Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, with acting awards being given without making distinctions between roles in plays and musicals, or actors and actresses. The new award categories were later created in the 1975 ceremony.

Drama Desk Award for
Outstanding Actress in a Play
Awarded forOutstanding Actress in a Play
LocationUnited States
Presented byDrama Desk
Currently held byLiza Colón-Zayas for Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven (2020)
WebsiteDramaDeskAwards.com

† - indicates the performance won the Tony Award
‡ - indicates the performance was also nominated for the Tony Award
§ - indicates the performance was nominated and won Tony Award in the Featured Category

Winners and nominees

1970s
Year Actress Play Character Tony
1975
Ellen Burstyn Same Time, Next Year Doris †
Elizabeth Ashley Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Maggie ‡
Female Ensemble Women Behind Bars Female Ensemble N/A
Tovah Feldshuh Yentl Yentl ‡
Rita Moreno The Ritz Googie Gomez N/A
Diana Rigg The Misanthrope Celimene ‡
Maggie Smith Private Lives Amanda Prynne ‡
Liv Ullmann A Doll's House Nora Helmer ‡
1976
Rosemary Harris The Royal Family Julie Cavendish ‡
Fran Brill What Every Woman Knows Maggie Wylie N/A
Tovah Feldshuh Yentl Yentl ‡
Lois Nettleton They Knew What They Wanted Amy N/A
Meryl Streep 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, A Memory of Two Mondays, Secret Service and Trelawny of the 'Wells' Various Characters
1977
Irene Worth The Cherry Orchard Ranevskaya ‡
Trazana Beverley For Colored Girls Lady in Red N/A
Blythe Danner The New York Idea Cynthia Karslake
Cara Duff-MacCormick The Philanderer Julia Craven
Diane Ladd Lu Ann Hampton Laverly Lu Ann Hampton
Sofia Landon Peg o' My Heart Peg
Dorothy McGuire The Night of the Iguana Hannah
1978
Jessica Tandy The Gin Game Fonsia Dorsey †
Helen Burns Catsplay Mrs. Bela Orban N/A
Patricia Elliott Tartuffe Dorine
Tammy Grimes Tartuffe Elmire
Carol Mayo Jenkins Zinnia Zinnia
Shirley Knight Landscape of the Body Betty
1979
Constance Cummings Wings Emily Stilson †
Carole Shelley The Elephant Man Madge Kendal †
Kate Reid Bosoms and Neglect Henny N/A
Frances Sternhagen On Golden Pond Ethel Thayer ‡
Susan Stevens The Price of Genius Unknown N/A

1980s
Year Actress Play Character Tony
1980
Pat Carroll Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein N/A
Blythe Danner Betrayal Emma ‡
Phyllis Frelich Children of a Lesser God Sarah Norman †
Mary Tyler Moore Whose Life Is it Anyway? Claire N/A
Susan Sarandon A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking Maude Mix N/A
1981
Joan Copeland The American Clock Rose Baum N/A
Eva Le Gallienne To Grandmother's House We Go Grandie ‡
Mary Beth Hurt Crimes of the Heart Meg MaGrath N/A
Amanda Plummer A Taste of Honey Josephine ‡
Elizabeth Taylor The Little Foxes Regina Giddens ‡
1982
Zoe Caldwell Medea Medea †
Barbara Bryne Entertaining Mr Sloane Kath N/A
Constance Cummings The Chalk Garden Mrs. St. Maugham
Elizabeth Franz Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You Sister Mary Ignatius
Bernadette Peters Sally and Marsha Sally
1983
Jessica Tandy Foxfire Annie Nations †
Suzanne Bertish Skirmishes Jean N/A
Colleen Dewhurst Queen and the Rebels Argia
Thuli Dumakude Poppie Nongena Poppie
Christine Estabrook Win/Lose/Draw Various Characters
Susan Sarandon Extremities Marjorie
1984
Joan Allen And a Nightingale Sang Hellen Stott N/A
Rosemary Harris Heartbreak House Hesione Hushabye ‡
Kate Nelligan A Moon for the Misbegotten Josie Hogan ‡
Natsuko Ohama Sound and Beauty Woman N/A
Marilyn Rockefellow Open Admissions Ginny Carlsen
Irene Worth The Golden Age Isabel Hastings Hoyt
1985
Rosemary Harris Pack of Lies Barbara Jackson ‡
Stockard Channing A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Sheila †
Roxanne Hart Digby Faye N/A
Lynn Redgrave Aren't We All? Mrs. W. Tatham
Elizabeth Wilson Salonika Enid
1986
Lily Tomlin The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe Various Characters †
Joan Allen The Marriage of Bette and Boo Bette Brennan N/A
Stockard Channing The House of Blue Leaves Bunny Flingus
Judith Ivey Precious Sons Bea
Swoosie Kurtz The House of Blue Leaves Bananas Shaughnessy
Kathryn Pogson Aunt Dan and Lemon Lemon
1987
Linda Lavin Broadway Bound Kate Jerome †
Robin Bartlett The Early Girl Jean N/A
Lindsay Duncan Les Liaisons Dangereuses Marquise de Merteuil ‡
Dana Ivey Driving Miss Daisy Daisy Werthan N/A
Amy Madigan The Lucky Spot Sue Jack
Dianne Wiest Hunting Cockroaches Anka
1988
Stockard Channing Woman in Mind Susan N/A
Kathy Bates Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune Frankie N/A
Amy Irving The Road to Mecca Elsa
Glenda Jackson Macbeth Lady Macbeth ‡
E. Katherine Kerr Laughing Wild Woman N/A
Gordana Rashovich Shayna Maidel Luisa
1989
Pauline Collins Shirley Valentine Shirley Valentine †
Joan Allen The Heidi Chronicles Heidi Holland ‡
Robin Bartlett Reckless Rachel N/A
Colleen Dewhurst Long Day's Journey into Night Mary Cavan Tyrone
Gloria Foster The Forbidden City Miss Molly Hoffenburg
Nancy Marchand The Cocktail Hour Ann

1990s
Year Actress Play Character Tony
1990
Geraldine James The Merchant of Venice Portia ‡
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Twelfth Night Viola N/A
S. Epatha Merkerson The Piano Lesson Berniece
Mary-Louise Parker Prelude to a Kiss Rita Boyle ‡
1991
Mercedes Ruehl Lost in Yonkers Bella Kurnitz †
Stockard Channing Six Degrees of Separation Ouisa Kittredge ‡
Angela Goethals The Good Times Are Killing Me Edna Arkins N/A
Audra Lindley About Time Old Woman
1992
Laura Esterman Marvin's Room Bessie N/A
Jane Alexander The Visit Claire Zachanassian ‡
Glenn Close Death and the Maiden Paulina Salas Escobar †
Deborah Hedwall Sight Unseen Patricia N/A
1993
Jane Alexander The Sisters Rosensweig Sara Goode ‡
Juliana Carneiro da Cunha Les Atrides Clytemnestra N/A
Christine Lahti Three Hotels Barbara Hoyle
Debra Monk Redwood Curtain Geneva Riordan
Natasha Richardson Anna Christie Anna Christopherson ‡
1994
Myra Carter Three Tall Women A N/A
Kathleen Chalfant Angels in America: Perestroika Various Characters N/A
Amy Irving Broken Glass Sylvia Gellburg
Diana Rigg Medea Medea †
Joan Rivers Sally Marr...and Her Escorts Sally Marr ‡
Harriet Walter Three Birds Alighting on a Field Biddy N/A
1995
Cherry Jones The Heiress Catherine Sloper †
Mary Alice Having Our Say Bessie Delany ‡
Stockard Channing Hapgood Mother N/A
Linda Lavin Death Defying Acts Dorothy / Carol
Helen Mirren A Month in the Country Natalia Petrovna ‡
Mercedes Ruehl The Rose Tattoo Serafina Delle Rose N/A
1996
Zoe Caldwell Master Class Maria Callas †
Catherine Byrne Molly Sweeney Molly N/A
Uta Hagen Mrs. Klein Mrs. Klein
Lisa Gay Hamilton Valley Song Veronica
Rosemary Harris A Delicate Balance Agnes ‡
Sarah Jessica Parker Sylvia Sylvia N/A
1997
Janet McTeer A Doll's House Nora Helmer †
Jayne Atkinson The Skriker The Skriker N/A
Frances Conroy The Rehearsal The Countess
Shirley Knight The Young Man From Atlanta Lily Dale Kidder ‡
Vanessa Redgrave Antony and Cleopatra Cleopatra N/A
Lia Williams Skylight Kyra Hollis ‡
1998
Cherry Jones Pride's Crossing Mabel N/A
Edie Falco Side Man Terry N/A
Marie Mullen The Beauty Queen of Leenane Maureen Folan †
J. Smith-Cameron As Bees In Honey Drown Alexa N/A
Frances Sternhagen Long Day's Journey into Night Mary Cavan Tyrone
1999
Kathleen Chalfant Wit Vivian Bearing N/A
Judi Dench Amy's View Esme Allen †
Lindsay Duncan Ashes to Ashes Rebecca N/A
Elizabeth Franz Death of a Salesman Linda Loman
Swoosie Kurtz The Mineola Twins Myra / Myrna
Zoë Wanamaker Electra Electra ‡

2000s
Year Actress Play Character Tony
2000
Eileen Heckart The Waverly Gallery Gladys Green N/A
Sinéad Cusack Our Lady of Sligo Mai O'Hara N/A
Linda Lavin The Tale of the Allergist's Wife Marjorie
Claudia Shear Dirty Blonde Jo / Mae West ‡
Lynne Thigpen Jar the Floor Lola N/A
Charlayne Woodard In the Blood Hester, La Negrita
2001
Mary-Louise Parker Proof Catherine †
Eileen Atkins The Unexpected Man Woman N/A
Janie Dee Comic Potential Jacie Triplethree
Mary Beth Fisher Boys Get Girl Caroline
Marian Seldes The Play About the Baby The Woman
Lili Taylor The Dead Eye Boy Shirley / Diane
2002
Lindsay Duncan Private Lives Amanda Prynne †
Robin Bartlett Everett Beekin Sophie N/A
Anna Paquin The Glory of Living Lisa
Sarah Jessica Parker Wonder of the World Cass
Mercedes Ruehl The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Stevie ‡
Meryl Streep The Seagull Arkadina N/A
2003
Vanessa Redgrave Long Day's Journey into Night Mary Cavan Tyrone †
Jayne Atkinson Enchanted April Lotty Wilton ‡
Marylouise Burke Kimberly Akimbo Kimberly N/A
Claire Higgins Vincent in Brixton Ursula Loyler ‡
Dael Orlandersmith Yellowman Alma N/A
Fiona Shaw Medea Medea ‡
2004
Viola Davis Intimate Apparel Esther N/A
Phylicia Rashad A Raisin in the Sun Lena Younger †
Eileen Atkins The Retreat from Moscow Alice ‡
Shannon Cochran Bug Agnes White N/A
Lizan Mitchell The Trojan Women Hecuba
J. Smith-Cameron Sarah, Sarah Sarah
2005
Cherry Jones Doubt Sister Aloysius Beauvier †
Veanne Cox Last Easter June N/A
Judy Kaye Souvenir Florence Foster Jenkins
Laura Linney Sight Unseen Patricia ‡
Frances Sternhagen Echoes of the War Mrs. Dowey N/A
Kathleen Turner Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Martha ‡
2006
Lois Smith The Trip to Bountiful Carrie Watts N/A
Margaret Colin Defiance Margaret N/A
Cherry Jones Faith Healer Grace
Jennifer Jason Leigh Abigail's Party Beverly
Jan Maxwell Entertaining Mr Sloane Kath
Julie White The Little Dog Laughed Diane †
2007
Eve Best A Moon for the Misbegotten Josie Hogan ‡
Orlagh Cassidy The Field Maimie Flanagan N/A
Blythe Danner Suddenly, Last Summer Mrs. Venable
Jennifer Mudge Dutchman Lula
Sandra Oh Satellites Nina
Annie Parisse The Internationalist Sara
Meryl Streep Mother Courage and Her Children Mother Courage
2008
Deanna Dunagan August: Osage County Violet Weston †
Sinéad Cusack Rock 'n' Roll Eleanor / Esme N/A
Frances McDormand The Country Girl Georgie Elgin
Amy Morton August: Osage County Barbara Weston Fordham ‡
Fiona Shaw Happy Days Winnie N/A
Julie White From Up Here Grace
2009
Janet McTeer Mary Stuart Mary Stuart ‡
Saidah Arrika Ekulona Ruined Mama Nadi N/A
Jane Fonda 33 Variations Katherine Brandt ‡
Marcia Gay Harden God of Carnage Veronica †
Elizabeth Marvel Fifty Words Jan N/A
Jan Maxwell Scenes from an Execution Galactia

2010s
Year Actress Play Character Tony
2010
Jan Maxwell The Royal Family Julie Cavendish ‡
Ayesha Antoine My Wonderful Day Winnie Barnstairs N/A
Melissa Errico Candida Candida
Anne Hathaway Twelfth Night Viola
Kristen Johnston So Help Me God! Lily Darnley
Laura Linney Time Stands Still Sarah Goodwin ‡
2011
Frances McDormand Good People Margie Walsh †
Nina Arianda Born Yesterday Emma 'Billie' Dawn ‡
Stockard Channing Other Desert Cities Polly Wyeth ‡
Laurie Metcalf The Other Place Juliana Smithton N/A
Michele Pawk A Small Fire Emily Bridges
Lily Rabe The Merchant of Venice Portia ‡
2012
Tracie Bennett End of the Rainbow Judy Garland ‡
Sanaa Lathan By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Vera Stark N/A
Linda Lavin The Lyons Rita Lyons ‡
Jennifer Lim Chinglish Xi Yan N/A
Kim Martin-Cotten A Moon for the Misbegotten Josie Hogan
Carey Mulligan Through a Glass Darkly Karin
Joely Richardson Side Effects Lindy
2013
Cicely Tyson The Trip to Bountiful Carrie Watts †
Maria Dizzia Belleville Abby N/A
Amy Morton Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Martha ‡
Julia Murney Falling Tami N/A
Vanessa Redgrave The Revisionist Maria
Miriam Silverman Finks Natalie
2014
Audra McDonald Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill Billie Holiday †
Barbara Andres I Remember Mama Mama N/A
Tyne Daly Mothers and Sons Katharine Gerard ‡
Laurie Metcalf Domesticated Judy Pulver N/A
J. Smith-Cameron Juno and the Paycock Juno Boyle
Harriet Walter Julius Caesar Brutus
2015
Helen Mirren The Audience Queen Elizabeth II †
Brooke Bloom You Got Older Mae N/A
Kathleen Chalfant A Walk in the Woods Irina Botvinnik
Kristin Griffith The Fatal Weakness Ollie Espenshade
Jan Maxwell The City of Conversation Hester Ferris
Carey Mulligan Skylight Kyra Holis ‡
Tonya Pinkins Rasheeda Speaking Jaclyn Spaulding N/A
2016
Jessica Lange Long Day's Journey into Night Mary Tyrone †
Georgia Engel John Mertis N/A
Mamie Gummer Ugly Lies the Bone Jess
Marin Ireland Ironbound Darja
Nicola Walker A View from the Bridge Beatrice Carbone
2017
Laura Linney The Little Foxes Regina Giddens ‡
Cate Blanchett The Present Anna Petrovna ‡
Laurie Metcalf A Doll's House, Part 2 Nora †
Amy Ryan Love, Love, Love Sandra N/A
Harriet Walter The Tempest Prospero
2018
Glenda Jackson Three Tall Women A †
Carrie Coon Mary Jane Mary Jane N/A
Denise Gough People, Places and Things Emma
Laurie Metcalf Three Tall Women B §
Billie Piper Yerma Her N/A
2019
Elaine May The Waverly Gallery Gladys †
Midori Francis Usual Girls Kyeoung N/A
Zainab Jah Boesman and Lena Lena N/A
Laurie Metcalf Hillary and Clinton Hillary Clinton ‡
Heidi Schreck What the Constitution Means to Me Heidi ‡

2020s
Year Actress Play Character Tony
2020
Liza Colón-Zayas Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven Sarge N/A
Rose Byrne Medea Medea
Emily Davis Is This A Room Reality Winner
April Matthis Toni Stone Toni Stone
Ruth Negga Hamlet Hamlet

See also

References
  • "Drama Desk Award for Actress in a Play". Internet Broadway Database. 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
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