Back to the top

Audra wins record-tying fifth Tony for her role in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

Audra has been awarded the Tony Award for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical” for her portrayal of the downtrodden Bess in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, currently running at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway. The honor places her in the illustrious company of Broadway legends Julie Harris and Angela Lansbury as the only people in Tony history to win five performance awards. Having received her first Tony Award in 1994 for Carousel, Audra is the only actress to accomplish this feat within a 20-year period and is the youngest performer and first African-American to do so. The award also marks Audra’s first Tony in the Leading Actress category. The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess also received a Tony for “Best Revival of a Musical.”

Cast of Porgy and Bess to perform on Tony Awards CBS broadcast this Sunday at 8 PM EDT

Tune in to CBS this Sunday at 8 PM (EDT)/5 PM (PDT) for the 66th Annual Tony Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and featuring the cast of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. This year Audra is nominated for a Tony in the category of “Best Leading Actress in a Musical” for her role as Bess in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Audra, who has previously won four Tony awards, is nominated alongside Jan Maxwell (Follies), Cristin Milioti (Once), Kelli O’Hara (Nice Work If You Can Get It), and Laura Osnes (Bonnie & Clyde). Continue reading

The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess star Audra McDonald takes home Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical

At a New York Town Hall ceremony hosted by Brooke Shields and Brian d’Arcy James on June 3, Audra received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her performance as Bess in the current Broadway production of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. The award, which Audra dedicated to her daughter Zoe, marks Audra’s fourth from the Drama Desk committee since she made her Broadway debut 20 years ago in The Secret Garden. This year Porgy and Bess also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical.