'Our hearts are bursting!' Broadway star Audra McDonald, 46, gives birth to a baby girl named Sally James

  • The actress and her husband Will Swenson, 43, announced the news on Twitter on Thursday
  • Audra also shared a photo of Sally James McDonald-Swenson's tiny feet 
  • This is the first child for the couple, who have been married since 2012
  • Audra also has a 15-year-old daughter Zoe Madeline, and Will has two sons, Sawyer, 12, and Bridger, 15 
  • The six-time Tony winner announced that she was pregnant in May 

By Associated Press and Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 09:36 EST, 20 October 2016 | Updated: 12:26 EST, 20 October 2016

Broadway star Audra McDonald and Will Swenson have welcomed a baby girl named Sally James.

Audra, 46, and Will, 43, took to their individual Twitter pages on Thursday morning to announce the joyous news, with the proud mom sharing a sweet photo of their newborn's tiny feet.

 '[We] are overjoyed to welcome Sally James McDonald-Swenson, born last night at 11:16pm. Our hearts are bursting,' they wrote of their daughter's October 19th birth.

Happy family: Broadway star Audra McDonald and Will Swenson have welcomed a baby girl. The two are pictured together in February 

Heartwarming: The couple happily tweeted the news on Thursday morning, and Audra proudly shared a photo of her newborn's tiny feet 

Completely overjoyed: 'Our hearts are bursting,' they said of their daughter's birth 

In the photo, which was also shared on Audra's Instagram page, Sally still has a hospital bracelet around her ankles. 

This is the first child for the couple, who married in 2012, but the six-time Tony winner is also a mom to a 15-year-old daughter Zoe Madeline.

Meanwhile, Will, who has appeared Disaster! and Les Miserables on Broaday, also has two sons, Sawyer, 12, and Bridger, 15, from previous relationships. 

Unforgetabble moment: Last month Audra was awarded the The National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama

Honor: The heavily pregnant star is pictured being helped off stage after she received the medal

In May, Audra announced that she is expecting and would be taking maternity leave from the musical Shuffle Along beginning on July 24.

The show explores the groundbreaking 95-year-old musical Shuffle Along, one of the first Broadway shows starring, written and directed by African-Americans and the first show with a jazz score.

'Who knew that tap dancing during perimenopause could lead to pregnancy? Will and I are completely surprised— and elated — to be expecting a new addition to our family,' she said at the time.

Out and about: Audra, who announced her pregnancy is May, is pictured at a benefit concert in New York City (left) and at the Tony Awards (right) a month later 

She added that she looked 'forward to setting up a 1920s-themed nursery in my dressing room when I return to the show.'

Audra, who is expected to return to the Tony Award-nominated show this winter, also had to postpone taking the show Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill to London. 

Last month the heavily pregnant star was awarded the The National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, who gave her a warm embrace. 

Comments (34)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now