Audra McDonald Will Return To Broadway In "Shuffle Along"

Next spring, six-time Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald will return to Broadway to star in Shuffle Along, Or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed.

Produced by Scott Rudin, the piece tells the backstory of Shuffle Along, the 1921 musical comedy by Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles with music and lyrics by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle.

Arriving on Broadway seemingly doomed to fail, the work bucked the odds to become a runaway success that helped to launch the careers of Lottie Gee — who will be portrayed on Broadway by Audra, Josephine Baker, and Paul Robeson, among others.

Opening on April 21, 2016 at the Music Box Theater, Shuffle Along is a collaboration between Audra, George C. Wolfe, and Savion Glover, with music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Daryl Waters.

Audra won her sixth Tony Award for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill last season. The performance has been filmed by HBO with an air date yet to be announced.

(via Audra McDonald official website)