Audra McDonald

Raised in Fresno, Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and an actor. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy, in 2015 she received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama and was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people. She won Tonys for her performances in Carousel , Master Class , Ragtime , A Raisin in the Sun , The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess ,and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill , which also served as the vehicle for her Olivier-nominated West End debut, and in 2025 she became the acting categories' most decorated individual in Tony history after earning an unprecedented eleventh nomination, for Gypsy .