Audra McDonald will take part in a very special performance, "A Celebration of American Creativity," at The White House tonight, as part of the series In Performance at the White House. They will join President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and performers including Buddy Guy, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Keb' Mo', Smokey Robinson, Trombone Shorty, Esperanza Spalding, Brian Stokes Mitchell, James Taylor, and Usher, with special readings and remarks from Carol Burnett, in celebration of art and literature in unique American musical forms. The concert, including President Obama's remarks, will be streamed live at whitehouse.gov/live starting at 7:25 PM ET tonight. A Celebration of American Creativity: In Performance at the White House will premiere Friday, January 8, 2016, at 9 PM ET on PBS stations nationwide.

These performances will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act that was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 29, 1965. The act called for the creation of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as separate, independent agencies, the culmination of a movement calling for the federal government to invest in culture.

The song selections for the evening will draw from American-originated musical genres, including hip-hop, blues, and the American Songbook. The hour-long program, part of the Emmy Award-nominated "In Performance at the White House" series, is the fifty-fifth production in the series' thirty-seven year history.

A Celebration of American Creativity: In Performance at the White House will be the 15th such program during President Barack Obama’s administration, following The Gospel Tradition in June, which featured performances from Rhiannon Giddens, Emmylou Harris, and Rodney Crowell, among others. From February 2009 to the most recent broadcast, these In Performance at the White House events have honored Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney (also featuring a performance from Emmylou Harris), Burt Bacharach, Hal David and Carole King; celebrated Hispanic musical heritage during Hispanic Heritage Month; marked Black History Month with events featuring the music of Motown, Memphis Soul, the Blues, and from the Civil Rights Movement; explored the rich roots of Country music; and spotlighted Broadway and the unique spirit of the American musical (which also included a performance from Audra McDonald).