From TOLEDO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy Award, Broadway icon Audra McDonald will be here in Toledo for a one-night-only Spotlight performance with the Toledo Symphony on Nov. 4, 8 p.m. at the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle Theater.
Named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2015 and recipient of the 2015 National Medal of the Arts—America’s highest honor for achievement in the arts—from President Barack Obama, Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as a singer and actress. In addition to her Tony-winning performances, including “Carousel,”A” Raisin in the Sun,” and”The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” she has also appeared on Broadway in “The Secret Garden,” “Marie Christine” (Tony nomination), and “110 in the Shade” (Tony nomination).
On television, Audra McDonald was seen by millions as Mother Abbess in NBC’s “The Sound of Music Live!” and played Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC’s “Private Practice.” She won an Emmy Award for her role as host of PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center. On film, she has appeared in “Seven Servants,” “The Object of My Affection,” “Cradle Will Rock,” “It Runs in the Family,” “The Best Thief in the World,” “She Got Problems,” “Rampart,” “Ricki and the Flash,” and most recently, Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast.”
Audra McDonald is as much at home on Broadway and opera stages as she is in roles on film and television. In addition to her theatrical work, she maintains a major career as a concert and recording artist, regularly appearing on the great stages of the world.
“We are reaching new heights this season with our programming, bringing the greatest voices of our generation to Toledo,” said Felecia Kanney, Director of Marketing for the Toledo Symphony. “Audra McDonald is one of the finest voices in the world. Her program of Broadway favorites by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, George Gershwin, and songs from her latest album titled “Go Back Home” is a program that will be remembered for years to come.”
This one-night-only performance with Audra McDonald and the Toledo Symphony will take place Nov. 4, 8 p.m. at the Peristyle Theater. Tickets range from $49-$99 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 419-246-8000 or visiting toledosymphony.com.
Following her Nov. 4 performance with the Toledo Symphony, Audra McDonald will travel to The University of Toledo to serve as the 2017 Edward Shapiro Distinguished Lecture speaker.
The event will be held on Sunday, Nov. 5 at The University of Toledo in Doermann Theater located in University Hall on Main Campus from noon to 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
The annual lecture is made possible by the Shapiro Endowment left by Dr. Edward Shapiro, professor emeritus of economics who retired in 1989, to provide opportunities for the University to bring world-renowned speakers to Toledo.
“The opportunity to engage in a conversation with an artist of Audra McDonald’s stature is an honor and a privilege for our students and the greater Toledo community,” said Charlene Gilbert, dean of the UT College of Arts and Letters. “We are pleased to partner with the Toledo Symphony to bring this internationally renowned performer to campus following her Toledo performance. This lecture is exactly the type of event that shapes and enriches the academic experience of our students and engages the community with our university.”
For more information please contact Felecia Kanney, Director of Marketing of the Toledo Symphony at fkanney@toledosymphony.com or Holly Monsos, Associate Dean of The University of Toledo’s College of Arts and Letters at holly.monsos@utoledo.edu.
