Audra McDonald

We started the day working on Everything's Coming Up Roses. And then after lunch, we did Roses Turn. So that's how my day's gone today.

We started the day working on Everything's Coming Up Roses. And then after lunch, we did Roses Turn. So that's how my day's gone today.

We started the day working on Everything's Coming Up Roses. And then after lunch, we did Roses Turn. So that's how my day's gone today.

It's very intense. Very intense, yeah. But...

It's very intense. Very intense, yeah. But...

It's very intense. Very intense, yeah. But...

Yeah. Dark for you. I mean, was it a longtime dream of mine? No. No. It's a show that I obviously grew up knowing and loving, and I was in it in my dinner theater in Fresno, California. I played one of Uncle Jocko's kiddies. And, you know, I've seen, you know, the few iterations that I've been able to see, you know, obviously in the movie, the TV movie. Yeah.

Yeah. Dark for you. I mean, was it a longtime dream of mine? No. No. It's a show that I obviously grew up knowing and loving, and I was in it in my dinner theater in Fresno, California. I played one of Uncle Jocko's kiddies. And, you know, I've seen, you know, the few iterations that I've been able to see, you know, obviously in the movie, the TV movie. Yeah.

Yeah. Dark for you. I mean, was it a longtime dream of mine? No. No. It's a show that I obviously grew up knowing and loving, and I was in it in my dinner theater in Fresno, California. I played one of Uncle Jocko's kiddies. And, you know, I've seen, you know, the few iterations that I've been able to see, you know, obviously in the movie, the TV movie. Yeah.

And it really was a Thanksgiving dinner that I had probably about six years ago. And... The late, great Gavin Creel was a very, very dear friend of ours. Very, very, very close. We were very close to him. And we usually spent Thanksgivings together. And he was there. And he said, I want to talk to you about something. I want to talk to you about something. And then he pulled me into the garage.

And it really was a Thanksgiving dinner that I had probably about six years ago. And... The late, great Gavin Creel was a very, very dear friend of ours. Very, very, very close. We were very close to him. And we usually spent Thanksgivings together. And he was there. And he said, I want to talk to you about something. I want to talk to you about something. And then he pulled me into the garage.

And it really was a Thanksgiving dinner that I had probably about six years ago. And... The late, great Gavin Creel was a very, very dear friend of ours. Very, very, very close. We were very close to him. And we usually spent Thanksgivings together. And he was there. And he said, I want to talk to you about something. I want to talk to you about something. And then he pulled me into the garage.

He's like, here, come here, come here, come here. You need to play Rose in Gypsy. You got to do it. You just got to do it. Can you imagine a black woman? It has to be you. You got to do it. You got to do it. I was like, what? You're crazy. He's like, you have to do this. You have to do this. And I was like, huh, that's interesting. Yeah, I could see how it could be played by a black woman.

He's like, here, come here, come here, come here. You need to play Rose in Gypsy. You got to do it. You just got to do it. Can you imagine a black woman? It has to be you. You got to do it. You got to do it. I was like, what? You're crazy. He's like, you have to do this. You have to do this. And I was like, huh, that's interesting. Yeah, I could see how it could be played by a black woman.

He's like, here, come here, come here, come here. You need to play Rose in Gypsy. You got to do it. You just got to do it. Can you imagine a black woman? It has to be you. You got to do it. You got to do it. I was like, what? You're crazy. He's like, you have to do this. You have to do this. And I was like, huh, that's interesting. Yeah, I could see how it could be played by a black woman.

And yeah, that'd be a real challenge. And then just conversations kind of started. And Stephen Sondheim was obviously still alive at the time. And he was very supportive of the idea and said yes. And then we started down that long road. And it just took a long time for it all to come together, timing and whatnot.

And yeah, that'd be a real challenge. And then just conversations kind of started. And Stephen Sondheim was obviously still alive at the time. And he was very supportive of the idea and said yes. And then we started down that long road. And it just took a long time for it all to come together, timing and whatnot.

And yeah, that'd be a real challenge. And then just conversations kind of started. And Stephen Sondheim was obviously still alive at the time. And he was very supportive of the idea and said yes. And then we started down that long road. And it just took a long time for it all to come together, timing and whatnot.

Sondheim another one that I miss terribly he's always been an incredible teacher and supporter very supportive my career has always sort of like offered suggestions and ideas and he would come to all my shows and just be supportive and whenever I was in any sort of performance involving his music, he was there and had his thoughts. And I just felt very supported by him.

Sondheim another one that I miss terribly he's always been an incredible teacher and supporter very supportive my career has always sort of like offered suggestions and ideas and he would come to all my shows and just be supportive and whenever I was in any sort of performance involving his music, he was there and had his thoughts. And I just felt very supported by him.