Audra McDonald
Audra McDonald, one of the most celebrated actresses of Broadway, as a five time Tony Award winner, Audra holds the title for the most Tony Awards won by any actress on Broadway, Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris also share this title. Audra is a Juilliard graduate, and easily one of the most talented women alive.
Born in Berlin, Germany to Stanley and Anna Macdonald on July 3rd, 1970, She has one sister named Alison. Audra possessed the stage presence and energy needed for a Broadway Star at an early age. Audra was diagnosed with hyperactiveness, a condition which causes people to have trouble staying focused or remaining still. To help with easing and controlling the condition Audra began studying theatre at an early age. She soon found herself engulfed in the pursuit of theatre. Audra attended and graduated from the Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno, California, through their Theodore Roosevelt School of the Arts program in 1988. Soon after Graduation Audra enrolled at Juilliard School.
While at Juilliard, Audra studied Classical Voice under the guidance of Ellen Faull. Audra graduated from Juilliard in 1993. Just a year after graduating she was awarded a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as “Carrie Pipperidge Snow” in Carousel at the 1994 Tony Awards. Not long after, Audra found herself winning two more Tony Awards. Audra won Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role of “Sharon Graham” in Masterclass in 1996. In 1998 she won Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Ragtime, in which she originated the role of “Sarah”. Winning three Tony Awards by the age of 28 was an extraordinary accomplishment. 2004 proved to be another successful year at the Tony Awards for Audra, winning...
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...mphony, Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony, and Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1998 Audra performed at Carnegie Hall with the San Francisco Orchestra under the conduction of world renowned musical conductor Michael Tilson. Audra has also recorded music as a soloist and been featured in multiple cast recordings of musicals. Audra has also been featured in a small numbers of feature films, such as Seven Servants (1996), The Object of My Affection (1998), The Cradle Will Rock (1999), Wit (2001), It Runs in the Family (2003), The Best Thief in the World (2004), and Rampart (2011).
Audra has lived a truly spectacular life under the stage light, performed in multiple arenas, on multiple stages, in an array of roles, sometimes as herself and sometimes as a character very unlike herself, won multiple awards, and continues to amaze audiences with her talent and charm.
In June of 1925, Florence received vaudeville's highest honor. She was the star attraction at the Palace Theatre. By heading the bill at the Palace, she became the first black performer to have that honor.
During the 1930’s, the Great Depression was in full swing. The Depression was a period in American History when the economy was horrible. Most people did not have jobs, and if they did their paycheck was barely enough to put food on the table. At that time, many people did not experience happiness very often because of their money situations. However, there was one person who could turn any frown upside down, Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple, the best known child star of her time, ascended to unparalled box-office heights during the worst of the Great Depression, and brought humor and happiness to people in a time of great need.
Slowly she asked "Is anyone there?" as she walked down the dark deserted road. When she heard a loud sound she turned abruptly trying again "Hello?" Met with only silence she picked up here pace almost running down the dirt road. Her nerves had just began to calm when she heard "WRRRREEENNNNNRRRRRRR" as a chainsaw started behind her. Running she started looking behind her hoping that whoever it was, wouldn’t catch her. With her lack of concentration she tripped over her high heels and face plants into the dirt, giving the murderer a chance to catch up. Slowly he lowered the chainsaw and began cutting --CUT -- This is a common plot used in horror movies today. Movies have changed over the years. They were different five years ago, fifty years ago, and even a almost a century ago. Technologies have unthinkable things possible. They have allowed us to re-sink "the unsinkable ship." They have allowed us to see dinosaurs in all their brutal glory. We have seen imaginary creatures, only ever mentioned in stories brought to life. Movies have moved so far from the 1920's and 1930's. They have developed ideals, rules and even standards; but where did they begin? Did movies just fall out of the sky? Did they just come into being? No they began slowly, silently moving towards a new era, the era we today call "Pre-code Hollywood"
Theoretically, the characters of both Matewan, and Norma Rae take part in a capitalistic society. In both situations the people are partaking in a form of labor market, where they are selling their time and energy. However, the town of Matewan, governed by the Stone Mountain Coal Companies' monopoly on the land and businesses, and isolated by distance and limited technology, as fallen into a feudalistic condition. Despite the fact that Norma Rae's small hometown of Alabama bears a great resemblance to the town of Matewan, their economic situation remains a form of capitalism. Though the Henely Mill is a dominating force in the small town, with a strong financial hold over the citizens, it is not as dictatorial of the society as the Stone Mountain Coal Company is over Matewan.
Ira Aldridge’s early life is one of the reasons why Aldridge was such an important actor. Aldridge was born in New York sometime in 1807 (Evans). When he was a teenager, Aldridge acquired his education at one of New York’s African Free Schools, earning an education most African-Americans did not receive in Aldridge’s time (Evans). In essence, the extra schooling Ira Aldridge received helped him to advance his career, because most African-Americans at the time were still working in low ranking jobs and did not get the opportunity to further themselves as Aldridge did. Aldridge went even further to get into an acting career. The first taste of theatre Ira Aldridge got that sparked his interest was at The African Grove Theatre performi...
What started out as a hobby transformed into a passion for an art form that allows me to use movements and expressions to tell a story. Whether I’m on stage in front of an audience of just friends and family, hundreds of strangers and a panel of judges, or the whole school, performing over thirty times, has helped me build lifelong
Makayla Kender was born on July 28, 2003 in Dayton, Ohio. She lives with her mom, dad, and is the oldest of two sisters, Marriana and Maddyx. Makayla is a sixth grader at Bishop Leibold School. She enjoys dancing, hanging out with friends, and spending time with her family. One day, Makayla hopes to become a fashion designer and to write more books.
When I first read about Marina Abramovic, I found her performance art can be both shocking and hold the attention of one. Her work ranges in physical intensity, emotional exposure, and sadness. Marina Abramovic work is about self abuse, self discipline, and unreasonable punishment and great courage. Through the conditions she puts herself and her audience in her performance. In my opinion, I feel Marina Abramovic and my main goal as an artist is not only to completely change the way art is seen by the public, but to push the performance the same line as fine art.
Coming from a musical background Terrence Mann most definitely lives up to his parents’ talent. He has formed a successful carreer around his talents. His career includes multiple appearances on Broadway, appearances in movies, and being a distinguished professor of musical theatre at Western Carolina. Today he passes on his passion for young people who hope to one day become as successful and well know as Terrence Mann.
Daniela Vega appeared in Fantastic Woman, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. It took her years to start thinking of herself as an actor and not just someone who was trying her hand at acting. She was as surprised as anyone to receive a script she’d been a consultant with years prior to find herself in the lead role. She decided instead to try to do different careers. She trained as a cooker, although no one wanted to hire her, but later she got a degree in makeup and hairstyling, which eventually brought her to the stage. Daniela had been asked by a director to collaborate on stage. Daniela won her first oscar with the movie Fantastic Women that was her first movie she starred in and won her first
Throughout her career, Sarah Bernhardt paved the way for actors. She helped bring about more passionate, full bodied forms of acting. She also helped to break the conforming role of women on stage as the Galatea figure. She led as an example for women during the suffrage movement, and a Jewish icon during the rise of Anti-Semitism. She overcame her French counterparts restricting views of acting. Bernhardt showed that acting as a profession should be ever evolving. Even though she isn’t as popular during the 20th and 21st century, she will forever be thanked by thespians for her contributions to the art of
Cheryl was my favorite actor throughout the entire play. There was a moment in the play when Cheryl had just got off the with her mother and you could tell she had received bad news. Not only did Cheryl facial expression change but also her tone of voice. The scene in the kitchen when Cheryl confronted the dad brought me to tears. She put so much emotion into her words it’s like I felt the hurt she was
Julie Christie is one of my all-time favorite actresses. Her “hooker with a heart of gold” was the only character worth a damn in Robert Altman’s brilliant McCabe & Mrs. Miller; and in Dr. Zhivago, despite being surrounded by such legendary actors as Omar Sharif and Rod Steiger, she managed to shine brightly. With her excellent performances in these movies, as well as Shampoo, Don’t Look Now, Fahrenheit 451, and Away From Her, you would think that Julie Christie has amassed a slew of Oscar statuettes, but the sad reality is that she only took home that coveted award once, for her portrayal of Diana Scott in 1965’s Darling.
Women’s roles in movies have changed dramatically throughout the years. As a result of the changing societal norms, women have experienced more transition in their roles than any other class. During the period of classical Hollywood cinema, both society and the film industry preached that women should be dependent on men and remain in home in order to guarantee stability in the community and the family. Women did not have predominated roles in movies such as being the heroin. The 1940’s film Gilda wasn’t an exception. In Gilda, the female character mainly had two different stereotypes. The female character was first stereotyped as a sex object and the second stereotyped as a scorned woman who has to be punished.
Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming hosted this years 69th Annual Tony Awards, presented Sunday night at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.