Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play


The Tony Award for Best Featured 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, to actresses for quality supporting roles in a Broadway play. The awards are named after Antoinette Perry, an American actress who died in 1946. 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."
Originally called the "Tony Award for Actress, Supporting or Featured ", Patricia Neal first won the award at the inception of the ceremony for her portrayal of Regina Hubbard in Lillian Hellman's Another Part of the Forest. Before 1956, nominees' names were not made public: the change was made by the awards committee to "have a greater impact on theatregoers". The award was renamed in 1976, when Shirley Knight became the first winner under the new title for her role as Carla in Robert Patrick's Kennedy's Children. Its most recent recipient is Celia Keenan-Bolger, for the role of Scout Finch, in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Six actresses hold the record for most awards in this category, each with a total of two. Portrayals of Ruth Younger in A Raisin in the Sun have won twice, for Audra McDonald and Sophie Okonedo. Supporting actresses in two of three plays in Neil Simon's Eugene trilogy were nominated for the Tony, and featured actresses in six parts of August Wilson's The Pittsburgh Cycle have also been nominated for the award.

Recipients

YearActressRoleWorkNomineesRef.
1947—
1948————
1949—
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1951—
1952—
1953—
1954—
1955—
1956
1957
  • Anna Massey in The Reluctant Debutante as Jane Broadbent
  • Beryl Measor in Separate Tables as Pat Cooper
  • Mildred Natwick in The Waltz of the Toreadors as Mme. St. Pé
  • Phyllis Neilson-Terry in Separate Tables as Mrs. Railton-Bell
  • Diana Van der Vlis in The Happiest MillionaireCordelia Biddle
    • 1958
  • Brenda De Banzie in The Entertainer as Phoebe Rice
  • Joan Blondell in The Rope Dancers as Mrs. Farrow
  • Mary Fickett in Sunrise at Campobello as Eleanor Roosevelt
  • Eileen Heckart in The Dark at the Top of the Stairs as Lottie Lacey
    • 1959
  • Maureen Delany in God and Kate Murphy as Carrie Donovan
  • Dolores Hart in The Pleasure of His Company as Jessica Poole
  • Nan Martin in J.B. as Sarah
  • Bertrice Reading in Requiem for a Nun as Nancy Mannigoe
    • 1960
  • Leora Dana in The Best Man as Alice Russell
  • Jane Fonda in There Was a Little Girl as Toni Newton
  • Sarah Marshall in Goodbye, Charlie as Rusty Mayerling
  • Juliet Mills in Five Finger Exercise as Pamela Harrington
    • 1961
  • Eileen Heckart in Invitation to a March as DeeDee Grogan
  • Tresa Hughes in The Devil's Advocate as Nina Sanduzzi
  • Rosemary Murphy in Period of Adjustmentas Dorothea Bates
    • 1962
  • Zohra Lampert in Look: We've Come Through as Jennifer Lewison
  • Janet Margolin in Daughter of Silence as Anna Albertini
  • Pat Stanley in Sunday in New York as Eileen Taylor
    • 1963
  • Melinda Dillon in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as Honey
  • Alice Ghostley in The Beauty Part as Various Characters
  • Zohra Lampert in Mother Courage and Her Children as Kattrin
    • 1964
  • Rosemary Murphy in Any Wednesday as Dorothea Cleves
  • Kate Reid in Dylan as Caitlin Thomas
  • Diana Sands in Blues for Mister Charlie as Juanita
    • 1965
  • Rae Allen in Traveller Without Luggage as Juliette
  • Alexandra Berlin in All in Good Time as Violet Fitton
  • Carolan Daniels in Slow Dance on the Killing Ground as Rosie
    • 1966
  • Glenda Jackson in Marat/Sade as Charlotte Corday
  • Mairin D. O'Sullivan in Philadelphia, Here I Come! as Madge Mulhern
  • Brenda Vaccaro in Cactus Flower as Toni Simmons
    • 1967
  • Camila Ashland in Black Comedy as Miss. Furnival
  • Brenda Forbes in The Loves of Cass McGuire as Trilbe Costello
  • Maria Tucci in The Rose Tattoo as Rose Dell Rose
    • 1968
  • Pert Kelton in Spofford as Mrs. Punck
  • Ruth White in The Birthday Party as Meg
  • Eleanor Wilson in The Weekend as Mrs. Andrews
    • 1969
  • Diane Keaton in Play It Again, Sam as Linda Christie
  • Lauren Jones in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? as Linda
  • Anna Manahan in Lovers as Hanna Wilson
    • 1970
  • Alice Drummond in The Chinese and Dr. Fish as Mrs. Lee
  • Eileen Heckart in Butterflies Are Free as Mrs. Baker
  • Linda Lavin in Last of the Red Hot Lovers as Elaine Navazio
    • 1971
  • Lili Darvas in Les Blancs as Madame Neilsen
  • Joan Van Ark in The School for Wives Agnes
  • Mona Washbourne in Home Marian
    • 1972
  • Cara Duff-MacCormick in Moonchildren as Shelly
  • Mercedes McCambridge in The Love Suicide at Schofield Barracks as Mavis Parodus Bryson
  • Frances Sternhagen in The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window Lucy Lake
    • 1973
  • Maya Angelou in Look Away as Elizabeth Keckley
  • Katherine Helmond in The Great God Brown as Margaret
  • Penelope Windust in Elizabeth I as Elizabeth I
    • 1974
  • Regina Baff in Veronica's Room as Susan
  • Fionnula Flanagan in Ulysses in Nighttown as Various Characters
  • Charlotte Moore in Chemin de Fer as Sophie
  • Roxie Roker in The River Niger as Mattie Williams
    • 1975
  • Linda Miller in Black Picture Show as Jane
  • Geraldine Page in Absurd Person Singular as Marion
  • Carole Shelley in Absurd Person Singular as Jane
  • Elizabeth Spriggs in London Assurance as Lady Gay Spanker
  • Frances Sternhagen in Equus as Dora Strang
    • 1976
  • Mary Beth Hurt in Trelawny of the 'Wells as Rose Trewlawny
  • Lois Nettleton in They Knew What They Wanted as Amy
  • Meryl Streep in 27 Wagons Full of Cotton / A Memory of Two Mondays as Flora Meighan
    • 1977
  • Patricia Elliott in The Shadow Box as Beverly
  • Rose Gregorio in The Shadow Box as Agnes
  • Mary McCarty in Anna Christie as Marthy Owen
    • 1978
  • Starletta DuPois in The Mighty Gents as Rita
  • Swoosie Kurtz in Tartuffe as Mariane
  • Marian Seldes in Deathtrap as Myra Bruhl
    • 1979
  • Laurie Kennedy in Man and Superman as Violet Robinson
  • Susan Littler in Bedroom Farce as Kate
  • Mary-Joan Negro in Wings as Amy
    • 1980
  • Maureen Anderman in The Lady from Dubuque as Carol
  • Pamela Burrell in Strider as Various Characters
  • Lois de Banzie in Morning's at Seven as Myrtle Brown
    • 1981
  • Maureen Stapleton in The Little Foxes as Birdie Hubbard
  • Jessica Tandy in Rose as Rose's mother
  • Zoë Wanamaker in Piaf as Tione
    • 1982
  • Judith Anderson in Medea as The Nurse
  • Mia Dillon in Crimes of the Heart as Babe MaGrath Botrelle
  • Mary Beth Hurt in Crimes of the Heart as Meg MaGrath
    • 1983
  • Elizabeth Franz in Brighton Beach Memoirs as Kate Jerome
  • Roxanne Hart in Passion as Kate
  • Margaret Tyzack in All's Well That Ends Well as Countess of Rossillion
    • 1984
  • Jo Henderson in Play Memory as Ruth MacMillan
  • Dana Ivey in Heartbreak House as Lady Utterword
  • Deborah Rush in Noises Off as Brooke Ashton
    • 1985
  • Joanna Gleason in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Pam
  • Theresa Merritt in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Ma Rainey
  • Sigourney Weaver in Hurlyburly as Darlene
    • 1986
  • Stockard Channing in The House of Blue Leaves Bunny Flingus
  • Bethel Leslie in Long Day's Journey into Night as Mary Tyrone
  • Zoë Wanamaker in Loot as Fay
    • 1987
  • Annette Bening in Coastal Disturbances as Holly Dancer
  • Phyllis Newman in Broadway Bound as Blanche Morton
  • Carole Shelley in Stepping Out as Maxine
    • 1988
  • Kimberleigh Aarn in Joe Turner's Come and Gone as Mattie Cambell
  • Kate Nelligan in Serious Money as Various Characters
  • Kimberly Scott in Joe Turner's Come and Gone as Molly Cunningham
    • 1989
  • Joanne Camp in The Heidi Chronicles as Various Characters
  • Tovah Feldshuh in Lend Me a Tenor as Maria Merelli
  • Penelope Ann Miller in Our Town as Emily Webb
    • 1990
  • Polly Holliday in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Big Mama Polllitt
  • S. Epatha Merkerson in The Piano Lesson as Berniece
  • Lois Smith in The Grapes of Wrath as Ma Joad
    • 1991
  • Amelia Campbell in Our Country's Good as Various Characters
  • Kathryn Erbe in The Speed of Darkness as Mary
  • J. Smith-Cameron in Our Country's Good as Various Characters
    • 1992
  • Rosaleen Linehan in Dancing at Lughnasa as Kate Mundy
  • Cynthia Martells in Two Trains Running as Risa
  • Dearbhla Molloy in Dancing at Lughnasa as Maggie Mundy
    • 1993
  • Kathleen Chalfant in ' as Various Characters
  • Marcia Gay Harden in Angels in America: Millennium Approaches as Various Characters
  • Anne Meara in Anna Christie as Marthy Owen
    • 1994
  • Debra Monk in Picnic as Rosemary Sydney
  • Jeanne Paulson in The Kentucky Cycle as Various Characters
  • Anne Pitoniak in Picnic as Helen Potts
    • 1995
  • Suzanne Bertish in The Molière Comedies as Lisette
  • Cynthia Nixon in Indiscretions as Madeleine Ozeray
  • Mercedes Ruehl in The Shadow Box as Beverly
    • 1996
  • Viola Davis in Seven Guitars as Vera
  • Michele Shay in Seven Guitars as Louise
  • Lois Smith in Buried Child as Hallie
    • 1997
  • Helen Carey in London Assurance as Lady Gay Spanker
  • Dana Ivey in The Last Night of Ballyhoo as Boo Levy
  • Celia Weston in The Last Night of Ballyhooas Reba Freitag
    • 1998
  • Enid Graham in Honour as Sophie
  • Linda Lavin in The Diary of Anne Frank as Petronella van Daan
  • Julyana Soelistyo in Golden Child as Eng Ahn
    • 1999
  • Claire Bloom in Electra as Clytemnestra
  • Samantha Bond in Amy's View as Amy Thomas
  • Dawn Bradfield in The Lonesome West as Girleen Kelleher
    • 2000
  • Frances Conroy in The Ride Down Mt. Morgan as Theo
  • Amy Ryan in Uncle Vanya as Sonya Serebryakova
  • Helen Stenborg in Waiting in the Wings as Sarita Myrtle
  • Sarah Woodward in The Real Thing as Charlotte
    • 2001
  • Johanna Day in Proof as Claire
  • Penny Fuller in The Dinner Party as Gabrielle Buonocelli
  • Marthe Keller in Judgment at Nuremberg as Mme. Bertholt
  • Michele Lee in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife as Lee Green
    • 2002
  • Kate Burton in The Elephant Man as Madge Kendal
  • Elizabeth Franz in Morning's at Seven as Aaronetta Gibbs
  • Estelle Parsons in Morning's at Seven as Cora Swanson
  • Frances Sternhagen in Morning's at Seven as Ida Bolton
    • 2003
  • Christine Ebersole in Dinner at Eight as Millicent Jordan
  • Linda Emond in Life x 3 as Inez
  • Kathryn Meisle in Tartuffe as Elmire
  • Marian Seldes in Dinner at Eight as Carlotta Vance
    • 2004
  • Essie Davis in Jumpers as Dotty
  • Sanaa Lathan in A Raisin in the Sun as Beneatha Younger
  • Margo Martindale in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Big Momma Pollitt
  • Daphne Rubin-Vega in Anna in the Tropics as Conchita
    • 2005
  • Mireille Enos in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as Honey
  • Heather Goldenhersh in ' as Sister James
  • Dana Ivey in The Rivals as Mrs. Malaprop
  • Amy Ryan in A Streetcar Named Desire as Stella Kowalski
    • 2006
  • Tyne Daly in Rabbit Hole as Nat
  • Jayne Houdyshell in Well as Ann Kron
  • Alison Pill in The Lieutenant of Inishmore as Mairead
  • Zoë Wanamaker in Awake and Sing! as Bessie Berger
    • 2007
  • Xanthe Elbrick in Coram Boy as Various Characters
  • Dana Ivey in Butley as Edna Shaft
  • Jan Maxwell in Coram Boy as Various Characters
  • Martha Plimpton in The Coast of Utopia as Various Characters
    • 2008
  • Sinéad Cusack in Rock 'n' Roll as Eleanor
  • Mary McCormack in Boeing-Boeing as Gretchen
  • Laurie Metcalf in November as Clarice Bernstein
  • Martha Plimpton in Top Girls as Angie
    • 2009
  • Hallie Foote in Dividing the Estate as Mary Jo Gordon
  • Jessica Hynes in The Norman Conquests as Annie
  • Marin Ireland in reasons to be pretty as Steph
  • Amanda Root in The Norman Conquests as Sarah
    • 2010
  • Maria Dizzia in In the Next Room as Mrs. Daldry
  • Rosemary Harris in The Royal Family as Fanny Cavendish
  • Jessica Hecht in A View from the Bridge as Beatrice Carbone
  • Jan Maxwell in Lend Me a Tenor as Maria Merelli
    • 2011
  • Edie Falco in The House of Blue Leaves as Bananas Shaughnessy
  • Judith Light in Lombardi as Marie Lombardi
  • Joanna Lumley in La Bête as The Princess
  • Elizabeth Rodriguez in The Motherfucker with the Hat as Veronica
    • 2012
  • Linda Emond in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman as Linda Loman
  • Spencer Kayden in Don't Dress for Dinner as Suzette
  • Celia Keenan-Bolger in Peter and the Starcatcher as Molly Aster
  • Condola Rashād in Stick Fly as Cheryl
    • 2013
  • Carrie Coon in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? as Honey
  • Shalita Grant in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike as Cassandra
  • Judith Ivey in The Heiress as Lavinia Penniman
  • Condola Rashad in The Trip to Bountiful as Thelma
    • 2014
  • Sarah Greene in The Cripple of Inishmaan as Helen McCormack
  • Celia Keenan-Bolger in The Glass Menagerie as Laura Wingfield
  • Anika Noni Rose in A Raisin in the Sun as Beneatha Younger
  • Mare Winningham in Casa Valentina as Rita
    • 2015
  • Patricia Clarkson in The Elephant Man as Madge Kendal
  • Lydia Leonard in Wolf Hall Parts One & Two as Anne Boleyn
  • Sarah Stiles in Hand to God as Jessica
  • Julie White in Airline Highway as Tanya
    • 2016
  • Pascale Armand in Eclipsed as Bessie
  • Megan Hilty in Noises Off as Brooke Ashton
  • Andrea Martin in Noises Off as Dotty Otley
  • Saycon Sengbloh in Eclipsed as Helena
    • 2017
  • Johanna Day in Sweat as Tracey
  • Jayne Houdyshell in A Doll's House, Part 2 as Anne Marie
  • Condola Rashād in A Doll's House, Part 2 as Emmy Helmer
  • Michelle Wilson in Sweat as Cynthia
    • 2018B
  • Susan Brown in Angels in America as Hannah Pitt, et al.
  • Noma Dumezweni in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as Hermione Granger
  • Deborah Findlay in The Children as Hazel
  • Denise Gough in Angels in America as Harper Pitt, et al.
    • 2019
  • Fionnula Flanagan in The Ferryman as Aunt Maggie Far Away
  • Kristine Nielsen in ' as Janice
  • Julie White in as Carol
  • Ruth Wilson in King Lear'' as Cordelia/Fool