Kara Young has made history.
On Sunday night, Young won her second Tony Award for best actress in a featured role in a play for Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' drawing-room drama “Purpose”, in which she plays Aziza, a social worker from Harlem. Young became the first Black performer to win a Tony Award two years in a row. She has been nominated for four years in a row.
The best new play trophy went to "Purpose," that tells the story of an accomplished Black family exposing hypocrisy and pressures during a snowed-in gathering.
The victory caps a remarkable year for Jacobs-Jenkins, who in addition to winning back-to-back Tonys — his "Appropriate" won best play revival in 2024 — earned the Pulitzer Prize for "Purpose."
Jacobs-Jenkins becomes the first Black playwright to win for best new play since August Wilson took home the trophy in 1987 for "Fences." He urged Tony viewers to support regional theatres.
Young thanked her parents, Jacobs-Jenkins, her cast and director Phylicia Rashad.
"Theater is a sacred space that we have to honour and treasure, and it makes us united," she said.
"Succession" star Sarah Snook took home the trophy for leading actress in a play for her tireless work in "The Picture of Dorian Gray," where she plays all 26 roles.
"I don't feel alone any night that I do this show," Snook said, dismissing the idea of her play as a one-woman show. "There are so many people onstage making it work and behind the stage making it work." Francis Jue won best actor in a featured role in a play for his work in a revival of "Yellow Face."
Jak Malone won best actor in a featured role in a musical for the British import "Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical," playing a woman every performance. He hoped his win could be a powerful advocacy for trans rights.
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The host with the most First-time host Cynthia Erivo kicked off the show from her dressing room in Radio City Music Hall, urged by the stage manager to get to the stage.
The best book and best score awards went to "Maybe Happy Ending," with lyrics written by Hue Park and music composed by Will Aronson. The show was one of the favourites to win the best new musical crown, also picking up best scenic design of a musical.
Justin Peck and Patricia Delgado won for choreographing “Buena Vista Social Club”. Marco Paguia, winning best orchestrations for "Buena Vista Social Club," thanked Broadway for welcoming Cuban music.
Best costumes in a play went to Marg Hornwell for "The Picture of Dorian Gray," while "Death Becomes Her" won the musical counterpart, a win for Paul Tazewell in a year where he also became the first Black man to win an Oscar for designing costumes, for "Wicked."
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