Audra McDonald wins her historic sixth Tony Award for playing Billie Holiday

NEW YORK, June 9 (UPI) -- Broadway legend Audra McDonald was presented with her sixth Tony Award in New York Sunday.

McDonald's latest win was for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her portrayal of jazz great Billie Holiday in the Broadway premiere of Lanie Robertson's musical play, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill. The achievement means the 43-year-old singer-actress has earned more of the prestigious theater prizes than any performer in history.

Directed by Lonny Price, Lady Day is playing a limited engagement, set to run through Aug. 10.

"Thank you," McDonald said through tears, as she clutched her statuette. "I want to thank my mom and my dad, up in heaven, for disobeying the doctor's orders and not medicating their hyper-active girl and finding out what she was into instead and pushing her into the theater. Thank you, Mom. I want to thank my husband, Will Swenson, who is my best friend and the best supporter I have ever known. I want to thank my beautiful step-sons... who make me laugh every day. And I want to thank my beautiful daughter Zoe Donovan. Without you, I am nothing. Do you understand? Mommy is nothing without you."