Audra McDonald Is Not Here For People Taking Pictures While She’s Nude Onstage

True thespians take their craft seriously, so they’ll do whatever the role calls for. Audra McDonald is one of those types of actors so she fully commits to whatever role she plays. That’s why when her new play Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune requested she be nude for part of the show, she threw her clothes to the side and gladly said, “I’M READY!” However, I’m sure she wasn’t expecting some sneaky perv to be in the audience with their phone out whispering, “I’m ready too baby..“, in a creepy voice. Yet and still, that’s exactly what happened according to her.

Audra is starring with equally serious actor Michael Shannon and there’s a sex scene at the beginning. But it’s not as hot as you may think, at least according to Audra. Last month she told The New York Times (via People) that although she’s a critically acclaimed award-winning actress, getting naked onstage is not for the faint of heart.

“Maybe strippers get real used to it, but for me, there’s nothing normal about that,” McDonald said of getting naked on stage. “So there’s nowhere in my mind that I can drift off and let this just kind of happen because everything about it is demanding that you be present.”

Add to the fact that this is Audra’s first time doing a nude scene in the theater world, so you can imagine there was some weird theater nerd who quickly devised a scheme to capture Audra au naturale. The only problem with their devious plan was that they forgot to turn their flash off. And during a nude scene, Audra noticed them snapping the pic. Now, had she not been the classically trained actress she is, she probably would have jumped offstage and beat them with their Playbill. However, Audra remained in character, but had a message for the person that took the prohibited photo on her Twitter page.

To whoever it was in the audience that took a flash photo during our nude scene today: Not cool. Not cool at all.

— Audra McDonald (@AudraEqualityMc) July 21, 2019

I feel sorry for people that go see Audra’s show from now on because security is going to be tighter than a fat baby’s diaper. But just in case  more security isn’t an option maybe before the show starts the theater should pass around a collection box for everyone’s phones as Audra watches from the stage wearing a robe saying, “This ain’t no peep show. Give those phones up now!”

Pic: Deen van Meer