Broadway's brightest stars took center stage for the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Broadway Theatre ceremony earlier this month, better known to the world as the Tony Awards!
The ceremony was packed with star power from new Tony winners like Jonathan Groff to Audra McDonald, a five-time Tony-winnng legend! And Out got the chance to speak to these incredible talents on the red carpet!
Brooke Shields, the people's princess, stopped to chat with Out and we had the chance to ask her what her Pride message was to all the girls, gays, and theys who love and support her. "Pride is the best word, deserved," she said. "I have been embraced and loved and have loved the LGBTQ+ community from the time I was an infant. They've never failed me. I am in awe of the artistic and the talent and the innovation and the strength. It's my family and I grew up being surrounded." (We will ALWAYS love you Brooke Shields!!!)
Out also spoke to the incredible, legendary theater icon Audra McDonald, who holds the title of being the most awarded actress in Tony history and the only person to win all of the ceremony's four acting categories. Her talent knows no bounds and she continues to sell out theaters, most recently announcing her return to the stage with Gypsy. We had the chance to ask this legendary figure about her personal theater icons and her advice for a the younger generation of broadways performers.
When asked who her personal theater icons are, McDonald said, "Oh my gosh. I mean, there's so many. There's so many. I'm thinking Chita (Rivera) is really on my mind tonight, just because we just lost her. Obviously, Sondheim, Diahann Carroll. I mean, there's a million of 'em, but those are the ones that are on my mind tonight." An outstanding lineup of icons that inspire icons!
We also couldn't let McDonald go without asking what her advice is for the new Broadway babies out there trying to make it big in the industry. "Yeah. Trust that who you are is enough. That sounds like a cliché, but it's absolutely true. Trust that what you authentically have inside you is what is needed, not who someone else is. Don't try and be like someone else. Trust what you have inside."
When these two iconic women tell you to trust yourself, that's exactly what you do. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for both Shields and McDonald. We hope to always see more of them!
You can catch Audra McDonald back on stage in Gypsy, staring this November in New York City.
