Audra McDonald on Stephen Sondheim, “Gypsy,” and Being Black on Broadway

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The New Yorker Radio Hour 21 min 6 speakers 3 chapters transcribed
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What is the significance of Audra McDonald playing Rose in Gypsy?

So then once you talked to Stephen Sondheim about it, what was that conversation like? Was it like you needed his blessing? How does that work?
Audra McDonald 3:13
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. And so when it was brought up to him, he thought it was a great idea. And he said, I think that's terrific. And actually there was another show of his too that, you know, he kind of wanted me to be a part of as well. And I was like, well, is it okay if we do this one first? He's like, whichever one you want to do first, that's fine with me. What's the other one? A little night music.
Audra McDonald 4:06
Maybe some of that.
We'll be there.
Audra McDonald 4:12
Let me get this one out of the way.
You know, one thing that's always struck me about Gypsy is that she's lived this whole life before the show starts, and we don't know a ton about it. Like, she mentions that she's been married three times. Obviously, she has two kids. And Presumably she had some kind of like dreams that were thwarted because she's ranting and raving about them at the end.

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