Audra will ring in the New Year with Joshua Bell, Raúl Esparza, Michael Feinstein, Maria Friedman, Josh Groban, Megan Hilty, Kelli O’Hara, and Frederica von Stade at New York’s Avery Fisher Hall in a nationally televised concert to celebrate the life and music of the late composer-conductor Marvin Hamlisch. Presented by the New York Philharmonic and titled “One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch,” the performance will feature selections from Hamlisch’s works for stage and film, including his iconic musicals A Chorus Line and Sweet Smell of Success. Paul Gemignani will conduct and Lonny Price will direct the performance. The live telecast will mark Audra’s third time hosting a Live From Lincoln Center broadcast on PBS this season and her first time playing the dual role of host and performer. Earlier this season, she hosted the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of the New York Philharmonic’s Opening Night Gala, and on December 13 she hosts the telecast of the Richard Tucker Opera Gala.

Audra’s appearance on Sesame Street as a singing chicken muppet in “Elmo the Musical” is now online. In the installment titled “Circus the Musical,” she and Elmo perform a duet titled, “Keep on Clucking”.  For more information, visit www.sesamestreet.org.

Audra McDonald will be honored by PFLAG NYC (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of New York City) at the organization’s 32nd annual awards gala at Tribeca Three Sixty on Monday, October 15.

Audra will receive the PFLAG NYC “Stay Close” Celebrity Leadership Award in recognition of her years advocating full equality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and for her participation in the PFLAG NYC “Stay Close” campaign which features straight celebrities appearing with their LGBT loved ones. This past April, Audra and her now-husband Will Swenson were given the “Straight for Equality Award” at PFLAG’s Fourth Annual Straight for Equality Gala.

The Drama League has announced that Audra will be the Honoree of its 29th Musical Celebration of Broadway on February 11, 2013 at Manhattan’s famed Pierre Hotel. The black-tie gala supports The Drama League’s educational initiatives for promising young artists. This announcement comes just months after Audra received the Drama League’s 2012 Distinguished Performance Award for her role in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. “Audra McDonald, in my view, is the once-in-a-generation performer of our time,” Drama League executive director Gabriel Shanks said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor her achievements in film, television, recording, and in the theater.”

The Musical Celebration of Broadway Honoring Audra McDonald will bring together 500 of New York City’s most influential arts supporters, celebrities, and luminaries for an evening of cocktails, dinner, and the acclaimed, unforgettable musical revue. Featuring dozens of stars from film, television and theater, the Musical Celebration of Broadway will feature songs from Audra’s many Broadway triumphs, including Carousel, Ragtime, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Marie Christine, 110 In The Shade; her operatic and concert work, including her celebrated turns in Passion and Mahagonny; and her award-winning albums “Way Back To Paradise,” “How Glory Goes,” “Happy Songs” and “Build A Bridge.” Visit The Drama League’s website for more information on this special evening.

On Thursday, September 27, Audra returns to PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center to host the broadcast of the New York Philharmonic’s Opening Night Gala. This marks Audra’s first time hosting a broadcast for the Emmy-winning program. New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert will lead the orchestra and special guest, violinist Ithak Perlman, in a program featuring works from legendary Russian composer Tchaikovsky to beloved Hollywood film composer John Williams.  A Live from Lincoln Center series veteran, Audra headlined the New York Philharmonic’s annual New Year’s Gala in 2006 and later that year starred in  “Audra McDonald and Friends” with Patti LuPone, Nellie McKay, and Beverly Sills.  Check your local listings to see when it’s airing on your local PBS station.

Audra will join Elmo, the beloved furry red monster, on an installment of the new Sesame Street segment “Elmo the Musical” later this season. Audra, who will provide the voice for a chicken muppet, will sing “Keep on Clucking” in “Circus the Musical”. This performance marks Audra’s first appearance on the iconic children’s program. For more information, visit SesameWorkshop.org or SesameStreet.org.