Audra McDonald

[perkk]

paladincub21 gets major princess points introducing me to this person. How have I managed to miss her voice for so long? What kind of rock have I been living under? Surely I've heard her dulcet tones before, but now I have a name. I keep searching for more of her on YouTube.

• Audra McDonald singing at the NY Marriage Equality Rally 5-17-09Read more... )

Comments

[ericdabear]

You should check out Ragtime.

Her *AND* Brian Stokes Mitchell tear it up.

[durabear]

You beat me to it.

Her "Daddy's Son" and their "Wheels of a Dream" are incredible.

[paladincub21]

and her cds

How Glory Goes
Happy Songs
and especially "Build A Bridge."

There is also a dvd of her tour promoting both Happy Songs and Build A Bridge - her warm and loving personality, with a very welcome bit of self-deprecation and class is on full display.

The recording of Carousel is also magnetic.

[technocowboy]

I've known about her acting for a while (I <3 Private Practice), but was just introduced to her singing a couple of months ago.

[paladincub21]

you should track down the Dreamgirls Concert CD; she is my favorite Deena. Also, i'm one of the few that although her work in Ragtime is great, like Tony-Award winning great, I love her in other work - like LaChiusa's "Marie Christine", or the recording of Showboat and Carousel that she is on - I'd also like to see her in Porgy & Bess.

But also, try to see if you can find her CDs - Happy Songs is a fantastic album, but most folks like her How Glory Goes album, which features the "Come Down From The Tree" song, which is one of my favorites.

But really - Build A Bridge is genius - her version of John Mayer's "My Stupid Mouth" is ravishing.

She occasionally gets criticism, because although she undoubtedly has a big voice, she is not what you'd call a belter. Her voice is always a mixed and it always seems so effortless that folks miss all the richness and nuance of her voice.

She's definitely my favorite female broadway singer.

[mrdreamjeans]

She's one of the leading actors on Broadway. If you want to hear her more, listen to the original cast recording of "Ragtime" (Tim has it. We saw her on Broadway in this show.), in the revival of "Carousel" as Carrie Snow, as the protegee in "Master Class" or as the lead in the revival of "110 in the Shade". She's won multiple Tony awards and is currently on the television show "Private Practice."

[gregorbehr]

Ahhhh, and I remember her doing Dinner Theater in my hometown, where she was raised.