Kara Young becomes first Black performer to win back‑to‑back Tonys

Kara Young has made Broadway history, becoming the first Black performer to win Tony Awards in back-to-back years after taking home the 2025 Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for her portrayal of Aziza Houston in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Purpose This latest triumph follows her 2024 win for Purlie Victorious, marking her fourth consecutive Tony nomination—a feat unmatched by any other Black actress on Broadway.

In Purpose, Young plays Aziza, a sharp-tongued outsider whose unexpected arrival shakes up a prominent Illinois family of civil rights leaders and politicians. The production, directed by Phylicia Rashad, also won the Tony for Best Play and has extended its run at the Hayes Theatre through August 31.

Young’s acceptance speech highlighted the unifying power of theater, calling it “a safe, sacred space that we have to honor and cherish, and it makes us united” Her historic win underscores her reputation as a dynamic force on stage, with every Broadway appearance earning her a Tony nomination since her 2022 debut in Clyde’s.

Looking ahead, Young is set to star alongside Kerry Washington in The Whoopi Monologues at Lincoln Center Theater in 2026, continuing a career defined by groundbreaking performances and a deep sense of purpose.