She’s rewriting Broadway history, one powerful performance at a time.
Celebrated actress Kara Young just earned her second consecutive Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play, this time for her role as Aziza in Purpose. With the win, Young became the first Black performer in history to receive a Tony two years in a row, a groundbreaking milestone in an already remarkable career, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Her portrayal of Aziza, a Harlem-based social worker in Purpose, earned critical acclaim and resonated deeply with audiences. As she accepted her award, Young honored the transformative power of the stage
“In this world that [is] so divided, theater is a safe, a sacred space that we have to honor and cherish and it makes us united,” she said.
The moment was made even more special as Purpose, the Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play that marked Phylicia Rashad’s Broadway directorial debut, won Best Play that evening. Speaking in the press room after her win, Young reflected on the significance of the occasion and her place in it.
“I truly feel like we are so divided out here in the world that we can literally sit in the theater and nothing else matters but the story and our heartbeats and our listening ears, or eyes, for those who need access, access to that. I feel incredibly grateful and [an] overwhelming amount of gratitude,” she said. “Diversity literally equals humanity.”
This victory follows her 2024 Tony win for Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch and adds to a streak of four consecutive Tony nominations, which also includes Clyde’s and Cost of Living. With each performance, Kara Young continues to prove that excellence and impact are not just possibilities; they are promises fulfilled.
Her historic back-to-back wins not only honor her craft but illuminate what’s possible when Black women take center stage, and stay there.
Cover photo: Kara Young Makes History as First Black Performer to Win a Tony Award Two Years in a Row/Photo credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions