Actress Audra McDonald is taking stage at 8 p.m. at IU Auditorium.
Her performance will include a variety of songs she has performed throughout her Broadway career that have helped her become famous in her field, a small dialogue with the audience talking about past experiences in show business, and a compilation of highlights over the years in her ?career.
This is the first time McDonald will visit campus. Her performance is part of the “Audra McDonald in Concert” series where the actress performs at colleges and universities throughout the country.
Famous for her performances on Broadway stages, opera stages and on both television and movie screens, McDonald is the recipient of a total of six Tony awards and two Grammy awards, among other accolades.
She was most recently in Lanie Robertson’s musical play “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill,” portraying Billie Holiday. An adaptation of the musical play will appear on HBO in upcoming months from a live performance set in New Orleans filmed in December.
Songs will include numbers from the American song book, standards worked on over the years and other favorites that McDonald has previously ?selected.
“The level of her performance caliber is very exciting,” said Drew Bratton, arts administrator for the IU Department of Theatre and Drama.
During her visit at IU, McDonald will teach a master’s class for promising Theatre and Drama students. Four undergraduate students, previously selected by the department, are invited to the class. McDonald will sit in on the class and act as a critic of their work. Each student will perform one song from their individual rehearsal portfolios then will receive feedback from McDonald on their ?performances.
“McDonald will contribute something that only a seasoned performer can,” Bratton said. “The opportunity for our students to work with someone with this much seasoned talent is a great addition to their careers.”
Bratton said he is a huge fan of McDonald and is looking forward to this special opportunity. Having the opportunity to see a conglomeration of McDonald’s work has been a dream of his for a while in the musical theater field, Bratton said.
“I am most excited to see McDonald translate her experience to help students,” ?Bratton said.
The visit to IU will be a quick trip for McDonald. She arrives today to teach the master’s class and then is allotted some time to explore the campus and experience Bloomington. This evening, following her performance, McDonald will meet with President Michael McRobbie and other University dignitaries to receive gratitude on behalf of IU for coming to visit the campus.
