Audra McDonald Makes Tony Award History, Dissolves Into Tears

By Hillary Crosley Coker  |  June 9, 2014 | 3:20pm
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Audra McDonald is one of the Broadway’s best actresses and last night she was recognized with a Tony Award for Best Dramatic Actress for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.

Thanks to her masterful performance as Billie Holiday, McDonald is the first woman to have won a Tony in each of the four acting categories and the most awards in total, six. Her competition, according to Variety, was Angela Lansbury, who has five, and Julie Harris, though Harris’ sixth award was a lifetime achievement acknowledgment.

In her tearful acceptance speech during last night’s Tony Awards telecast, McDonald thanked Lena Horne, Maya Angelou and Holiday as well as her late parents who threw her, their over-active child, into theater instead of giving her medication. Today’s lesson: Don’t medicate your energetic kids and maybe they’ll win six Tony awards! Seriously, it’s a thing.

Here is a clip from McDonald’s Lady Day performance:

 
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