Awards & Winners

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play

Tony Award

The Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre. The award is given to actresses for quality leading roles in a Broadway play. Despite the award first being presented in 1947, there were no nominees announced until 1956. There has been two ties in this category, and one three-way tie.

Check all the winners of Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play presented under Tony Award since 1947 .


Audra McDonald

Honored for : Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill

Nominations 2014 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tyne Daly Mothers and Sons
LaTanya Richardson A Raisin In The Sun
Cherry Jones The Glass Menagerie
Audra McDonald Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
Estelle Parsons The Velocity of Autumn

Cicely Tyson

Honored for : The Trip to Bountiful

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Cicely Tyson The Trip to Bountiful
Holland Taylor Ann
Laurie Metcalf The Other Place
Kristine Nielsen Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Amy Morton Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Nina Arianda

Honored for : Venus in Fur

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tracie Bennett End of the Rainbow
Stockard Channing Other Desert Cities
Cynthia Nixon Wit
Linda Lavin The Lyons
Nina Arianda Venus in Fur

Frances McDormand

Honored for : Good People

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Frances McDormand Good People
Nina Arianda Born Yesterday
Lily Rabe The Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave Driving Miss Daisy
Hannah Yelland Brief Encounter

Viola Davis

Honored for : Fences

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Viola Davis Fences
Valerie Harper Looped
Linda Lavin Collected Stories
Laura Linney Time Stands Still
Jan Maxwell The Royal Family

Marcia Gay Harden

Honored for : God of Carnage

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hope Davis God of Carnage
Marcia Gay Harden God of Carnage
Jane Fonda 33 Variations
Janet McTeer Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter Mary Stuart

Deanna Dunagan

Honored for : August: Osage County

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Deanna Dunagan August: Osage County
Eve Best The Homecoming
Kate Fleetwood Macbeth
S. Epatha Merkerson Come Back, Little Sheba
Amy Morton August: Osage County

Julie White

Honored for : The Little Dog Laughed

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Angela Lansbury Deuce
Vanessa Redgrave The Year of Magical Thinking
Julie White The Little Dog Laughed
Eve Best A Moon for the Misbegotten
Swoosie Kurtz Heartbreak House

Cynthia Nixon

Honored for : Rabbit Hole

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Cynthia Nixon Rabbit Hole
Kate Burton The Constant Wife
Lynn Redgrave The Constant Wife
Judy Kaye Souvenir
Lisa Kron Well

Cherry Jones

Honored for : Doubt: A Parable

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Cherry Jones Doubt: A Parable
Laura Linney Sight Unseen
Mary-Louise Parker Reckless
Phylicia Rash?d Gem of the Ocean
Kathleen Turner Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Phylicia Rash?d

Honored for : A Raisin in the Sun

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Phylicia Rash?d A Raisin in the Sun
Anne Heche Twentieth Century
Eileen Atkins The Retreat from Moscow
Swoosie Kurtz Frozen
Tovah Feldshuh Golda's Balcony

Vanessa Redgrave

Honored for : Long Day's Journey Into Night

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Fiona Shaw Medea
Jayne Atkinson Enchanted April
Clare Higgins Vincent in Brixton
Vanessa Redgrave Long Day's Journey Into Night
Victoria Hamilton A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

Lindsay Duncan

Honored for : Private Lives

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kate Burton Hedda Gabler
Mercedes Ruehl The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?
Helen Mirren Dance of Death
Laura Linney The Crucible
Lindsay Duncan Private Lives

Mary-Louise Parker

Honored for : Proof

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Leslie Uggams King Hedley II
Mary-Louise Parker Proof
Linda Lavin The Tale of the Allergist's Wife
Juliette Binoche Betrayal
Jean Smart The Man Who Came to Dinner

Jennifer Ehle

Honored for : The Real Thing

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jennifer Ehle The Real Thing
Jayne Atkinson The Rainmaker
Rosemary Harris Waiting in the Wings
Claudia Shear Dirty Blonde
Cherry Jones A Moon for the Misbegotten

Judi Dench

Honored for : Amy's View

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Judi Dench Amy's View
Stockard Channing The Lion in Winter
Zoë Wanamaker Electra
Marian Seldes Ring Round the Moon

Marie Mullen

Honored for : The Beauty Queen of Leenane

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marie Mullen The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Geraldine McEwan The Chairs
Jane Alexander Honour
Allison Janney A View from the Bridge

Janet McTeer

Honored for : A Doll's House

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Janet McTeer A Doll's House
Julie Harris The Gin Game
Shirley Knight The Young Man From Atlanta
Lia Williams Skylight

Zoe Caldwell

Honored for : Master Class

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carol Burnett Moon Over Buffalo
Elaine Stritch A Delicate Balance
Zoe Caldwell Master Class
Rosemary Harris A Delicate Balance

Cherry Jones

Honored for : The Heiress

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mary Alice Having Our Say
Cherry Jones The Heiress
Helen Mirren A Month in the Country
Eileen Atkins Indiscretions

Diana Rigg

Honored for : Medea

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Diana Rigg Medea
Joan Rivers Sally Marr...and Her Escorts
Nancy Marchand The White Liars & Black Comedy
Anna Deavere Smith Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992

Madeline Kahn

Honored for : The Sisters Rosensweig

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Natasha Richardson Anna Christie
Jane Alexander The Sisters Rosensweig
Madeline Kahn The Sisters Rosensweig
Lynn Redgrave Shakespeare for My Father

Glenn Close

Honored for : Death and the Maiden

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Judith Ivey Park Your Car in Harvard Yard
Glenn Close Death and the Maiden
Stockard Channing Four Baboons Adoring the Sun
Jane Alexander The Visit

Mercedes Ruehl

Honored for : Lost in Yonkers

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stockard Channing Six Degrees of Separation
Cherry Jones Our Country's Good
Mercedes Ruehl Lost in Yonkers
Julie Harris Lucifer's Child

Maggie Smith

Honored for : Lettice and Lovage

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mary-Louise Parker Prelude to a Kiss
Kathleen Turner Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Maggie Smith Lettice and Lovage
Geraldine James The Merchant of Venice

Pauline Collins

Honored for : Shirley Valentine

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joan Allen The Heidi Chronicles
Madeline Kahn Born Yesterday
Kate Nelligan Spoils of War
Pauline Collins Shirley Valentine

Joan Allen

Honored for : Burn This

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joan Allen Burn This
Blythe Danner A Streetcar Named Desire
Frances McDormand A Streetcar Named Desire
Glenda Jackson Macbeth

Linda Lavin

Honored for : Broadway Bound

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Amanda Plummer Pygmalion
Linda Lavin Broadway Bound
Geraldine Page Blithe Spirit
Lindsay Duncan Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Lily Tomlin

Honored for : The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mary Beth Hurt Benefactors
Jessica Tandy The Petition
Rosemary Harris Hay Fever
Lily Tomlin The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe

Stockard Channing

Honored for : Joe Egg

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Glenda Jackson Strange Interlude
Rosemary Harris Pack of Lies
Stockard Channing Joe Egg
Sinéad Cusack Much Ado About Nothing

Glenn Close

Honored for : The Real Thing

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Linda Hunt End of the World
Kate Nelligan A Moon for the Misbegotten
Glenn Close The Real Thing
Rosemary Harris Heartbreak House

Jessica Tandy

Honored for : Foxfire

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kathy Bates 'night, Mother
Jessica Tandy Foxfire
Anne Pitoniak 'night, Mother
Kate Nelligan Plenty

Zoe Caldwell

Honored for : Medea

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Zoe Caldwell Medea
Geraldine Page Agnes of God
Katharine Hepburn The West Side Waltz
Amanda Plummer A Taste of Honey

Jane Lapotaire

Honored for : Piaf

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jane Lapotaire Piaf
Elizabeth Taylor The Little Foxes
Eva Le Gallienne To Grandmother's House We Go
Glenda Jackson Rose

Phyllis Frelich

Honored for : Children of a Lesser God

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Phyllis Frelich Children of a Lesser God
Blythe Danner Betrayal
Maggie Smith Night and Day
Anne Twomey Nuts

Carole Shelley

Honored for : The Elephant Man

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carole Shelley The Elephant Man
Constance Cummings Wings
Jane Alexander First Monday in October
Frances Sternhagen On Golden Pond

Constance Cummings

Honored for : Wings

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carole Shelley The Elephant Man
Constance Cummings Wings
Jane Alexander First Monday in October
Frances Sternhagen On Golden Pond

Jessica Tandy

Honored for : The Gin Game

Nominations 1978 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jessica Tandy The Gin Game
Anita Gillette Chapter Two
Anne Bancroft Golda
Estelle Parsons Miss Margarida's Way

Julie Harris

Honored for : The Belle of Amherst

Nominations 1977 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Harris The Belle of Amherst
Liv Ullmann Anna Christie
Irene Worth The Cherry Orchard
Colleen Dewhurst Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Irene Worth

Honored for : Sweet Bird of Youth

Nominations 1976 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Irene Worth Sweet Bird of Youth
Lynn Redgrave Mrs. Warren's Profession
Rosemary Harris The Royal Family
Tovah Feldshuh Yentl

Ellen Burstyn

Honored for : Same Time, Next Year

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ellen Burstyn Same Time, Next Year
Liv Ullmann A Doll's House
Elizabeth Ashley Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Maggie Smith Private Lives
Diana Rigg The Misanthrope

Colleen Dewhurst

Honored for : A Moon for the Misbegotten

Nominations 1974 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Colleen Dewhurst A Moon for the Misbegotten
Jane Alexander Find Your Way Home
Julie Harris The au Pair Man
Madeline Kahn In the Boom Boom Room
Rachel Roberts The Visit","Chemin de Fer

Julie Harris

Honored for : The Last of Mrs. Lincoln

Nominations 1973 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Harris The Last of Mrs. Lincoln
Jane Alexander 6 Rms Riv Vu
Colleen Dewhurst Mourning Becomes Electra
Kathleen Widdoes Much Ado About Nothing

Sada Thompson

Honored for : Twigs

Nominations 1972 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sada Thompson Twigs
Colleen Dewhurst All Over
Rosemary Harris Old Times
Eileen Atkins Vivat! Vivat Regina!

Maureen Stapleton

Honored for : The Gingerbread Lady

Nominations 1971 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Maureen Stapleton The Gingerbread Lady
Diana Rigg Abelard and Heloise
Estelle Parsons And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little
Marian Seldes Father's Day

Tammy Grimes

Honored for : Private Lives

Nominations 1970 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tammy Grimes Private Lives
Geraldine Brooks Brightower
Helen Hayes Harvey

Julie Harris

Honored for : Forty Carats

Nominations 1969 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Harris Forty Carats
Estelle Parsons The Seven Descents of Myrtle
Charlotte Rae Morning, Noon and Night
Brenda Vaccaro The Goodbye People

Zoe Caldwell

Honored for : The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Nominations 1968 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Zoe Caldwell The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Colleen Dewhurst More Stately Mansions
Maureen Stapleton Plaza Suite
Dorothy Tutin Portrait of a Queen

Beryl Reid

Honored for : The Killing of Sister George

Nominations 1967 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Beryl Reid The Killing of Sister George
Eileen Atkins The Killing of Sister George
Vivien Merchant The Homecoming
Rosemary Murphy A Delicate Balance

Rosemary Harris

Honored for : The Lion in Winter

Nominations 1966 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Rosemary Harris The Lion in Winter
Sheila Hancock Entertaining Mr. Sloane
Kate Reid Slapstick Tragedy
Lee Remick Wait Until Dark

Irene Worth

Honored for : Tiny Alice

Nominations 1965 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Irene Worth Tiny Alice
Marjorie Rhodes All in Good Time
Beah Richards The Amen Corner
Diana Sands The Owl and the Pussycat

Sandy Dennis

Honored for : Any Wednesday

Nominations 1964 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sandy Dennis Any Wednesday
Elizabeth Ashley Barefoot in the Park
Julie Harris Marathon '33
Colleen Dewhurst The Ballad of the Sad Café

Uta Hagen

Honored for : Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Nominations 1963 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Uta Hagen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Hermione Baddeley The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore
Margaret Leighton Tchin-Tchin
Claudia McNeil Tiger Tiger Burning Bright

Margaret Leighton

Honored for : The Night of the Iguana

Nominations 1962 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Margaret Leighton The Night of the Iguana
Gladys Cooper A Passage to India
Colleen Dewhurst Great Day in the Morning
Kim Stanley A Far Country

Joan Plowright

Honored for : A Taste of Honey

Nominations 1961 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joan Plowright A Taste of Honey
Tallulah Bankhead Midgie Purvis
Barbara Baxley Period of Adjustment

Anne Bancroft

Honored for : The Miracle Worker

Nominations 1960 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Anne Bancroft The Miracle Worker
Claudia McNeil A Raisin in the Sun
Margaret Leighton Much Ado About Nothing
Geraldine Page Sweet Bird of Youth
Maureen Stapleton Toys in the Attic
Irene Worth Toys in the Attic

Gertrude Berg

Honored for : A Majority of One

Nominations 1959 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gertrude Berg A Majority of One
Kim Stanley A Touch of the Poet
Maureen Stapleton The Cold Wind and the Warm
Claudette Colbert The Marriage-Go-Round
Lynn Fontanne The Visit

Helen Hayes

Honored for : Time Remembered

Nominations 1958 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Helen Hayes Time Remembered
Wendy Hiller A Moon for the Misbegotten
Mary Ure Look Back in Anger
Jo Van Fleet Look Homeward, Angel
Eugenie Leontovich The Cave Dwellers
Siobhán McKenna The Rope Dancers

Margaret Leighton

Honored for : Separate Tables

Nominations 1957 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Margaret Leighton Separate Tables
Rosalind Russell Auntie Mame
Florence Eldridge Long Day's Journey Into Night
Sybil Thorndike The Potting Shed

Julie Harris

Honored for : The Lark

Nominations 1956 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Harris The Lark
Barbara Bel Geddes Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Gladys Cooper The Chalk Garden
Siobhán McKenna The Chalk Garden
Susan Strasberg The Diary of Anne Frank
Ruth Gordon The Matchmaker

Nancy Kelly

Honored for : The Bad Seed

Nominations 1955 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nancy Kelly The Bad Seed

Audrey Hepburn

Honored for : Ondine

Nominations 1954 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Audrey Hepburn Ondine

Shirley Booth

Honored for : The Time of the Cuckoo

Nominations 1953 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Shirley Booth The Time of the Cuckoo

Julie Harris

Honored for : I Am a Camera

Nominations 1952 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Harris I Am a Camera

Uta Hagen

Honored for : The Country Girl

Nominations 1951 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Uta Hagen The Country Girl

Shirley Booth

Honored for : Come Back, Little Sheba

Nominations 1950 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Shirley Booth Come Back, Little Sheba

Martita Hunt

Honored for : The Madwoman of Chaillot

Nominations 1949 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martita Hunt The Madwoman of Chaillot

Judith Anderson

Honored for : Medea

Nominations 1948 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Judith Anderson Medea
Katharine Cornell Antony and Cleopatra
Jessica Tandy A Streetcar Named Desire

Ingrid Bergman, Helen Hayes

Honored for : Joan of Lorraine, Happy Birthday

Nominations 1947 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ingrid Bergman Joan of Lorraine
Helen Hayes Happy Birthday