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Kara Young

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Kara Young BIO

Kara Young made her Broadway debut in Lynn Nottage’s Clyde’s for which she received a Tony and a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. This year, Young received her second Tony and Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play in the Pulitzer Prize winner, Cost of Living. Her other accolades include: an Obie Award, an Audelco Award and a Drama Desk nomination for her portrayal of Viola in Classical Theatre of Harlem’s, Twelfth Night; the inaugural Florence Mills Rising Star Award from Black Women on Broadway and a Theatre World Award. Her other stage credits include All The Natalie Portmans, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, The New Englanders, The Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll’d, Syncing Ink, and Pretty Hunger. She will next appear as a series regular in the highly anticipated Amazon series, “I’m a Virgo,” created by Boots Riley. Previous TV credits include: HBO Max’s “The Staircase;” Amazon’s feature “Chemical Hearts;” HBO’s “Random Acts of Flyness;” and Netflix’s “The Punisher.”

Kara Young Photos

Kara Young STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival Production, 2023
Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins

[Broadway]
Manhattan Theatre Club Original Broadway Production, 2022
Jess

[Broadway]
2021
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
MCC Theater's Off-Broadway World Premiere, 2020
Cast

[Off-Broadway]
Atlantic Theatre's Off-Broadway World Premiere, 2019
Cast

[Off-Broadway]
Manhattan Theatre Club Off-Broadway World Premiere, 2019
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
World Premier Production, 2018
Karma


Kara Young Movies

Lunatics Lovers & Actors
[ 2009 ] Leticia
Saving Julian
[ 2012 ] Kara
Cybornetics
[ 2012 ] Lisa
Cybornetics: Urban Cyborg
[ 2013 ] Lisa
Fishbowl
[ 2015 ] Audition Monitor
Bruce!!!!
[ 2017 ] DJ Love Jones
Meat Puppet: The Filmed Experience
[ 2017 ] Harley Patrón
King of Knives
[ 2020 ] Darla
Materna
[ 2020 ] Kara
Chemical Hearts
[ 2020 ] LolaLaHaynes
Blow Up My Life
[ 2022 ] Charlie August
Master
[ 2022 ] Scha

Kara Young Awards and Nominations

Drama Desk Awards - 2023 - Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play

Kara Young, Cost of Living

Drama Desk Awards - 2023 - Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play

Kara YoungTwelfth Night

Tony Awards - 2023 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Kara Young, Cost of Living


winner
Obie Awards - 2022 - Performance Award

Kara YoungTwelfth Night


winner
Theatre World Awards - 2022 - Theatre World Awards

Kara Young, Clyde's

Tony Awards - 2022 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Kara Young, Clyde's

Kara Young Videos

Kara Young News


Photos: On the Red Carpet for MISCAST24, Honoring Jason Robert Brown and Nicole Suazo


The best of Broadway was on hand at the Hammerstein Ballroom where MCC celebrated MISCAST24, honoring Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown and MCC Youth Company Alum Nicole Suazo. Check out photos from the red carpet arrivals.

Video: Broadway's Best Unite with Shubert Foundation to Support Theatre in Our Schools


Just last month, the best of Broadway came together for the The 10th annual 2024 Shubert Foundation High School Theatre Festival. Checko ut video highlights from the red carpet here!

Bernadette Peters & More to Join 2024 Shubert Foundation High School Theatre Festival


In its 10th year, more than 100 talented young NYC public school theatre artists will make their Broadway debuts in The 2024 Shubert Foundation High School Theatre Festival. See who is taking part!

Scripps College to Present A SIMPLE HERSTORY Podcast, Revolving Around Victoria Woodhull


On March 21st, Scripps College will present A Simple Herstory, a groundbreaking, award-winning, deviant, multi-platform audio fiction exploration of the 100+ women who have run for President of the United States.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, INTO THE WOODS, And More Win 2024 Artios Awards for Casting


Winners have been announced for the Casting Society 39th Artios Awards!

The Classical Theatre of Harlem Announces New Board of Director Members


The Classical Theatre of Harlem will welcome Tony nominee Kara Young, Dr. Karen Jackson Weaver, and Renée Beaumont to its board of directors. Learn more about the new members here!

Rachel Brosnahan, Alfred Molina, J. Harrison Ghee, and More Will Present Artios Awards


Rachel Brosnahan, Alfred Molina, J. Harrison Ghee and more will present casting winners at the Artios Awards in New York on March 7. Find out who takes home the honors at this prestigious event celebrating casting excellence in the industry.

Kara Young Joins THE APIARY For Final Week of Performances


Kara Young will reunite with her Clyde’s director, Kate Whoriskey, when she joins the cast of Kate Douglas’ THE APIARY on Wednesday evening, February 28th for the production’s final week of performances.

Video: PURLIE VICTORIOUS Takes its Final Bows on Broadway


This weekend, Purlie Victorious took its final bow at the Music Box Theatre following 23 previews and 151 regular performances. The final show took place on February 4. Check out a video of the final curtain call here!

Exclusive: Hasna Muhammad, Daughter of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Reflects on the Women of PURLIE VICTORIOUS


As Purlie Victorious enters its final weekend on Broadway, BroadwayWorld is very excited to share an exclusive essay written by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee's daughter, Hasna Muhammad, who played a key role in getting this landmark play back on Broadway. 

2 Broadway Shows Close Today


Purlie Victorious takes its final bow at the Music Box Theatre following 23 previews and 151 regular performances; and Harmony will conclude its run at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre following 28 previews and 96 regular performances.

The Classical Theatre Of Harlem To Receive $75,000 Grant From The National Endowment For The Arts


The Classical Theatre of Harlem has announced it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $75,000.00.

67th Obie Awards to Give Winners Grants in Lieu of Awards Ceremony


In lieu of the Obie annual awards ceremony, the American Theatre Wing will instead dedicate funds to the support and growth of the artists, by bestowing winners with grants ranging from $1,000-5,000.

Photos: Leslie Odom, Jr. Honored With Sardi's Portrait


On Friday, January 17th, Tony and Grammy Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr. was honored with a caricature portrait at the famed theater district establishment, Sardi’s. See photos!

Daphne Rubin-Vega, Kara Young, Reynaldo Piniella & More to Star in HAMLET Reading at The Acting Company 


The Acting Company has revealed the cast for their reading of Hamlet. See the full cast and learn how to purchase tickets!

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adrienne Warren, and Melba Moore Join Talkback Series at PURLIE VICTORIOUS


A slew of stars are joining the lineup for 'Victorious Talkbacks' the series of post-show events following performances of the Broadway revival of the American comedy Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch by Ossie Davis starring Leslie Odom, Jr.

Photos: Leslie Odom Jr. & PURLIE VICTORIOUS Company Host Conversation at Museum of Broadway


See photos of Leslie Odom Jr. and fellow Purlie Victorious cast/creatives at the Museum of Broadway.

Video: Watch an All New Montage of PURLIE VICTORIOUS on Broadway


Watch a montage of Purlie Victorious on Broadway, starring Leslie Odom Jr. & more!

Photos: Leslie Odom, Jr., Kara Young and the Cast of PURLIE VICTORIOUS Celebrate Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee At Schomburg Center


This past Monday at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the stars of Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through The Cotton Patch celebrated the 75th wedding anniversary of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. Leslie Odom Jr. and Kara Young, who play the roles that Davis and Dee originated in the current revival of Ossie Davis’ critically acclaimed play, read love letters from the couple’s archive that is housed at the Schomburg Center.

Interview: Heather Alicia Simms Talks the 'Enormous' Legacy of PURLIE VICTORIOUS And More As the Play Hits 100 Performances on Broadway


The acclaimed Broadway revival of Ossie Davis's play Purlie Victorious will play its 100th performance today December 22. Joining stars Leslie Odom, Jr. and Kara Young is veteran actor Heather Alicia Simms in the role of Missy Judson. Read our interview!

Kara Young FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Kara Young been in?

Kara Young has appeared on Broadway in 3 shows.

How many West End shows has Kara Young been in?

Kara Young has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Kara Young been nominated for?

Kara Young has been nominated for several prestigious awards in the Broadway industry. These include Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "Cost of Living," Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "Twelfth Night," Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Cost of Living," a Performance Award at the Obie Awards for "Twelfth Night," Theatre World Awards for "Clyde's," and another Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play nomination at the Tony Awards for "Clyde's."

What is Kara Young next theatre project?

Kara Young's next show will be Purlie Victorious which opens on 9/27/2023 on Broadway.

What awards has Kara Young won?

Kara Young has won the Performance Award at the Obie Awards for her role in Twelfth Night and the Theatre World Awards for Clyde's.

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