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Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical 
Summary
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actresses for quality leading roles in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The awards are named after Antoinette Perry, an American actress who died in 1946.
| Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical | |
|---|---|
 2024 Recipient: Maleah Joi Moon | |
| 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 | Maleah Joi Moon for Hell's Kitchen (2024) |
| Website | TonyAwards.com |
Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, to "honor the best performances and stage productions of the previous year."[1]
The award was originally called the Tony Award for Actresses—Musical. It was first presented to Grace Hartman at the 2nd Tony Awards for her portrayal of various characters in Angel in the Wings. Before 1956, nominees' names were not made public;[2] the change was made by the awards committee to "have a greater impact on theatregoers".[3]
In 1965, Liza Minnelli, age 19, became the youngest actress to win the award. She is followed by Lea Salonga, age 20, in 1991. In 2017, Bette Midler, age 71, became the oldest actress to win the award. She is followed by Victoria Clark, age 63, in 2023.
Angela Lansbury holds the record as the performer with the most wins in this category, with a total of four. Chita Rivera has the most nominations, with eight. The characters of Rose in Gypsy and Anna Leonowens in The King and I currently hold the record for most wins, each winning three times. Rose also holds the record for most nominations, with five.
Winners and nominees
edit indicates the winner
1940s
edit| Year | Actress | Musical | Role(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 (1st) |
Not awarded | |||
| 1948 (2nd) | ||||
| Grace Hartman | Angel in the Wings | Nettie / Mrs. Blodgett / Ruth / Mrs. Hutchinson | ||
| 1949 (3rd) | ||||
| Nanette Fabray | Love Life | Susan Cooper | ||
1950s
edit| Year | Actress | Musical | Role(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 (4th) | ||||
| Mary Martin | South Pacific | Ensign Nellie Forbush | ||
| 1951 (5th) | ||||
| Ethel Merman | Call Me Madam | Sally Adams | ||
| 1952 (6th) | ||||
| Gertrude Lawrence | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | ||
| 1953 (7th) | ||||
| Rosalind Russell | Wonderful Town | Ruth Sherwood | ||
| 1954 (8th) | ||||
| Dolores Gray | Carnival in Flanders | Cornelia | ||
| 1955 (9th) | ||||
| Mary Martin | Peter Pan | Peter Pan | ||
| 1956 (10th) | ||||
| Gwen Verdon | Damn Yankees | Lola | [4] | |
| Carol Channing | The Vamp | Flora Weems / Delilah | ||
| Nancy Walker | Phoenix '55 | Various Characters | ||
| 1957 (11th) | ||||
| Judy Holliday | Bells Are Ringing | Ella Peterson | [5] | |
| Julie Andrews | My Fair Lady | Eliza Doolittle | ||
| Ethel Merman | Happy Hunting | Liz Livingstone | ||
| 1958 (12th) | ||||
| Thelma Ritter | New Girl in Town | Marthy Owen | [6] | |
| Gwen Verdon | Anna Christopherson | |||
| Lena Horne | Jamaica | Savannah | ||
| Beatrice Lillie | Ziegfeld Follies of 1957 | Various Characters | ||
| 1959 (13th) | ||||
| Gwen Verdon | Redhead | Essie Whimple | [7] | |
| Miyoshi Umeki | Flower Drum Song | Mei-Li |
1960s
edit1970s
edit1980s
edit1990s
edit2000s
edit2010s
edit2020s
edit| Year | Actress | Musical | Role(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (74th) | ||||
| Adrienne Warren | Tina | Tina Turner | [69] | |
| Karen Olivo | Moulin Rouge! | Satine | ||
| Elizabeth Stanley | Jagged Little Pill | Mary Jane Healy | ||
| 2022 (75th) | ||||
| Joaquina Kalukango | Paradise Square | Annabelle "Nelly" Freeman | [70] | |
| 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 | ||
| 2023 (76th) | ||||
| Victoria Clark | Kimberly Akimbo | Kimberly Levaco | [71] | |
| Annaleigh Ashford | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Mrs. Lovett | ||
| Sara Bareilles | Into the Woods | The Baker's Wife | ||
| Lorna Courtney | & Juliet | Juliet | ||
| Micaela Diamond | Parade | Lucille Frank | ||
| 2024 (77th) | ||||
| Maleah Joi Moon | Hell's Kitchen | Ali | [72] | |
| Eden Espinosa | Lempicka | Tamara de Lempicka | ||
| Kelli O'Hara | Days of Wine and Roses | Kirsten Arnesen-Clay | ||
| Maryann Plunkett | The Notebook | Allison "Allie" Calhoun (older) | ||
| Gayle Rankin | Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club | Sally Bowles |
Notes
edit- ^ The category was not given due to an insufficient number of musicals during the season.
Statistics
editMost wins
edit- 4 wins
- 3 wins
- 2 wins
Most nominations
edit- 8 nominations
- 7 nominations
- 6 nominations
- 5 nominations
- 4 nominations
- 3 nominations
- Julie Andrews
- Jessie Mueller
- Christine Ebersole
- Dee Hoty
- Dorothy Loudon
- Audra McDonald
- Ethel Merman
- Liza Minnelli
- Faith Prince
- 2 nominations
- Lauren Bacall
- Stephanie J. Block
- Georgia Brown
- Carolee Carmello
- Kristin Chenoweth
- Victoria Clark
- Carmen Cusack
- Sandy Duncan
- Nanette Fabray
- Dolores Gray
- Barbara Harris
- Judy Kuhn
- LaChanze
- Beth Leavel
- Beatrice Lillie
- Rebecca Luker
- Marin Mazzie
- Patina Miller
- Idina Menzel
- Eva Noblezada
- Laura Osnes
- Tonya Pinkins
- Maryann Plunkett
- Alice Ripley
- Sherie Rene Scott
- Alexis Smith
- Elaine Stritch
- Inga Swenson
- Nancy Walker
Character win total
edit- 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!
Character nomination total
edit- 5 nominations
- 4 nominations
- Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd
- Peter Pan from Peter Pan and Jerome Robbins' Broadway
- 3 nominations
- Anna Leonowens from The King and I
- Charity Hope Valentine from Sweet Charity
- Phyllis Rogers Stone from Follies
- 2 nominations
- Amalia Balash from She Loves Me
- The Baker's Wife from Into the Woods
- Bess from Porgy and Bess
- Caroline Thibodeaux from Caroline, or Change
- Celie Harris Johnson from The Color Purple
- Desiree Armfeldt from A Little Night Music
- Dolly Gallagher Levi from Hello, Dolly!
- Dot / Marie from Sunday in the Park with George
- Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady
- Ella Peterson from Bells Are Ringing
- Ensign Nellie Forbush from South Pacific
- Fiona MacLaren from Brigadoon
- Kim from Miss Saigon
- Lilli Vanessi / Katharine from Kiss Me, Kate
- Lily Garland / Mildred Plotka from On the Twentieth Century
- Lizzie Curry from 110 in the Shade
- Lucille Frank from Parade
- Marian Paroo from The Music Man
- Mother from Ragtime
- Reno Sweeney from Anything Goes
- Ruth Sherwood from Wonderful Town
- Sally Bowles from Cabaret
- Sarah Brown from Guys and Dolls
- Velma Kelly from Chicago
Characters nominated for both the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical edit
- Joan of Arc from Goodtime Charley, Saint Joan, Joan of Lorraine and The Lark
- Countess Aurelia from The Madwoman of Chaillot and Dear World
- Sally Bowles from I Am a Camera and Cabaret
- Leona Samish from The Time of the Cuckoo and Do I Hear a Waltz?
- Dolly Gallagher Levi from The Matchmaker and Hello Dolly!
- Lena Younger from A Raisin in the Sun and Raisin
- Mame Dennis from Auntie Mame and Mame
- Eliza Gant from Look Homeward, Angel and Angel
- Claire Zachanassian The Visit (play) and The Visit (musical)
- Sister Margaret Alexander from The Amen Corner and Amen Corner (musical)
- Eliza Doolittle from Pygmalion and My Fair Lady
- Lizzie Curry from The Rainmaker and 110 in the Shade.
- Lily Garland / Mildred Plotka from Twentieth Century and On the Twentieth Century
- Madame Arcati from Blithe Spirit and High Spirits
- Anna Christopherson from Anna Christie and New Girl in Town
Productions with multiple nominations
editboldface=winner
- New Girl in Town – Thelma Ritter and Gwen Verdon (tie)
- Company – Susan Browning and Elaine Stritch
- Follies – Dorothy Collins and Alexis Smith
- Chicago – Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon
- Annie – Dorothy Loudon and Andrea McArdle
- Dreamgirls – Jennifer Holliday and Sheryl Lee Ralph
- The Rink – Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera
- Black and Blue – Ruth Brown and Linda Hopkins
- Guys and Dolls – Josie de Guzman and Faith Prince
- Urinetown – Nancy Opel and Jennifer Laura Thompson
- Wicked – Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel
- War Paint – Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone
- The Prom – Caitlin Kinnunen and Beth Leavel
Multiple awards and nominations
edit- Actresses who have been nominated multiple times in any acting categories
See also
edit
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical
- List of Tony Award-nominated productions
References
edit- ^ Kirkley, Donald (April 21, 1968). "Operation Frenzy Before the Tony Awards". The Baltimore Sun. p. T2. Retrieved December 24, 2011. (subscription required)
- ^ Simons, Linda Keir (1994). The Performing Arts: a Guide to the Reference Literature. ABC-CLIO. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-87287-982-9. Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
- ^ Gelb, Arthur (April 1, 1956). "Popularizing the Tony Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2011. (subscription required)
- ^ "1956 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1957 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1958 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1959 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1960 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1961 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1962 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1963 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1964 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1965 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1966 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1967 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1968 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1969 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1970 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1971 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1972 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1973 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1974 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1975 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1976 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1977 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1978 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1979 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1980 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1981 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1982 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1983 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1984 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ Winship, Frederick M. (1985-06-03). "'Big River,' 'Biloxi Blues' win Tony Awards". UPI. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
- ^ "1986 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1987 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1988 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1989 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1990 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1991 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1992 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1993 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1994 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1995 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1996 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ Viagas, Robert. "Julie Andrews Declines Tony Nomination" playbill.com, May 8, 1996
- ^ "1997 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1998 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "1999 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2000 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2001 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2002 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2003 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2004 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2005 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2006 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2007 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2008 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2009 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
- ^ "2010 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2011 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2012 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2013 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2014 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "Tony Nominations 2015: Full List". Variety. April 28, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2016 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2017 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2018 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2019 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ Garvey, Marianne (September 26, 2021). "See who won at the Tony Awards". CNN. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ "2022 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. May 2, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. May 2, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
External links
edit- Internet Broadway Database Awards Archive
- Official Tony Awards Website Archive