Tony Awards Mark Historic Wins for Black Artists, ‘Purpose’ Best Play Amid Record Broadway Season

At the 2025 Tony Awards, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' play Purpose won Best New Play, making him the first Black playwright since August Wilson in 1987 to receive this honor. The drama, which earned Jacobs-Jenkins a Pulitzer Prize earlier in the year, explores a Black family's internal conflicts during a snowed-in gathering. Kara Young won Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in Purpose, becoming the first Black person to win two consecutive Tony Awards and the first Black actor to be nominated four years in a row. The ceremony also recognized Sarah Snook with Best Leading Actress in a Play for her multifaceted role in The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Francis Jue for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Yellow Face, with both winners paying tribute to their communities. The show featured a surprise 10th-anniversary performance by the original Hamilton cast and was hosted by Cynthia Erivo, who also delivered an original musical number. Overall, the awards highlighted diverse talent and underscored the importance of supporting regional theater.