\ud83c\udfad NEW! Tampa Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
The Quintessential voice, the one and only Audra McDonald. Captivating the room and singing selections from Broadway\u2019s Great American Songbook, totaling 15 incredible selections in a swift 90-minute presentation.\u00a0 Audra says that there is nothing like sharing the stage with a full orchestra and feeling the swell of the music behind you. Having witnessed the magic first-hand the other night, I for one can attest to the sentiment.\u00a0 For there were renditions of some songs\u00a0that took on new life, not just by the way in which she sang them, but also by way of the presentation of the magnificent orchestra. It gave new feeling to the selections, bringing with it a pronounced and new understanding of the material, all the while celebrating\u00a0the true magic of the art form.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfad NEW! Tampa Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
Opening the show with \u201cI am what I am..\u201d from the Jerry Herman musical La Cage Aux Folles, Audra explained she wanted to sing this as a celebration of just embracing your true self and surrounding yourself with joy and love. Then moving right along into \u201cPure Imagination,\u201d from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was truly transcendent. Then jumping full force into \u201cMr. Snow\u201d from Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s Carousel. Then came one of the most breathtaking selections of the night, Audra regaled us with her rendition of \u201cStars and the Moon,\u201d from Jason Robert Brown\u2019s Songs for a New World. The song was beautifully performed, and the swell of the orchestra towards the end of the piece brought a newfound finality of hope to the selection. Then came the selection from the Jule Styne and Bob Merrill musical Funny Girl, with her rendition of \u201cCornet Man.\u201d Following that with \u201cSummertime,\u201d from the great Porgy & Bess, Audra continued to wow the room, as we sat hinged on her every word. Then Audra paid homage to the incredible Julie Andrews with \u201cI Could\u2019ve Danced All Night,\u201d from My Fair Lady, bringing along some audience participation and ending on a spectacular note. Then back to the great Jerry Herman musical Hello Dolly with \u201cBefore the Parade Passes By…\u201d<\/p>\n
Then the next selection allowed Audra to become almost personal with the audience as she began telling stories about her children, which led into a lullaby portion of the show. Connecting with us on a personal level, she sang, \u201cCarefully Taught,\u201d from South Pacific, and \u201cChildren Will Listen,\u201d from Into the Woods, both beautiful and endearing moments to witness. Audra then segued into \u201cI Can\u2019t Stop Talking About Him,\u201d from the Frank Loesser musical Let\u2019s Dance. Then moving into a sweeping rendition of \u201cSomewhere,\u201d from the great Bernstein classic West Side Story. Rounding out a beautiful evening with yet another Jule Styne classic, \u201cMake Someone Happy,\u201d and for her closing song, her very own rendition of \u201cCabaret,\u201d from the great Kander and Ebb. Leading into that rendition, she was told, way back when asked to sing the piece for a party, \u201c….Sing it as Audra would sing it…\u201d and did she ever! For her encore performance, she sang \u201cHappy Days are Here Again,\u201d featured in the 1930\u2019s musical Chasing Rainbows.<\/p>\n
Audra McDonald is many things, a Quintessential Songstress, a true Broadway Icon, a 6 time Tony Award Winner, a Wife, a Mother. At the close of the evening, the audience and myself included were sure of one thing, in the end no matter who we are, what walk of life we come from, we all embrace one another, share in the magic of the art form, and accept one another for who we are. In a world where \u201c…All the world\u2019s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,\u201d Audra reminds us all to have grace, humility, and to live fully, authentically, and unapologetically our true unique self. No greater sentiment can attest to the evening in which we spent, sharing in the magic of live performance with one of the greatest voices of a generation, a true human, and one of the purest souls ever to enter a room. Thank you to the Florida Orchestra, to the Straz Center, and to Audra McDonald for reminding us of this life lesson, and one that will forever live on in our hearts, minds, and in every step we take, and every song we hear. Merde!<\/p>\n
PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS ZUPPA<\/p>\n
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