The city's theater community is buzzing with excitement over Saturday night’s Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra concert featuring guest performer Audra McDonald.
Lee Hamby, founder and managing director of The 5 & Dime, A Theatre Company in Jacksonville says she is idolized in the theater community.
"She's called, amongst the theater world, 'God-ra' because you can't get any better than her," Hamby said.
Not only is McDonald a huge vocal talent, he says, but she helped break down the color barrier on Broadway.
"Her first role that she really got a lot of attention was in 'Carousel' when she played Carrie Pepperidge. And, since that was such a traditional show, it was always played by a white person."
In fact, Hamby says, she pretty much does it all. She played the Mother Abbess in the 2013 live television production of "The Sound of Music," she was Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC's "Private Practice" and she won a record sixth Tony Award for her performance as Billie Holliday in "Lady Day Emerson's Bar and Grill" on Broadway.
Audra McDonald performs with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra on Saturday night in Jacoby Symphony Hall.
