Broadway legend Audra McDonald promises not to shy away on stage as she discusses bringing her powerful talents to Australia for new shows
Audra McDonald is preparing to bring her rich soprano vocals Down Under for a series of concerts in Australia.
The Broadway legend, 53, has taken on some of the most iconic roles in musical theater, earning an Emmy, two Grammys and six Tony Awards.
In addition to her roles in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd and the opera Porgy and Bess, she also played Madame Garderobe in Disney’s live action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.
Now she’s set to take Australia by storm as she showcases her vocal talents in front of thousands of fans this month, kicking off in Perth on Saturday.
About her shows, Audra said she tries to perform with vulnerability, openness and humanity to create a shared experience with the audience.
Audra McDonald (pictured in 2022) prepares to bring her rich soprano vocals Down Under for a series of concerts in Australia
Her set list will consist largely of theater classics, but she has carefully selected each song to reflect her experiences as a black actress and singer.
She previously sang You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught – typically sung by a white actor about racism – and talked about how she wanted to “reclaim” the song.
“It’s a very powerful song… and when you have a black woman sing it, it brings out art,” she told AAP.
“It’s not just reclamation, it’s like, ‘are you hearing it in a different way?’
Audra also spoke about how people of color have historically not been well represented on stage and urged directors to be more aware of “colorful casting.”
About her shows, Audra (pictured in 2022) said she tries to perform with vulnerability, openness and humanity to create a shared experience with the audience.
“I don’t like the idea of there being blindness, so I look at it as colorful casting,” she said. “Choose to cast the roles…don’t be blind to people of color.”
“There are still miles to go, but we are in a more state of awareness,” she added.
The musical theater legend kicks off her Australian performances on Saturday night in Perth before traveling to Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.