The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play is presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League[1] at an annual ceremony in Manhattan. The award is given to actresses for quality leading roles in a Broadway play.[2] Despite the award first being presented in 1947, there were no nominees announced until 1956. There have been two ties in this category, and one three-way tie.
Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play | |
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Awarded for | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play |
Location | New York City |
Presented by | American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League |
Currently held by | Jodie Comer for Prima Facie (2023) |
Website | TonyAwards.com |
Year | Actress | Play | Role(s) | Ref. |
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1947 (1st) | ||||
Ingrid Bergman | Joan of Lorraine | Mary Grey / Joan of Arc | ||
Helen Hayes | Happy Birthday | Addie Bemis | ||
1948 (2nd) | ||||
Judith Anderson | Medea | Medea | ||
Katharine Cornell | Antony and Cleopatra | Cleopatra | ||
Jessica Tandy | A Streetcar Named Desire | Blanche DuBois | ||
1949 (3rd) | ||||
Martita Hunt | The Madwoman of Chaillot | Countess Aurelia |
Year | Actress | Play | Role(s) | Ref. |
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2020 (74th) | ||||
Mary-Louise Parker | The Sound Inside | Bella Baird | [67] | |
Joaquina Kalukango | Slave Play | Kaneisha | ||
Laura Linney | My Name Is Lucy Barton | Lucy Barton | ||
Audra McDonald | Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune | Frankie | ||
2022 (75th) | ||||
Deirdre O'Connell | Dana H. | Dana H. | [68] | |
Gabby Beans | The Skin of Our Teeth | Sabina | ||
LaChanze | Trouble in Mind | Wiletta Mayer | ||
Ruth Negga | Macbeth | Lady Macbeth | ||
Mary-Louise Parker | How I Learned to Drive | Li'l Bit | ||
2023 (76th) | ||||
Jodie Comer | Prima Facie | Tessa Ensler | [69] | |
Jessica Chastain | A Doll's House | Nora Helmer | ||
Jessica Hecht | Summer, 1976 | Alice | ||
Audra McDonald | Ohio State Murders | Suzanne Alexander |
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Winners are in bold.
Actress who have been nominated multiple times in any acting categories