The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre season.

History

In 1944, the Theatre World Awards were founded by Daniel Blum, Norman McDonald, and John Willis, recognizing "Promising Personalities", actors and actresses, in debut performances, in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions. In the first year Blum presented the awards in his apartment, at a cocktail party, to

Betty Comden Betty Comden (May 3, 1917 – November 23, 2006) was an American lyricist, playwright, and screenwriter who contributed to numerous Hollywood musicals and Broadway shows of the mid-20th century. Her writing partnership with Adolph Green spann ...

Judy Holliday Judy Holliday (born Judith Tuvim, June 21, 1921 – June 7, 1965) was an American actress, comedian, and singer.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', June 9, 1965, p. 71. She began her career as part of a nightclub act before working in Bro ...

and

John Raitt John Emmet Raitt (; January 29, 1917 – February 20, 2005) was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theatre. His most notable roles were Billy Bigelow in the original Broadway cast of ''Carousel'' and Curly ...

, and the second year to

Barbara Bel Geddes Barbara Bel Geddes (October 31, 1922 – August 8, 2005) was an American stage and screen Actor, actress, artist, and children's author whose career spanned almost 5 decades. She was best known for her starring role as Miss Ellie Ewing in th ...

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''

, and

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor. Initially known for playing tough characters with tender hearts, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-year caree ...

. At Blum's 1949 party, Carol Channing won. The ''

Theatre World ''Theatre World'' is an annual United States, American theatre pictorial and statistical print publication. It includes Broadway theatre, Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional theater in the United States, regional theatre, nation ...

'' editorial staff administered the Awards, under the supervision of Daniel Blum. In 1964, after Daniel Blum's death, John Willis supervised the Awards. In 1969, the award was renamed the ''Theatre World Award''. The early awards were a framed certificate, then a plaque, later in 1973, the bronze ''

Janus In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janus (''Ianu ...

'' Award, sculpted by Harry Marinsky. In 1998, the Theatre World Awards were incorporated as a

501 (c) 3 A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

nonprofit organization and are currently overseen by a board of directors independent of ''Theatre World''. Winners are selected by a committee of New York-based critics. That committee includes (as of May 2015) Roma Torre (NY1), David Cote (''Time Out7 New York'', NY1), Joe Dziemianowicz (''New York Daily News''),

Peter Filichia Peter Filichia (born 1946) is the former New York-based theater critic for ''The Star-Ledger'' newspaper in Newark, New Jersey and New Jersey's television station News 12, as well as for '' The Asbury Park Press'' . In addition, Filichia has tw ...

(''The Newark Star-Ledger'', Eme⁷6ritus), Harry Haun (''Playbill''), Matthew Murray (TalkinBroadway.com), and Frank Scheck (''New York Post''). Viagas, Robert
"Dates Announced for 71st Annual Theatre World Awards; Chita Rivera To Be Honored"
playbill.com, May 1, 2015.Gans, Andrew
"Tom Hanks, Bertie Carvel, Valisia LeKae, Rob McClure and More Are Theatre World Award Winners"
playbill.com, May 7, 2013.Gans, Andre
"Theatre World Awards Presented to Tracie Bennett, Jeremy Jordan, Jennifer Lim and More June 5"
playbill.com, June 5, 2012. .

Special honorary awards

The ''Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award'' was instituted in 2009, named in honor of actress and singer

Dorothy Loudon Dorothy Loudon (September 17, 1925 – November 15, 2003) was an American actress and singer. She won the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical in 1977 for her performance as Miss Hannigan in '' Annie''. Loudon was also nominated for T ...

(1925–2003) and since 2010 has been awarded by the Dorothy Loudon Foundation in connection with these awards. The first Starbaby Award was presented to Susan Louise O'Connor (''

Blithe Spirit Blithe Spirit may refer to: * ''Blithe Spirit'' (play), a 1941 comic play written by Noël Coward * ''Blithe Spirit'' (1945 film), a British comedy film based on the play * Blithe Spirit (''Ford Star Jubilee''), a 1956 television play version of ...

''). Other recipients are

Bobby Steggert Bobby Steggert (born March 2, 1981) is an American therapist and former actor of theatre, television and film. Early life and education He was born in Frederick, Maryland. Steggert attended Frederick High School, and graduated in 1999 as valed ...

(''

Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

'' and ''

Yank! ''Yank! A WWII Love Story'' is a 2005 Musical theatre, musical with book and lyrics by David Zellnik and music by his brother Joseph Zellnik, Joseph. ''Yank!'' "tells the story of Stu, a scared Midwestern kid who gets drafted for World War II in ...

'') (2009–10),Gans, Andre
Bobby Steggert to Receive Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award at Theatre World Awards"
playbill.com, May 20, 2010. Seth Numrich (''

War Horse The first evidence of horses in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons. By 1600 BC, improved harness and chariot design ...

'') (2010–11),Gans, Andre
"Ellen Barkin, Patina Miller, John Larroquette, Jim Parsons, Tony Sheldon and More Win Theatre World Awards"
playbill.com, May 10, 2011. and Susan Pourfar (''Tribes''). In 2013, it was renamed ''Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater''. The first annual Lunt–Fontanne Award for Ensemble Excellence was presented at the 2010–11 Awards, to the cast of '' The Motherf**ker with the Hat'' –

Bobby Cannavale Bobby Cannavale (; born May 3, 1970) is an American actor. His breakthrough came with the leading role as FDNY Paramedic Roberto "Bobby" Caffey in the NBC series ''Third Watch'', which he played from 1999 to 2001. Cannavale received the Pri ...

Chris Rock Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He first gained prominence for his stand-up routines in the 1980s in which he tackled subjects including race relations, human sexuality, and obse ...

Annabella Sciorra Annabella Gloria Sciorra ( , ; born March 29, 1960) is an American actress. She came to prominence with her film debut in '' True Love'' (1989) and worked steadily throughout the 1990s in films such as ''Jungle Fever'' (1991), '' The Hard Way'' ...

Elizabeth Rodriguez Elizabeth Rodriguez is an American actress. She began her career appearing in films ''Fresh'' (1994), ''Dead Presidents'' (1995), '' I Think I Do'' (1997) and '' Blow'' (2001). She played Detective Gina Calabrese in the 2006 film adaptation of ...

and Yul Vázquez. The award is in honor of the late

Alfred Lunt Alfred David Lunt (August 12, 1892 – August 3, 1977) was an American actor and director, best known for his long stage partnership with his wife, Lynn Fontanne, from the 1920s to 1960, co-starring in Broadway theatre, Broadway and West End thea ...

and

Lynn Fontanne Lynn Fontanne (; 6 December 1887 – 30 July 1983) was an English actress. After early success in supporting roles in the West End theatre, West End, she met the American actor Alfred Lunt, whom she married in 1922 and with whom she co-starred i ...

and is presented to an outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway ensemble. In 2022 an award for "Outstanding Ensemble" was presented to the 21 cast members making their Broadway debuts in the revival of ''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical theatre, musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns a confidence trick, con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and ...

''.

John Willis Award

A new award, the ''John Willis Award'', was first instituted for the 2012–13 season. It is given for "lifetime achievement in the theatre" to honor John Willis who created and maintained the Theatre World tradition for 66 years, encouraging new talent in an often challenging business." The first recipient was

Alan Alda Alan Alda (; born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner and a three-time Tony Award nominee, he is best known for playing Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pier ...

The award ceremony

The winners for the 2010–11 season were announced on May 10, 2011, with a ceremony held on June 7; the awards are traditionally presented by former award winners. The awards for the 2011–11 season were announced on May 8, 2012, and presented at a ceremony held on June 5, 2012, at the

Belasco Theatre The Belasco Theatre is a Broadway theater at 111 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Originally known as the Stuyvesant Theatre, it was bu ...

. The awards for the 2012–13 season were announced on May 7, 2013, and the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony was held on June 3 at the

Music Box Theater The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1921, the Music Box ...

. The awards for the 2013–14 season were announced on May 6, 2014, and the ceremony was held on June 2, 2014, at Circle in the Square. The awards for the 2014–15 season were announced on May 5, 2015; the ceremony was held on June 1, 2015, at the Lyric Theatre.

Award winners

Past recipients, from ''1944—1945'' to ''2015—2016''

1990-1991

* Jane Adams - '' I Hate Hamlet'' *

Gillian Anderson Gillian Leigh Anderson ( ; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and activist. She is best known for her roles as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi series ''The X-Files'' (1993–2002; 2016–2018), Lily Bart in the dr ...

- '' Absent Friends'' *

Adam Arkin Adam Arkin (born August 19, 1956) is an American actor and director. He is best known for playing the role of Aaron Shutt on ''Chicago Hope''. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including a Tony Award, Tony (Best Actor, 1991, ''I Hate Ha ...

- ''I Hate Hamlet'' *

Brenda Blethyn Brenda Blethyn ( Bottle; born 20 February 1946) is an English actress. Known for her character work and versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a Cannes Film Festival Award, as well as n ...

- ''Absent Friends'' *

Marcus Chong Marcus Scott Chong (né Wyatt; born July 8, 1967) is an American actor. He played Miguel Mendez in the crime drama, '' Street Justice'' (1991–1993), real-life activist Huey P. Newton in '' Panther'' (1995), directed by Mario Van Peebles, and Ta ...

- ''Stand-up Tragedy'' *

Paul Hipp Paul Hipp (born July 16, 1963) is an American actor, singer, songwriter and filmmaker. Early life Paul Hipp was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Warminster. After graduating high school, he moved to New York City performed guit ...

- ''Buddy'' *

LaChanze LaChanze Sapp-Gooding, known professionally as LaChanze (; born December 16, 1961), is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2006 for her role as Celie Harris Johnson in '' The Color Purp ...

- ''

Once on This Island ''Once on This Island'' is a coming-of-age one-act stage musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. It is based on the 1985 novel ''My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl'' by Rosa Guy, a Caribbean-set retel ...

'' *

Kenny Neal Kenny Neal (born October 14, 1957), is an American blues guitar player, singing, singer, and band member. Neal was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Raful Neal, and he comes from a musical family. He has often performed with his broth ...

- ''

Mule Bone ''Mule Bone: A Comedy of Negro Life'' is a 1930 play by American authors Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. The process of writing the play led Hughes and Hurston, who had been close friends, to sever their relationship. ''Mule Bone'' was n ...

'' *Kevin Ramsey - ''

Oh, Kay! ''Oh, Kay!'' is a musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. It is based on the play ''La Présidente'' by Maurice Hennequin and Pierre Veber. The plot revolves around the adve ...

'' *Francis Ruivivar - ''Shogun, The Musical'' *

Lea Salonga Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga, ( ; born February 22, 1971) is a Filipino singer and actress. Known primarily for her work in theatre, she has starred in musicals on Broadway and in the West End. Her accolades include a Tony Award and a L ...

- ''

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a sung-through musical theatre, stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madama Butterfly'', and similarly tells th ...

'' *

Chandra Wilson Chandra Danette Wilson (born August 27, 1969) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey in ''Grey's Anatomy'' since 2005, for which she has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Su ...

- '' The Good Times Are Killing Me'' *

Tracey Ullman Tracey Ullman (born Trace Ullman; 30 December 1959) is a British-American actress, singer, dancer, screenwriter, producer, and director. Despite being frequently referred to as a comedian, Ullman considers herself a character actress. Critics h ...

- '' The Big Love'' and ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunke ...

'' *Special Award:

Ellen Stewart Ellen Stewart (November 7, 1919 – January 13, 2011) was an American theatre director and Theatrical producer, producer and the founder of La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. During the 1950s, she worked as a fashion designer for Saks Fifth A ...

1991-1992

Talia Balsam Talia Balsam (born 1959) is an American television and film actress. Early life Talia Balsam was born in New York City in 1959, to actors Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten. Her ancestry is Russian Jewish (father) and Italian, Dutch, and Engl ...

- ''

Jake's Women ''Jake's Women'' is a 1992 play by Neil Simon. The play centers on Jake, a writer suffering from psychosis. Jake talks to many of the women he knows, both in real life and in his imagination, as he works to save his marriage. In 1996, the play wa ...

'' *

Lindsay Crouse Lindsay Ann Crouse (born May 12, 1948) is an American actress. She made her Broadway debut in the 1972 revival of ''Much Ado About Nothing'' and appeared in her first film in 1976 in '' All the President's Men''. For her role in the 1984 film ...

- ''

The Homecoming ''The Homecoming'' is a two-act play written in 1964 and published in 1965 by Harold Pinter. Its premières in London (1965) and New York (1967) were both directed by Sir Peter Hall. The original Broadway production won the 1967 Tony Award ...

'' *

Griffin Dunne Thomas Griffin Dunne (; born June 8, 1955) is an American actor, director and producer. He is known for portraying Jack Goodman in ''An American Werewolf in London'' (1981) and Paul Hackett in '' After Hours'' (1985), for which he was nominat ...

- ''Search and Destroy'' *

Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. Throughout his career, he has gained recognition for his roles on stage and screen as militant and authoritative characters. List of awards and nominations received by Laur ...

- ''

Two Trains Running ''Two Trains Running'' is a 1990 play by American playwright August Wilson, the seventh in his ten-part series ''The Pittsburgh Cycle''. The play takes place in 1968 in the Hill District, an African-American neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylv ...

'' *

Mel Harris Mel Harris (born July 12, 1956) is an American actress best known for her role as Hope Murdoch Steadman in the ABC drama series ''Thirtysomething'' (1987–1991), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination in 1990. Early life and educ ...

- ''Empty Hearts'' *

Jonathan Kaplan Jonathan Kaplan (born November 25, 1947) is an American film producer and film director, director. His film ''The Accused (1988 film), The Accused'' (1988) earned actress Jodie Foster the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Actress ...

- ''

Falsettos ''Falsettos'' is a sung-through musical theatre, musical with a book by William Finn and James Lapine, and music and lyrics by Finn. The musical consists of ''March of the Falsettos'' (1981) and ''Falsettoland'' (1990), the last two installment ...

'' and ''

Rags Rag, rags, RAG or The Rag may refer to: Common uses * Rag, a piece of old cloth * Rags, tattered clothes * Wash rag, a small cloth used for bathing * Rag (newspaper), a publication engaging in tabloid journalism * Rag paper, or cotton paper Arts ...

'' *

Jessica Lange Jessica Phyllis Lange (; born April 20, 1949) is an American actress. With a career spanning over five decades, she is known for her roles Jessica Lange on screen and stage, on stage and screen. She has received List of awards and nominati ...

- ''

A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of pe ...

'' *

Laura Linney Laura Leggett Linney (born February 5, 1964) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several awards, including two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards and five Tony Awards. ...

- '' Sight Unseen'' *

Spiro Malas Spiro Samuel Malas (January 28, 1933 – June 23, 2019) was a Greek- American bass-baritone opera singer and actor. The son of Greek immigrants Sam and Lillian Malas, he was born in Baltimore, MD January 28, 1933. The family owned Duffy's, a r ...

- ''

The Most Happy Fella ''The Most Happy Fella'' is a 1956 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The story, about a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the 1924 play '' They Knew What They Wanted'' by Sidney Howard. The show i ...

'' *Mark Rosenthal - '' Marvin's Room'' *

Helen Shaver Helen Shaver (born February 24, 1951) is a Canadian actress and film and television director. After appearing in a number of Canadian movies, she received a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic drama '' In P ...

- ''Jake's Women'' *

Al White Allen Cliffton White (born May 17, 1942) is an American character actor. He has appeared in various movies, such as ''Airplane!'' and '' Airplane II: The Sequel'', and ''Back to the Future Part II''. Over the course of his Hollywood acting care ...

- ''Two Trains Running'' *Special Award: cast of ''

Dancing at Lughnasa ''Dancing at Lughnasa'' is a 1990 play by dramatist Brian Friel set in County Donegal, Ireland in August 1936 in the fictional town of Ballybeg. It is a memory play told from the point of view of the adult Michael Evans, the narrator. He re ...

'' *Special Award: Plays for Living

1992-1993

Brent Carver Brent Carver (November 17, 1951 – August 4, 2020) was a Canadian actor best known internationally for performances in Kander and Ebb's '' Kiss of the Spider Woman''. He played the central role of Molina in the premier production in Toronto (win ...

- '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' *

Michael Cerveris Michael Cerveris Jr. (born November 6, 1960) is an American actor, singer, and guitarist. He has performed in many stage musicals and plays, including several Stephen Sondheim musicals: ''Assassins (musical), Assassins'', ''Sweeney Todd: The ...

- ''

The Who's Tommy ''The Who's Tommy'' is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Pete Townshend and a book by Townshend and Des McAnuff. It is based on the 1969 rock opera '' Tommy'' by The Who. Productions The musical opened at La Jolla Playhouse in San Di ...

'' *

Marcia Gay Harden Marcia Gay Harden (born August 14, 1959) is an American actress. Her accolades include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards. Harden's breakthrough came in 1990 with the Coen brothers' film '' Miller's ...

- '' Angels in America: Millennium Approaches'' *

Stephanie Lawrence Stephanie Lawrence (16 December 1949 – 4 November 2000) was a British musical theatre actress. Background Stephanie Lawrence was born in 1949 on Hayling Island, Hampshire, England. Her father was a Welsh singer and her mother, Gladys Kent, ...

- '' Blood Brothers'' *

Andrea Martin Andrea Louise Martin (born January 15, 1947) is an American and Canadian actress, best known for her work in the television series '' SCTV'' and '' Great News''. She has appeared in films such as '' Black Christmas'' (1974), '' Wag the Dog'' (1 ...

- ''

My Favorite Year ''My Favorite Year'' is a 1982 American comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Richard Benjamin and written by Norman Steinberg and Dennis Palumbo from a story written by Palumbo. The film tells the story of a young comedy wr ...

'' *

Liam Neeson William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Liam Neeson, several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, BAFT ...

- ''

Anna Christie ''Anna Christie'' is a Play (theatre), play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. It made its Broadway theatre, Broadway debut at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 2, 1921. O'Neill received the 1922 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this work. According ...

'' *

Stephen Rea Stephen Rea ( ; born October 31, 1946) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he began his career as a member of Dublin's Focus Theatre, and played many roles on the stage and on Irish television. He came to the attention of inte ...

- ''

Someone Who'll Watch Over Me ''Someone Who'll Watch over Me'' is a play written by Irish dramatist Frank McGuinness. The play focuses on the trials and tribulations of an Irishman, an Englishman and an American (Edward, Michael, and Adam) who are kidnapped and held hostag ...

'' *

Natasha Richardson Natasha Jane Richardson (11 May 1963 – 18 March 2009) was a British actress. A part of the Redgrave family, Richardson was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and director/producer Tony Richardson and the granddaughter of Michael Redgr ...

- ''Anna Christie'' *

Martin Short Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian and American comedian, actor, and writer. Short is known as an energetic comedian who gained prominence for his roles in sketch comedy. He has also acted in numerous films and television ...

- ''

The Goodbye Girl ''The Goodbye Girl'' is a 1977 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross, written by Neil Simon and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings and Paul Benedict. The film, produced by Ray Stark, centers on ...

'' *

Dina Spybey Dina Spybey, also known as Dina Waters and Dina Spybey-Waters, is an American actress. She has appeared in more than 20 films, including '' John Q.'', ''subUrbia'' and ''The Haunted Mansion''. She is perhaps best known for her role as Tracy Mon ...

- '' Five Women Wearing the Same Dress'' *

Stephen Spinella Stephen Spinella (born October 11, 1956) is an American stage, television, and film actor. Early life Spinella was born in Naples, Italy, to a father who was an American naval airplane mechanic. He grew up in Glendale, Arizona, and graduated fr ...

- ''Angels in America: Millennium Approaches'' *

Jennifer Tilly Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American-Canadian actress and professional poker player. Known for her distinctive breathy voice and comedic timing, she is the recipient of a Saturn Award, and a GLAAD Award, ...

- ''One Shoe Off'' *Special Award:

John Leguizamo John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez (, ; ; born July 22, 1960 or 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and film producer. He has appeared in more than 100 films, produced more than 20 films and documentaries, made more than 30 televisio ...

*Special Award:

Rosetta LeNoire Rosetta LeNoire (born Rosetta Olive Burton; August 8, 1911 – March 17, 2002) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She was known to contemporary audiences for her work in television. She had regular roles on such series as ' ...

1993-1994

* Marcus D'Amico - ''

An Inspector Calls ''An Inspector Calls'' is a modern morality play and drawing room play written by English dramatist J. B. Priestley, first performed in the Soviet Union in 1945 and at the New Theatre in London the following year. It is one of Priestley's ...

'' *

Jarrod Emick Jarrod Emick (born July 2, 1969) is an American actor who primarily acts in musicals. He received a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Theatre World Award for his performance in the 1994 revival of '' Damn Yankees''. Biography Emick grew u ...

- ''

Damn Yankees ''Damn Yankees'' is a 1955 musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., d ...

'' *

Arabella Field Arabella Field is an American actress and film producer known for her roles in films such as ''Dante's Peak'', '' Feeling Minnesota'', ''Godzilla'', ''National Treasure'', '' Paper Man'' and as Melinda Bitterman in the animated television versio ...

- ''Snowing at Delphi'' and ''Four Dogs and a Bone'' *

Aden Gillett John Aden Gillett (born 12 January 1958) is a British actor. He is best known for playing the role of Jack Maddox on the BBC series '' The House of Eliott''. Biography and career Gillett was born on 12 January 1958 in Aden, Yemen, from which ...

- ''An Inspector Calls'' * Sherry Glaser - ''Family Secrets'' * Michael Hayden - ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

'' *Margaret Illman - '' The Red Shoes'' * Audra Ann McDonald - ''Carousel'' *

Burke Moses Burke William Moses (born December 10, 1959, New York City) is an American actor. His older brother is actor Mark Moses. Career Moses attended Boston University and Carnegie Mellon University.Beauty and the Beast "Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales''). Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...

'' *

Anna Deavere Smith Anna Deavere Smith (born September 18, 1950) is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is known for her roles as National Security Advisor Dr. Nancy McNally in ''The West Wing'' (2000–06), hospital administrator Gloria Akalitus i ...

- '' Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992'' *

Jere Shea Jere Shea (born June 14, 1965) is an American actor. He is best known for originating the role of Giorgio in the Broadway production of '' Passion'', for which he received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Shea left ...

- ''

Passion Passion, the Passion or the Passions may refer to: Emotion * Passion (emotion), a very strong feeling about a person or thing * Passions (philosophy), emotional states as used in philosophical discussions * Stoic passions, various forms of emotio ...

'' *

Harriet Walter Dame Harriet Mary Walter is an English actress. She has received an Olivier Award and nominations for a Tony Award, five Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2011, Walter was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British E ...

- '' Three Birds Alighting on a Field''

1994-1995

* Gretha Boston - ''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 Show Boat (novel), novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the per ...

'' *

Billy Crudup William Gaither Crudup (; born July 8, 1968) is an American actor. He was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for his performance in '' Jesus' Son'' (1999). He went on to star in numerous high-profile films, including ...

- '' Arcadia'' *

Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes, various accolades, including a British Academy Film ...

- ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' *

Beverly D'Angelo Beverly Heather D'Angelo (born November 15, 1951) is an American actress who starred as Ellen Griswold in the '' National Lampoon's Vacation'' films (1983–2015). She has appeared in over 60 films and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for ...

- '' Simpatico'' *

Calista Flockhart Calista Kay Flockhart (born November 11, 1964) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying the title character on the Fox television series '' Ally McBeal'' (1997–2002), for which she received a Golden Globe Award in 1998 and w ...

- ''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his histrionic mo ...

'' *

Kevin Kilner Kevin Kilner (born May 3, 1958) is an American television and film actor. Life and career Kilner was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Dorothea, a kindergarten teacher, and Edward Kilner, who worked in advertising sales and insurance. He w ...

- ''The Glass Menagerie'' *

Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen he has received several accolades including three AACTA Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. For his starring role as Jac ...

- ''

The Rose Tattoo ''The Rose Tattoo'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams in 1949 and 1950; after its Chicago premiere on December 29, 1950, he made further revisions to the play for its Broadway premiere on February 2, 1951, and its publication b ...

'' * Julie Johnson - ''Das Barbecü'' *

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (; born Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironov; 26 July 1945) is an English actor. With a career spanning over six decades of Helen Mirren on screen and stage, screen and stage, List of awards and nominations received by Helen Mirre ...

- '' A Month in the Country'' *

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He began his career in theatre before landing small roles in various British television productions and feature films. Law gained international recognition for his role in An ...

- '' Indiscretions'' *

Rufus Sewell Rufus Frederik Sewell (; born 29 October 1967) is a British actor. In film, he has appeared in ''Carrington (film), Carrington'' (1995), ''Hamlet (1996 film), Hamlet'' (1996), ''Dangerous Beauty'' (1998), ''Dark City (1998 film), Dark City'' (1 ...

- ''

Translations Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transl ...

'' *

Vanessa Williams Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, model, producer and dancer. She gained recognition as the first Black woman to win the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She would later Vanes ...

- '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' *Special Award:

Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress. A child model starting at the age of 11 months, Shields gained widespread notoriety at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby (1978 film), Pretty Baby ...

1995–1996

*Jordan Baker - ''

Suddenly Last Summer ''Suddenly Last Summer'' is a one-act play by Tennessee Williams, written in New York in 1957. It opened off Broadway on January 7, 1958, as part of a double bill with another of Williams' one-acts, '' Something Unspoken'' (written in London in ...

'' *Joohee Choi - ''

The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childr ...

'' *Karen Kay Cody - ''

Master Class ''Master Class'' is a 1995 play by American playwright Terrence McNally, presented as a fictional master class by opera singer Maria Callas near the end of her life, in the 1970s. The play features incidental vocal music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giac ...

'' *

Viola Davis Viola Davis ( ; born August 11, 1965) is an American actress and film producer. List of awards and nominations received by Viola Davis, Her accolades include both the Triple Crown of Acting and EGOT. ''Time (magazine), Time'' named her one of ...

- ''

Seven Guitars ''Seven Guitars'' is a 1995 play by American playwright August Wilson. It focuses on seven African-American characters in the year 1948. The play begins and ends after the funeral of one of the main characters, showing events leading to the fun ...

'' *Kate Forbes - ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling S ...

'' * Michael McGrath - ''Swinging on a Star'' *

Alfred Molina Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British and American actor. He is known for his leading roles and character actor roles on the stage and screen. In a career spanning over five decades he has received a Drama Desk Award ...

- ''

Molly Sweeney ''Molly Sweeney'' is a two-act play by Brian Friel. It tells the story of its title character, Molly, a woman blind since infancy who undergoes an operation to try to restore her sight. Like Friel's ''Faith Healer'', the play tells Molly's stor ...

'' *

Timothy Olyphant Timothy David Olyphant ( ; born May 20, 1968) is an American actor. He made his acting debut in an off-Broadway theater in 1995, in ''The Monogamist'', and won the Theatre World Award for his performance, and then originated David Sedaris' '' ...

- ''The Monogamist'' *

Adam Pascal Adam Pascal (born October 25, 1970) is an American actor, singer, and musician, known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original Broadway and West End productions of Jonathan Larson's musical ''Rent'', the 2005 movie version of the musi ...

- ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

'' *

Lou Diamond Phillips Louis Diamond Phillips (né Upchurch; born February 17, 1962) is an American actor, director, and writer. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film '' La Bamba'' (1987). For his performance as Angel ...

- ''The King and I'' *

Daphne Rubin-Vega Daphne Rubin-Vega ( Vega; born November 18, 1969) is a Panamanian-American actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter. She is best known for originating the roles of Mimi Marquez in the 1996 premiere of the Broadway musical '' Rent'' and Lucy in the ...

- ''Rent'' * Brett Tabisel - ''

Big Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * Big (film), ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * ''Big!'', a ...

'' *Special Award: cast of ''

An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...

1996–1997

*Terry Beaver - ''

The Last Night of Ballyhoo ''The Last Night of Ballyhoo'' is a play by Alfred Uhry that premiered in 1996 in Atlanta. The play is a comedy/drama, which is set in Atlanta, Georgia, in December 1939. Plot The play is set in the upper class German-Jewish community living i ...

'' *Helen Carey - ''

London Assurance ''London Assurance'' (originally entitled ''Out of Town'') is a five-act comedy co-authored by Dion Boucicault and John Brougham. While the play was collaboratively written by both playwrights, after the play's initial premiere Broughman, who o ...

'' *

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

- ''

Steel Pier The Steel Pier is a 1,000-foot-long () amusement park built on a pier of the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, across from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City (formerly the Trump Taj Mahal). Built in 1897 and opened in 1898, it wa ...

'' *

Jason Danieley Jason D. Danieley (born July 13, 1971) is an American actor, singer, concert performer and recording artist. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was married to fellow performer Marin Mazzie. Career Ben Brantley, in a review of ''Curtains'' ...

- ''

Candide ( , ) is a French satire written by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, first published in 1759. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled ''Candide: or, All for the Best'' (1759); ''Candide: or, The ...

'' *

Linda Eder Linda Eder (; born February 3, 1961) is an American singer and actress. She originated the role of Lucy Harris in the Broadway musical '' Jekyll & Hyde'', for which she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award. Biography Eder was born in Tucso ...

- '' Jekyll & Hyde'' *

Allison Janney Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. Known for her performances across the screen and stage, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Allison Janney, various accolades, including an Academy A ...

- ''

Present Laughter ''Present Laughter'' is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1939 but not produced until 1942 because the Second World War began while it was in rehearsal, and the British theatres closed. The title is drawn from a song in Shakespeare's ''Tw ...

'' * Daniel McDonald - ''Steel Pier'' *

Janet McTeer Janet McTeer (born 5 August 1961) is an English actress. She began her career training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before earning acclaim for playing diverse roles on stage and screen in both period pieces and modern dramas. She has r ...

- ''

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' (Danish language, Danish and ; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act Play (theatre), play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 De ...

'' *

Mark Ruffalo Mark Alan Ruffalo (; born November 22, 1967) is an American actor. He began acting in the late 1980s and first gained recognition for his work in Kenneth Lonergan's play ''This Is Our Youth'' (1996) and drama film ''You Can Count on Me'' (2000) ...

- ''

This Is Our Youth ''This Is Our Youth'' is a play by American dramatist and screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan. It premiered Off-Broadway in 1996 and since been produced all over the world, including the West End, Broadway, Sydney, and Toronto. Plot The play takes ...

'' *

Fiona Shaw Fiona Shaw (born Fiona Mary Wilson; 10 July 1958) is an Irish film and theatre actress. She did extensive work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, as well as in film and television. In 2020, she was listed at No. 29 o ...

- ''

The Waste Land ''The Waste Land'' is a poem by T. S. Eliot, widely regarded as one of the most important English-language poems of the 20th century and a central work of modernist poetry. Published in 1922, the 434-line poem first appeared in the United ...

'' *

Antony Sher Sir Antony Sher (14 June 1949 – 2 December 2021) was a British actor, writer and theatre director of South African origin. A two-time Laurence Olivier Award winner and a five-time nominee, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1982 and ...

- ''

Stanley Stanley may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Stanley'' (1972 film), an American horror film * ''Stanley'' (1984 film), an Australian comedy * ''Stanley'' (1999 film), an animated short * ''Stanley'' (1956 TV series) ...

'' *

Alan Tudyk Alan Wray Tudyk ( ; born March 16, 1971) is an American actor. His film work includes roles in '' 28 Days'' (2000), '' A Knight's Tale'' (2001), '' Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story'' (2004), voice and motion capture for Sonny in '' I, Robot'' (2 ...

- ''Bunny Bunny'' *Special Award: cast of ''

Skylight A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes. History O ...

1997–1998

Max Casella Max Casella (born Maximilian Deitch; June 6, 1967) is an American actor. He is known for his roles on the television series '' Doogie Howser, M.D.'', ''The Sopranos'', ''Boardwalk Empire'', ''Vinyl'', '' Cro'' and the voice of Daxter in the ''J ...

– ''

The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Produced by Walt Disney ...

'' *

Margaret Colin Margaret Colin (born May 26, 1958) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Constance Spano in ''Independence Day'', Margo Hughes on ''As the World Turns'' and as Eleanor Waldorf-Rose on ''Gossip Girl''. Early life Margaret Colin ...

– ''Jackie'' * Ruaidhri Conroy – ''The Cripple of Inishmaan'' *Alan Cumming – ''Cabaret (musical), Cabaret'' *Lea DeLaria – ''On the Town (musical), On the Town'' *Edie Falco – ''Side Man'' *Enid Graham – ''Honour'' *Anna Kendrick – ''High Society (musical), High Society'' *Ednita Nazario – ''The Capeman'' *Douglas Sills – ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' *Steven Sutcliffe – ''

'' *Sam Trammell – ''Ah, Wilderness!'' *Special Award: Eddie Izzard *Special Award: cast of ''The Beauty Queen of Leenane''

1998–1999

*Jillian Armenante - ''The Cider House Rules'' *James Black - ''Not About Nightingales'' *Brendan Coyle - ''The Weir'' *Anna Friel - ''Closer (play), Closer'' *Rupert Graves - ''Closer'' *Lynda Gravatt - ''The Old Settler'' *Nicole Kidman - ''The Blue Room (play), The Blue Room'' *Ciaran Hinds - ''Closer'' *Ute Lemper - ''Chicago (musical), Chicago'' *Clarke Peters - ''The Iceman Cometh'' *Toby Stephens - ''Ring Round the Moon'' *Sandra Oh - ''Stop Kiss'' *Special Award: Jerry Herman

1999–2000

*Craig Bierko – ''

'' *Everett Bradley (musician), Everett Bradley – ''Swing!'' *Gabriel Byrne – ''A Moon for the Misbegotten'' *Ann Hampton Callaway – ''Swing!'' *Toni Collette – ''The Wild Party (LaChiusa musical), The Wild Party'' *Henry Czerny – ''Arms and the Man'' *Stephen Dillane – ''The Real Thing (play), The Real Thing'' *Jennifer Ehle – ''The Real Thing'' *Philip Seymour Hoffman – ''True West (play), True West'' *Hayley Mills – ''Suite in Two Keys'' *Cigdem Onat – ''The Time of the Cuckoo'' *Claudia Shear – ''Dirty Blonde (play), Dirty Blonde'' *Special Award: Barry Humphries

2000–2001

*Juliette Binoche – ''Betrayal (play), Betrayal'' *Macaulay Culkin – ''Madame Melville'' *Janie Dee – ''Comic Potential'' *Raúl Esparza – ''The Rocky Horror Show'' *Kathleen Freeman – ''The Full Monty'' *Deven May – ''Bat Boy: The Musical, Bat Boy'' *Reba McEntire – ''Annie Get Your Gun (musical), Annie Get Your Gun'' *Chris Noth – ''The Best Man (play), The Best Man'' *Joshua Park – ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (musical), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' *Rosie Perez �
''References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot''
*Joely Richardson – ''Madame Melville'' *John Ritter – ''The Dinner Party'' * Special Award: Seán Campion * Special Award: Conleth Hill

2001–2002

*Justin Bohon – ''Oklahoma!'' *Simon Callow – ''The Mystery of Charles Dickens'' *Mos Def – ''Topdog/Underdog'' *Emma Fielding – ''Private Lives'' *Adam Godley – ''Private Lives'' *Martin Jarvis (actor), Martin Jarvis – ''By Jeeves'' *Spencer Kayden – ''Urinetown'' *Gretchen Mol – ''The Shape of Things'' *Anna Paquin – ''The Glory of Living'' *Louise Pitre – ''Mamma Mia! (musical), Mamma Mia!'' *David Warner (actor), David Warner – ''Major Barbara'' *Rachel Weisz – ''The Shape of Things''

2002–2003

*Antonio Banderas – ''Nine (musical), Nine'' *Tammy Blanchard – ''Gypsy (musical), Gypsy'' *Thomas Jefferson Byrd – ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'' *Jonathan Cake – ''Medea (play), Medea'' *Victoria Hamilton – ''A Day in the Death of Joe Egg'' *Clare Higgins – ''Vincent in Brixton'' *Jackie Hoffman – ''Hairspray (musical), Hairspray'' *Mary Stuart Masterson – ''Nine'' *John Selya – ''Movin' Out (musical), Movin' Out'' *Jochum ten Haaf – ''Vincent in Brixton'' *Daniel Sunjata – ''Take Me Out (play), Take Me Out'' *Marissa Jaret Winokur – ''Hairspray'' *Special Award:

*Special Award: Ben Hodges

2003–2004

*Shannon Cochran – ''Bug (play), Bug'' *Stephanie D'Abruzzo – ''Avenue Q'' *Mitchel David Federan – ''The Boy From Oz'' *Alexander Gemignani – ''Assassins (play), Assassins'' *Hugh Jackman – ''The Boy From Oz'' *Isabel Keating – ''The Boy From Oz'' *Sanaa Lathan – ''A Raisin in the Sun'' *Jefferson Mays – ''I Am My Own Wife'' *Euan Morton – ''Taboo (musical), Taboo'' *Anika Noni Rose – ''Caroline, or Change'' *John Tartaglia – ''Avenue Q'' *Jennifer Westfeldt – ''Wonderful Town'' *Special Award: Sarah Jones (stage actress), Sarah Jones

2004–2005

*Christina Applegate – ''Sweet Charity'' *Ashlie Atkinson – ''Fat Pig'' *Hank Azaria – ''Spamalot'' *Gordon Clapp – ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' *Conor Donovan (actor), Conor Donovan – ''Privilege'' *Dan Fogler – ''The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'' *Heather Goldenhersh – ''Doubt (play), Doubt'' *Carla Gugino – ''After the Fall (play), After the Fall'' *Jenn Harris – ''Modern Orthodox'' *Cheyenne Jackson – ''All Shook Up (musical), All Shook Up'' *Celia Keenan-Bolger – ''The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'' *Tyler Maynard – ''Altar Boyz''

2005–2006

*Harry Connick, Jr. – ''The Pajama Game'' *Felicia P. Fields – ''The Color Purple (musical), The Color Purple'' *Maria Friedman – ''The Woman in White (musical), The Woman in White'' *Richard Griffiths – ''The History Boys'' *Mamie Gummer – ''Mr. Marmalade'' *Jayne Houdyshell – ''Well (play), Well'' *Bob Martin (comedian), Bob Martin – ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' *Ian McDiarmid – ''Faith Healer'' *Nellie McKay – ''The Threepenny Opera'' *David Wilmot (actor), David Wilmot – ''The Lieutenant of Inishmore'' *Elisabeth Withers-Mendes – ''The Color Purple'' *John Lloyd Young – ''Jersey Boys''

2006–2007

*Fantasia Barrino – ''The Color Purple (musical), The Color Purple'' *Eve Best – ''A Moon for the Misbegotten'' *Mary Birdsong – ''Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me'' *Erin Davie – ''Grey Gardens (musical), Grey Gardens'' *Xanthe Elbrick – ''Coram Boy (play), Coram Boy'' *Johnny Galecki – ''The Little Dog Laughed'' *Jonathan Groff – ''Spring Awakening (musical), Spring Awakening'' *Gavin Lee – ''Mary Poppins (musical), Mary Poppins'' *Lin-Manuel Miranda – ''In the Heights'' *Bill Nighy – ''The Vertical Hour'' *Stark Sands – ''Journey's End'' *Nilaja Sun – ''No Child...'' * Special Award: Actors' Fund

2007–2008

*De'Adre Aziza – ''Passing Strange'' *Cassie Beck – ''Drunken City'' *Daniel Breaker – ''Passing Strange'' *Ben Daniels – ''Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' *Deanna Dunagan – ''August: Osage County'' *Hoon Lee – ''Yellow Face (play), Yellow Face'' *Alli Mauzey – ''Cry-Baby'' *Jenna Russell – ''Sunday in the Park with George'' *Mark Rylance – ''Boeing-Boeing (play), Boeing-Boeing'' *Loretta Ables Sayre – ''South Pacific (musical), South Pacific'' *Jimmi Simpson – ''The Farnsworth Invention'' *Paulo Szot – ''South Pacific''

2008–2009

*David Alvarez (actor), David Alvarez/Trent Kowalik/Kiril Kulish – ''Billy Elliot, The Musical'' *Chad L. Coleman – ''Joe Turner's Come and Gone'' *Jennifer Grace – ''Our Town'' *Josh Grisetti – ''Enter Laughing, The Musical'' *Haydn Gwynne – ''Billy Elliot, The Musical'' *Colin Hanks – ''33 Variations'' *Marin Ireland – ''reasons to be pretty'' *Susan Louise O'Connor – ''

'' *Condola Rashad – ''Ruined (play), Ruined'' *Geoffrey Rush – ''Exit the King'' *Josefina Scaglione – ''West Side Story'' *Wesley Taylor – ''Rock of Ages (musical), Rock of Ages'' *Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award: Susan Louise O'Connor – ''Blithe Spirit'' *Special Award: Amelia Bullmore, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Mangan, Ben Miles, Paul Ritter and Amanda Root - cast of ''The Norman Conquests''

2009–2010

*Nina Arianda – ''Venus in Fur'' *Chris Chalk – ''Fences (play), Fences'' *Bill Heck – ''The Orphans' Home Cycle'' *Jon Michael Hill – ''Superior Donuts'' *Scarlett Johansson – ''A View from the Bridge'' *Keira Keeley – ''

'' *Sahr Ngaujah – ''Fela!'' *Eddie Redmayne – ''Red (play), Red'' *Andrea Riseborough – ''The Pride (play), The Pride'' *Heidi Schreck – ''Circle Mirror Transformation'' *Stephanie Umoh – ''

'' *Michael Urie – ''The Temperamentals'' *Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award:

- ''Ragtime'' and ''

2010–2011

*Ellen Barkin – ''The Normal Heart'' *Desmin Borges – ''The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity'' *Halley Feiffer – ''The House of Blue Leaves'' *Grace Gummer – '' Arcadia'' *Rose Hemingway – ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (musical), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' *John Larroquette – ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' *Heather Lind – ''The Merchant of Venice'' *Patina Miller – ''Sister Act (musical), Sister Act'' *Arian Moayed – ''Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo'' *Jim Parsons – ''The Normal Heart'' *Zachary Quinto – ''Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes'' *Tony Sheldon (actor), Tony Sheldon – ''Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (musical), Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' *Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award: Seth Numrich - ''

'' *Lunt-Fontanne Award for Ensemble Excellence: cast of ''The Motherfucker with the Hat''

2011–2012

*Tracie Bennett – ''End of the Rainbow'' *Phillip Boykin – ''The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess'' *Crystal A. Dickinson – ''Clybourne Park'' *Russell Harvard – ''Tribes (play), Tribes'' *Jeremy Jordan (actor, born 1984), Jeremy Jordan – ''Bonnie & Clyde (musical), Bonnie & Clyde'' *Joaquina Kalukango – ''Hurt Village'' *Jennifer Lim (theatre actress), Jennifer Lim – ''Chinglish (play), Chinglish'' *Jessie Mueller – ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' *Hettienne Park – ''Seminar (play), Seminar'' and ''The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures'' *Chris Perfetti – ''Sons of the Prophet'' *Finn Wittrock – ''Death of a Salesman'' *Josh Young – ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' *Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award: Susan Pourfar - ''Tribes (play), Tribes''

2012–2013

*Bertie Carvel – ''Matilda the Musical'' *Carrie Coon – ''Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' *Brandon J. Dirden – ''The Piano Lesson'' *Shalita Grant – ''Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike'' *Tom Hanks – ''Lucky Guy (play), Lucky Guy'' *Valisia LeKae – ''Motown: The Musical'' *Rob McClure – ''Chaplin (2006 musical), Chaplin'' *Ruthie Ann Miles – ''Here Lies Love (musical), Here Lies Love'' *Conrad Ricamora – ''Here Lies Love'' *Keala Settle – ''Hands on a Hardbody (musical), Hands on a Hardbody'' *Yvonne Strahovski – ''Golden Boy (play), Golden Boy'' *Tom Sturridge – ''Orphans (Lyle Kessler play), Orphans'' *Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Johnny Orsini - ''The Nance'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre:

2013–2014

*Paul Chahidi – ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will''Lloyd Webber, Imogen
"Ramin Karimloo, Zachary Levi & Chris O'Dowd Among 2014 Theatre World Award Winners"
broadway.com, May 6, 2014 *Nick Cordero – ''Bullets Over Broadway (musical), Bullets Over Broadway'' *Bryan Cranston – ''All the Way (play), All the Way'' *Mary Bridget Davies – ''A Night with Janis Joplin'' *Sarah Greene – ''The Cripple of Inishmaan'' *Rebecca Hall – ''Machinal'' *Ramin Karimloo – ''Les Misérables (musical), Les Misérables'' *Zachary Levi – ''First Date (musical), First Date'' *Chris O'Dowd – ''Of Mice and Men (play), Of Mice and Men'' *Sophie Okonedo – ''A Raisin in the Sun'' *Emerson Steele – ''Violet (musical), Violet'' *Lauren Worsham – ''A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder'' *Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Celia Keenan-Bolger - ''

'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Winner: Christopher Plummer

2014–2015

* Geneva Carr – ''Hand to God (play), Hand to God''Viagas, Robert
"Broadway Siblings Megan and Robert Fairchild Among 71st Annual Theatre World Award Winners"
playbill.com, May 5, 2015 * Daveed Diggs – ''Hamilton (musical), Hamilton'' * Megan Fairchild – ''On the Town (musical), On the Town'' * Robert Fairchild – ''An American in Paris (musical), An American in Paris'' * Collin Kelly-Sordelet – ''The Last Ship (musical), The Last Ship'' * Sydney Lucas – ''Fun Home (musical), Fun Home'' * Karen Pittman – ''Disgraced'' * Benjamin Scheuer – ''The Lion'' * Alex Sharp – ''The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (play), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time'' * Emily Skeggs – ''Fun Home'' * Micah Stock – ''It's Only a Play'' * Ruth Wilson – ''Constellations (play), Constellations'' * Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Leanne Cope – ''An American In Paris'' * John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Chita RiveraViagas, Robert
"71st Annual Theatre World Award Announced Today – Chita Rivera Earns Lifetime Achievement Honor"
playbill.com, May 5, 2015

2015–2016

* Danielle Brooks – ''The Color Purple (musical), The Color Purple''Gans, Andrew
"Theatre World Awards Announce 2016 Winners"
playbill.com, May 2, 2016 * Carmen Cusack – ''Bright Star (musical), Bright Star'' * Khris Davis – ''The Royale'' * Daniel Durant – ''Spring Awakening (musical), Spring Awakening'' * Cynthia Erivo – ''The Color Purple'' * John Krasinski – ''Dry Powder'' * Sarah Charles Lewis – ''Tuck Everlasting (musical), Tuck Everlasting'' * Austin P. McKenzie – ''Spring Awakening (musical), Spring Awakening'' * Lupita Nyong'o – ''Eclipsed (play), Eclipsed'' * Mark Strong – ''A View From The Bridge'' * Ana Villafañe – ''On Your Feet!'' * Ben Whishaw – ''The Crucible'' * Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Nicholas Barasch – ''She Loves Me'' * John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Bernadette Peters

2016–2017

*Carlo Albán - ''Sweat (play), Sweat''BWW News Desk
"Breaking: Stars from 'Great Comet', 'Anastasia', 'Miss Saigon' & More Earn 2017 Theatre World Awards!"
BroadwayWorld.com, May 11, 2017 *Christy Altomare - ''Anastasia (musical), Anastasia'' *Denée Benton - ''Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'' *Jon Jon Briones - ''

'' *Barrett Doss - ''Groundhog Day (musical), Groundhog Day'' *Amber Gray - ''Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'' *Josh Groban - ''Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'' *Lucas Hedges - ''Yen'' *Raymond Lee (actor), Raymond Lee - ''Vietgone'' *Eva Noblezada - ''

'' *Jeremy Secomb - ''Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd'' *Cobie Smulders - ''

'' *Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Katrina Lenk, ''Indecent (play), Indecent and The Band's Visit (musical), The Band's Visit'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Glenn Close *Special Theatre World Award: Dave Malloy for his Broadway debut in ''Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812'' as an actor, composer, writer, lyricist, and orchestrator.

2017–2018

*Anthony Boyle - ''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'' *Jamie Brewer - ''Amy and the Orphans'' *Noma Dumezweni - ''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'' *Johnny Flynn (musician), Johnny Flynn - ''Hangmen'' *Denise Gough - ''Angels in America'' *Harry Hadden-Paton - ''My Fair Lady (musical), My Fair Lady'' *Hailey Kilgore - ''

'' *James McArdle - ''Angels in America'' *Lauren Ridloff - ''Children of a Lesser God (play), Children of a Lesser God'' *Ethan Slater - ''SpongeBob SquarePants (musical), SpongeBob SquarePants'' *Charlie Stemp - ''Hello, Dolly! (musical), Hello, Dolly!'' *Katy Sullivan - ''Cost of Living'' *Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Ben Edelman, ''Admissions'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Victor Garber

2018–2019

*Gbenga Akinnagbe - ''To Kill a Mockingbird (2018 play), To Kill a Mockingbird'' *Tom Glynn-Carney - ''The Ferryman (play), The Ferryman'' *Sophia Anne Caruso - ''Beetlejuice (musical), Beetlejuice'' *Paddy Considine - ''The Ferryman'' *James Davis - ''Oklahoma!'' *Micaela Diamond - ''The Cher Show (musical), The Cher Show'' *Bonnie Milligan - ''Head Over Heels (musical), Head Over Heels'' *Simone Missick - ''Paradise Blue'' *Jeremy Pope (actor), Jeremy Pope - ''Choir Boy'' *Colton Ryan - ''Girl from the North Country (musical), Girl from the North Country'' *Stephanie Styles - ''Kiss Me, Kate'' *Phoebe Waller-Bridge - ''Fleabag'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Nathan Lane

2021–2022

*Patrick J. Adams - ''Take Me Out (play), Take Me Out'' *Yair Ben-Dor - ''Prayer for the French Republic'' *Kearstin Piper-Brown - ''Intimate Apparel'' *Sharon D Clarke - ''Caroline, or Change'' *Enrico Colantoni - ''Birthday Candles'' *Justin Cooley - ''Kimberly Akimbo (musical), Kimberly Akimbo'' *Crystal Flynn - ''Birthday Candles'' *Gaby French - ''Hangmen (play), Hangmen'' *Myles Frost - ''MJ the Musical'' *Jaquel Spivey - ''A Strange Loop'' *Shannon Tyo - ''The Chinese Lady'' *Kara Young (actress), Kara Young - ''Clyde's''

2022–2023

*Yahya Abdul-Mateen II - ''Topdog/Underdog'' *Hiran Abeysekera - ''Life of Pi (play), Life of Pi'' *Amir Arison - ''The Kite Runner (play), The Kite Runner'' *D'Arcy Carden - ''The Thanksgiving Play'' *Jodie Comer - ''Prima Facie (play), Prima Facie'' *Callum Francis - ''Kinky Boots (musical), Kinky Boots'' *Lucy Freyer - ''The Wanderers'' *Caroline Innerbichler - ''Shucked'' *Ashley D. Kelley - ''Shucked'' *Casey Likes - ''Almost Famous (musical), Almost Famous'' *Emma Pfitzler Price - ''Becomes a Woman'' *John David Washington - ''The Piano Lesson'' *Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Julie Benko, ''Funny Girl (musical), Funny Girl'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Brian Stokes Mitchell *Outstanding Contribution to the Theatre World: Dale Badway *Outstanding Swing: Matilyn Caserta, ''Six (musical), Six''

2023-2024

*Ali Louis Bourzgui - ''

'' *Cole Escola - ''Oh, Mary!'' *Brody Grant - ''The Outsiders (musical), The Outsiders'' *Michael Imperioli - ''An Enemy of the People'' *Will Keen - ''Patriots (play), Patriots'' *Nichelle Lewis - ''The Wiz'' *Rachel McAdams - ''Mary Jane (play), Mary Jane'' *Maleah Joi Moon - ''Hell's Kitchen (musical), Hell's Kitchen'' *Tom Pecinka - ''Stereophonic (play), Stereophonic'' *Sarah Pidgeon - ''Stereophonic'' *Phillip Johnson Richardson - ''The Wiz'' *Chris Stack - ''Stereophonic'' *Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: A.J. Shively, ''Philadelphia, Here I Come!'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Len Cariou *Outstanding Contribution to the Theatre World:

2024-2025

*Alana Arenas - ''Purpose (play), Purpose'' *Kit Connor - ''Romeo & Juliet'' *Patsy Ferran - ''

'' *Tom Francis (actor), Tom Francis - ''Sunset Boulevard (musical), Sunset Boulevard'' *Jak Malone - ''Operation Mincemeat (musical), Operation Mincemeat'' *Paul Mescal - ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' *Louis McCartney - ''Stranger Things: The First Shadow'' *Marjan Neshat - ''English (play), English'' *Jasmine Amy Rogers - ''Boop! The Musical'' *Nicole Scherzinger - ''Sunset Boulevard'' *Helen J. Shen - ''Maybe Happy Ending'' *Sarah Snook - ''The Picture of Dorian Gray (play), The Picture of Dorian Gray'' *Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater: Shailene Woodley - ''Cult of Love'' *John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Leslie Uggams *Special Award For Outstanding Broadway Debut Performer/Playwright: George Clooney - ''Good Night, and Good Luck (play), Good Night, and Good Luck''

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official website
1946 establishments in New York City American theater awards Awards established in 1946 Theatre World Award winners,

History

Special honorary awards

John Willis Award

The award ceremony

Award winners

1990-1991

1991-1992

1992-1993

1993-1994

1994-1995

1995–1996

1996–1997

1997–1998

1998–1999

1999–2000

2000–2001

2001–2002

2002–2003

2003–2004

2004–2005

2005–2006

2006–2007

2007–2008

2008–2009

2009–2010

2010–2011

2011–2012

2012–2013

2013–2014

2014–2015

2015–2016

2016–2017

2017–2018

2018–2019

2021–2022

2022–2023

2023-2024

2024-2025

See also

References

External links