Purpose’s Kara Young Makes Tony Awards History with Back-to-Back Wins

Kara Young has made Broadway history with her second consecutive Tony Award win. She earned Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Purpose, becoming the first Black performer to win Tony Awards in back-to-back years. Last season, Young won the same category for her role as Lutiebelle in Purlie Victorious.

This marks Young’s fourth consecutive Tony nomination. She was first recognized for Clyde’s in 2022, followed by Cost of Living in 2023, her win for Purlie Victorious in 2024 and now Purpose in 2025.

Young plays Aziza, a sharp-tongued outsider whose presence disrupts a delicate family gathering. Directed by Phylicia Rashad, the production earned six Tony nominations: Best Play, Best Leading Actress for LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Best Leading Actor for Jon Michael Hill and Harry Lennix, Best Featured Actor for Glenn Davis and Best Featured Actress for Young.

Next summer, Young will return to the stage in The Whoopi Monologues, a reimagining of Whoopi Goldberg’s 1984 solo show. She’ll star alongside Kerry Washington in the Lincoln Center Theater production, directed by Whitney White. Performances begin July 7, 2026 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.