan, the president and CEO of Covenant House, tells Variety that he regularly receives notes and checks from donors who credit McDonald for their involvement with the charity. "What I love about [Audra] is she really understands that the least interesting thing about our kids is their homelessness," says Ryan. "They're students and interns and actors and rappers and poets."

McDonald regularly visits with children living in outposts of local Covenant Houses, serving them breakfast on Thanksgiving and even spending the night with them on Sleep Outs. "You wake up the next morning, if you slept at all, and you're converted," explains the actresss. "These kids, this is their life. It just changes you're worldview. It can't not."

Read the article in full here, and learn more about Covenant House at www.covenanthouse.org.

Audra McDonald can currently be seen in Disney's live-action BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. She most recently appeared on Broadway in SHUFFLE ALONG. Her other Broadway credits include LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL, PORGY AND BESS, 110 IN THE SHADE, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, RAGTIME, MASTER CLASS and CAROUSEL.

Image courtesy of Variety/Marco Grob