Audra McDonald makes Tony Award history with win
6/8/2014NEW YORK — Audra McDonald has become the Tony Awards’ most decorated actress.
The singer and actress today won her sixth Tony for portraying Billie Holiday in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill,” putting her ahead of five-time winners Angela Lansbury and the late Julie Harris for the most competitive wins by an actress.
The latest win — for best lead actress in a play — also makes McDonald the first grand-slam performance winner. She previously won as best featured actress in a play ("A Raisin in the Sun” and “Master Class"), best lead actress in a musical ("The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess") and best featured actress in a musical ("Ragtime” and “Carousel"). She also has two Grammys.
She beat Tyne Daly, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Cherry Jones and Estelle Parsons.