Audra McDonald Takes The Van Wezel Stage In February

Award-winning singer and actor Audra McDonald will perform at the Van Wezel on Friday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.

Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and actor. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy Award, she was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of 2015. She received a 2015 National Medal of Arts-America's highest honor for achievement in the arts-from President Barack Obama.

In addition to her Tony-winning performances in Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill-the role that also served as the vehicle for her 2017 debut on London's West End (2018 Olivier Award nomination)-she has appeared on Broadway in The Secret Garden, Marie Christine (Tony nomination), Henry IV, 110 in the Shade (Tony nomination), and Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.

The Juilliard-trained soprano's opera credits include La voix humaine and Send at Houston Grand Opera, and Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at Los Angeles Opera. On television, she was seen by millions as the Mother Abbess in NBC's The Sound of Music Live! and played Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC's Private Practice. She won an Emmy Award for her role as host of PBS's Live From Lincoln Center and has received nominations for Wit, A Raisin in the Sun, and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill. Having first appeared as Liz Lawrence on CBS's The Good Wife, she can now be seen on CBS All Access's The Good Fight, which launches its fourth season in 2020.

Audra McDonald has released five solo albums on the Nonesuch label and recently released a new recording, Sing Happy, with the New York Philharmonic on Decca Gold. She also maintains a major career as a concert artist, regularly appearing on the great stages of the world and with leading international orchestras. Of all her many roles, her favorites are the ones performed offstage: passionate advocate for equal rights and homeless youth, wife to actor Will Swenson, and mother.

Tickets are $42-$107 and can be purchased at www.VanWezel.org, by calling the box office at 941-263-6799 or by visiting the box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All other single tickets for the Van Wezel's 2021-2022 season are on sale now. For the latest Safety Protocols, visit the Van Wezel's Safety Page. Protocols will be revisited and revised as circumstances evolve.

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