| Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical | |
|---|---|
 2022 recipient: Joaquina Kalukango for Paradise Square | |
| Awarded for | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical |
| Location | New York City |
| Presented by | American Theatre Wing The Broadway League |
| Currently held by | Joaquina Kalukango for Paradise Square (2022) |
| Website | TonyAwards.com |
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly announced since 1956.[1]
History
The award was not presented in 1947 or 1985.[2] Ken Mandelbaum wrote about the 1985 season: "Things get bad enough musically to require the elimination of the Best Musical Actor and Actress categories, as well as the choreography prize."[3] There have been three ties in this category, in 1958, 1962 and 1968.[4]
In 1965, Liza Minelli, age 19, became the youngest actress to win the award, a record she still holds today. She is followed by Lea Salonga, age 20, in 1991. In 2017, Bette Midler, age 71, became the oldest actress to win the award, a record she still holds today. She is followed by Ruth Brown, age 61, in 1989.
Winners and nominees
indicates the winner
1940s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 1st Tony Awards |
— | ||
| 1948 2nd Tony Awards | |||
| Grace Hartman | Angel in the Wings | Nettie / Mrs. Blodgett / Ruth / Mrs. Hutchinson | |
| 1949 3rd Tony Awards | |||
| Nanette Fabray | Love Life | Susan Cooper | |
1950s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 4th Tony Awards | |||
| Mary Martin | South Pacific | Ensign Nellie Forbush | |
| 1951 5th Tony Awards | |||
| Ethel Merman | Call Me Madam | Sally Adams | |
| 1952 6th Tony Awards | |||
| Gertrude Lawrence | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | |
| 1953 7th Tony Awards | |||
| Rosalind Russell | Wonderful Town | Ruth Sherwood | |
| 1954 8th Tony Awards | |||
| Dolores Gray | Carnival in Flanders | Cornelia | |
| 1955 9th Tony Awards | |||
| Mary Martin | Peter Pan | Peter Pan | |
| 1956 10th Tony Awards | |||
| Gwen Verdon | Damn Yankees | Lola | |
| Carol Channing | The Vamp | Flora Weems | |
| Nancy Walker | Phoenix '55 | Various Characters | |
| 1957 11th Tony Awards | |||
| Judy Holliday | Bells Are Ringing | Ella Peterson | |
| Julie Andrews | My Fair Lady | Eliza Doolittle | |
| Ethel Merman | Happy Hunting | Liz Livingstone | |
| 1958 12th Tony Awards | |||
| Thelma Ritter | New Girl in Town | Marthy Owen | |
| Gwen Verdon | Anna Christopherson | ||
| Lena Horne | Jamaica | Savannah | |
| Beatrice Lillie | Ziegfeld Follies of 1957 | Various Characters | |
| 1959 13th Tony Awards | |||
| Gwen Verdon | Redhead | Essie Whimple | |
| Miyoshi Umeki | Flower Drum Song | Mei-Li |
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
| Year | Actress | Musical | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 74th Tony Awards | |||
| Adrienne Warren | Tina | Tina Turner | |
| Karen Olivo | Moulin Rouge! | Satine | |
| Elizabeth Stanley | Jagged Little Pill | Mary Jane Healy | |
| 2021 Ceremony not held |
— | ||
| 2022 75th Tony Awards | |||
| Joaquina Kalukango | Paradise Square | Annabelle "Nelly" Freeman | |
| Sharon D. Clarke | Caroline, or Change | Caroline Thibodeaux | |
| Carmen Cusack | Flying Over Sunset | Clare Boothe Luce | |
| Sutton Foster | The Music Man | Marian Paroo | |
| Mare Winningham | Girl from the North Country | Elizabeth Laine | |
Multiple wins
|
|
Multiple nominations
|
|
Multiple character wins
- 3 Wins
- Anna Leonowens from The King and I
- Rose from Gypsy
- 2 Wins
- Desiree Armfeldt from A Little Night Music
- Celie Harris Johnson from The Color Purple
- Dolly Gallagher Levi from Hello, Dolly!
Multiple character nominations
|
|
Musicals with multiple lead nominations
- New Girl in Town – Thelma Ritter (winner) and Gwen Verdon (winner)
- Company – Susan Browning and Elaine Stritch
- Follies – Dorothy Collins and Alexis Smith (winner)
- Chicago – Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon
- Annie – Dorothy Loudon (winner) and Andrea McArdle
- Dreamgirls – Jennifer Holliday (winner) and Sheryl Lee Ralph
- The Rink – Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera (winner)
- Black and Blue – Ruth Brown (winner) and Linda Hopkins
- Guys and Dolls – Josie de Guzman and Faith Prince (winner)
- Urinetown – Nancy Opel and Jennifer Laura Thompson
- Wicked – Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel (winner)
- War Paint – Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone
- The Prom – Caitlin Kinnunen and Beth Leavel
Multiple awards and nominations
Actress who have been nominated multiple times in any acting categories
See also
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
References
- ^ Gelb, Arthur. "Popularizing the 'Tony' Awards", The New York Times, April 1, 1956, p.93
- ^ Freedman, Samuel G. The New York Times, June 3, 1985, p.C15
- ^ Mandelbaum, Ken."Ken Mandelbaum's Aisle View: Tony Highs And Lows" playbill.com, May 11, 1997
- ^ History, Ties in Tony History" tonyawards.com, accessed June 13, 2014
- ^ Viagas, Robert. "Julie Andrews Declines Tony Nomination" playbill.com, May 8, 1996
External links
This page was last edited on 15 December 2022, at 14:35