Audra McDonald Talks NBC's SOUND OF MUSIC, National Tour

In an interview posted on today's Billboard.com, 5-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald spoke about her upcoming role on NBC's live broadcast of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, starring Carrie Underwood abd Stephen Moyer along with Broadway vets Laura Benanti and Christian Borle.

The actress has managed to slip in rehearsals for the upcoming program in between her current national concert tour. "When you consider that this airs Dec. 5, that's about the same amount of time you would rehearse a Broadway show," says McDonald, who will portray Mother Abbess in the musical.

In the NBC project, the 'Porgy and Bess' star will share a duet with Underwood's Maria of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein tune "My Favorite Things," in addition to performances of "Climb Every Mountain" and "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria."

"I certainly never thought I'd be cast in 'The Sound of Music,'" says McDonald. "I say that with humor, but with great respect for Craig and Neil [Executive Producers Zadan and Meron] for thinking of me in this to be a part of this production. It certainly was beloved in my household and we would watch it every year when it came on television. We got our popcorn or TV dinners and little cups of Jell-O and watched. It's exciting to bring it to a whole new audience."

The accomplished singer will be taking her national tour to Austin, Texas (Long Center on Oct. 20), Los Angeles (Oct. 26 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion), and the Sheldon in St. Louis (Nov. 15) among other venues where she will treat fans to songs from her most recent album, "Go Back Home." Concertgoers will also hear tunes from the Great American Songbook and Broadway.

"I actually don't do a lot of stuff from shows that I've been in. I rarely sing 'Mr. Snow' (from 'Carousel') in concert, never anything from 'Marie Christine.' A lot of things don't work out of context," she reveals, adding "We always have a set list, but there are times when we get out there and I turn to my music director and I'll say 'let's skip that one,'" she says, and calls for a replacement on the spot. "It really depends on my mood, unfortunately."

Read the interview in full here!

"The Sound of Music" will be presented as a live three-hour broadcast and will air on December 5 on NBC. Five-time Grammy winner Carrie Underwood will star in the coveted role of Maria Von Trapp. Acclaimed British actor Stephen Moyer, best known to U.S. audiences for his role as Bill Compton in HBO's "True Blood, will portray decorated World War I hero Capt. Georg Von Trapp.

From Universal Television, "The Sound of Music" is executive produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan. Beth McCarthy-Miller and Rob Ashford will serve as directors. The live holiday production will be based on the original 1959 Broadway production of "The Sound of Music," which starred Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. The play won the Tony Award as best musical and Martin won as best actress.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos

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