A sense of anticipation settled over Lawrence Memorial Chapel as the audience waited for Audra McDonald to take the stage. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy Award, McDonald arrived, not as a performer, but as a storyteller, joining President Laurie A. Carter for a conversation dubbed, “The Art of Leadership.”
Over the course of the evening, McDonald reflected on artistry, resilience, and purpose, frequently returning to a central idea: that leadership begins with recognizing our shared humanity.
Audra McDonald talks with President Laurie A. Carter on The Art of Leadership.
The path of leadership is a deeply personal journey. No two people take the same route, but many share a common denominator: the presence of guiding influences.
“I’ve been guided really by that which moves me… what moves me is being in communion with humanity through the arts,” McDonald said. For her, that connection to humanity does not end at the edge of the stage. It extends into a deep commitment to social justice, a desire to leave the world a better place for her children, and a quiet trust that the universe will present the next right step when the time comes.
“Certain roles that I’ve played have led me toward certain things in my life,” McDonald explained. The actress, who has portrayed more than a few rough-around-the-edges characters, likened the preparation process for these roles to a dissertation-level research project.
Long before the curtain rises, she studies each character intently, gathering minute details to form a rich picture of who that character is and what influences might have informed their experience.
“I look for the ways I can connect to that character,” McDonald said. By finding common ground, she said she makes space for them in her heart and extends them grace. In doing so, McDonald said she has learned that she, too, is deserving of that same grace.
Many of the women McDonald has portrayed had “a lot of mountains to climb,” she said, and getting close to the opportunities, challenges, in some cases, trauma the character may have experienced, is what helps her bring them so movingly and authentically to life on stage each night. “On stage, you become their protector or defender,” she said.
Internalizing the struggles of her characters is key to the moving performances that bring her characters to life. She takes care to ensure she isn’t overwhelmed by the emotion she brings to her roles. “Those characters affect you, but you have to be careful to leave them at the theatre.”
Despite her disciplined practice of separating herself from the role when she leaves the theatre each night, one character lingered … Billie Holiday, whom McDonald portrayed in the musical “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.” Holiday was the victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking as a young teen and had nobody in her life who could help her escape that horrible situation.
While portraying this deeply emotional role, McDonald found herself contemplating what opening night gift she might give the show’s small crew to thank them for their collaboration and support. On her walk back to the theatre, the answer became clear when she came upon Covenant House, a nonprofit organization serving youth and families experiencing homelessness, by providing food, shelter, medical care, and other needs to help them step back into the world with dignity. McDonald decided to stop in to make a donation in the crew’s honor and, while there, witnessed the team helping a new arrival.
“I watched this intake happen and it moved me so much,” McDonald recalled, describing how a previously jovial security guard sprang into action to help a teen arriving with his belongings in a trash bag. She pondered how Billie’s life might have been different if a resource like Covenant House had been available to her as an abused teen.
“I was led to that place by Billie … and now I’m on the Board,” said McDonald, who serves on the Covenant House International Board of Directors. For McDonald, this was another example of the guiding influences that have serendipitously led her to the next step, sometimes when she didn’t even know she needed it.
It was not only the characters she portrayed who helped shape McDonald’s path, but also the mentors who guided her along the way. Actress Zoe Caldwell is someone who transformed the way McDonald viewed her work early in her career.
Caldwell made a point of knowing the name of every person involved in a production, reinforcing the idea that everyone, from director to usher, brings value to the creative process. Collaboration, McDonald learned, is essential for success. Only with each person’s unique contribution can a performance actually happen.
“My mentor taught me humility and true collaboration,” McDonald said. “I learned that’s not only good for you as an artist, but good for you just as a human being.”
During her student years at The Juilliard School, McDonald felt called to musical theatre despite pressure from professors to pursue opera. That is when she first met Laurie Carter, who was then serving as a senior Student Affairs administrator at Juilliard.
Audra McDonald shared the impact of her mentor.
Carter took the young performer under her wing and encouraged her to follow her instincts. When the struggle became so overwhelming it led McDonald to a suicide attempt, Carter got the struggling student the help and support she needed. Reaching that dark point in her life, McDonald said, irrevocably changed it for the better.
“It’s not lost on me that it was the start of my life,” McDonald observed about her attempt to end her life. “Laurie was one of the first people to teach me about empowering myself and fighting for myself.” Now, McDonald delights in the idea of modeling empowerment and self-advocacy not just for her own children, but for performers following in her footsteps.
“You can stay respectful, you can stay collaborative, but you have to give yourself grace and you have to stand up for yourself as well,” McDonald said. She emphasized that finding – and using – your own voice and following your gut are essential leadership skills.
Audra McDonald with Lawrence students and community members
Ultimately, how does Audra McDonald define The Art of Leadership? Interacting with others in the true spirit of collaboration, connecting with your authentic self, and trusting your own instincts. The Art of Leadership, McDonald said, is there in all of us.
