Broadway's Audra McDonald
Soprano Audra McDonald performing "The Great American Songbook" with Ted Sperling, musical director and piano, at the Caramoor International Music Festival in Katonah, New York on June 30, 2001.
The singer-actress, a five-time Tony-winner, is up for her sixth Tony Award this year for channeling Billie Holiday in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill."
By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan
"Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill"
Audra McDonald received her eighth Tony Award nomination for playing the alcoholic, heroin-addicted and pioneering jazz singer Billie Holiday, in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill."
McDonald, a lyric soprano, worked to capture Holiday's "very small voice" which, she told correspondent Mo Rocca, had "a hornlike quality," because she was imitating instruments.
And the feeling - always intense - was usually heartbreak and pain, "because she felt and knew so much about what she sang about, was so authentic and genuine. And it was a friend of mine that said, 'Billie Holiday taught us how to feel the pain.' 'Cause you hear it."
"Evita"
Audra McDonald's career began in her hometown of Fresno, Calif., where she worked the community and dinner theater circuit.
At age 16, she played Eva Peron in the Good Company Players' production of "Evita."
"Evita"
Audra McDonald with Allan Gill, Chris Moad and the cast of the Good Company Players' production of "Evita" (1987).
"The Wiz"
Audra McDonald and Steve Pepper in the Good Company Players' production of "The Wiz" (1987).
"Carousel"
After studying at Juilliard, Audra McDonald made her Broadway debut in 1991 in "The Secret Garden." She followed that with her performance as Carrie Pipperidge (left, with Fisher Stevens as Jigger Craigin) in the 1994 Lincoln Center production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Carousel."
McDonald won the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her performance.
Tony Awards
Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Tony Award-winner for Best Featured Actor in a Play, for "Seven Guitars") and Audra McDonald (Best Featured Actress in a Play, for "Master Class") are seen backstage at the 1996 Tony Awards at the Majestic Theatre, June 2, 1996.
Two years later, McDonald won her third Tony Award for the musical, "Ragtime."
"Soundstage L.A."
Composer-conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and singer Audra McDonald perform on stage at "Soundstage L.A.: An Inaugural Gala for Walt Disney Concert Hall," October 25, 2003 in Los Angeles, Calif.
"Henry IV"
Audra McDonald, Ethan Hawke and Kevin Kline arrive at the after-party on opening night of "Henry IV," November 20, 2003 in New York City.
"Private Practice"
Audra McDonald played Dr. Naomi Bennett on the medical drama "Private Practice."
"Grey's Anatomy"
McDonald's "Private Practice" character, Dr. Naomi Bennett, also made recurring, crossover appearances on a sister show, "Grey's Anatomy."
"Kidnapped"
Audra McDonald with Delroy Lindo (as FBI Agent Latimer King) in the suspense series, "Kidnapped."
"110 in the Shade"
Drama Desk Award-winner Audra McDonald performs the song "Raunchy," from "110 in the Shade," at the 61st annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 10, 2007 in New York City.
"Porgy and Bess"
Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis perform a scene from "Porgy and Bess" at the 66th annual Tony Awards, June 10, 2012, at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. McDonald won her fifth Tony Award, for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.
"Porgy and Bess"
Audra McDonald and the cast of "Porgy and Bess" perform onstage at the 66th annual Tony Awards, at The Beacon Theatre in New York City, June 10, 2012.
"Porgy and Bess"
Audra McDonald accepts her award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for "Porgy and Bess," at the 66th annual Tony Awards, at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, June 10, 2012.
"The Sound of Music Live"
Audra McDonald starred as the Mother Abbess in the live TV production of "The Sound of Music," Dec. 5, 2013.
"Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill"
A win at this year's Tonys for "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" would give Audra McDonald a record six awards, breaking her current record of most Tonys won by an actor (five), which she shares with Julie Harris and Angela Lansbury.
"Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill"
Billie Holiday died broke and alone at the age of 44. Audra McDonald, about to turn that very age herself, is in a very different place - married (to actor and fellow Tony nominee Will Swenson) and a mother (to 13-year-old Zoe).
She told Rocca, "All those sort of domestic things that [Holiday] craved and wanted so desperately, I'm fortunate enough to have. I'm the luckiest person I know."
Audra McDonald
For more info:
"Lady Day at Emerson's Bay & Grill" (Official site)
Follow "Lady Day" on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
Follow Audra McDonald on Twitter and Facebook
"Go Back Home" by Audra McDonald (Nonesuch Records)
Audra McDonald on Internet Broadway Database
Good Company Players, Fresno, Calif.