Audra McDonald and Will Swenson Are Engaged

By Adam Hetrick
03 Jan 2012

Audra McDonald and Will Swenson
Audra McDonald and Will Swenson
Photo by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

The new year is starting off bright for four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald and Tony Award nominee Will Swenson, who became engaged to be married on New Years Day, a representative for the actress confirmed to Playbill.com Jan. 3.

McDonald is currently starring as Bess in the Broadway revival of Porgy and Bess. Swenson is among the three stars of the Broadway musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

The two first appeared together in the 2007 Broadway revival of 110 in the Shade, in which McDonald starred as Lizzie. Swenson understudied the leading role of Bill Starbuck. They also co-starred in a 2009 benefit production of the musical at the Hale Center in Utah.

McDonald's publicist did not release any additional details, but did note the Broadway couple were very happy to announce their engagement.

McDonald is a four-time Tony Award winner for Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime and A Raisin in the Sun. She was Tony-nominated for Marie Christine and has appeared in Henry IV, the Actors Fund concert of Dreamgirls and the Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night. On screen she has been seen in "A Raisin in the Sun," "Private Practice," "Annie" and "Wit," among others.

Swenson currently stars as Tick in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. He earned a Tony Award nomination for playing Berger in the 2008 Tony-winning revival of Hair. His Broadway credits also include Lestat, Brooklyn and the Off-Broadway productions of Rock of Ages, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island, Adrift in Macao and the Shakespeare in the Park productions of Hair and Two Gentleman of Verona.