Kara Young

Kara Young made history as the first Black performer to win two back-to-back Tony Awards, for PURPOSE and PURLIE VICTORIOUS. Kara can currently be seen starring in PURPOSE on Broadway, which in addition to a Tony, has earned her a Drama Desk award as well as Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Nominations. She previously starred on Broadway as ‘Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins’ in PURLIE VICTORIOUS: A NON-CONFEDERATE ROMP THROUGH THE COTTON PATCH, for which she won a 2024 Tony Award in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. Additionally, her performance in PURLIE VICTORIOUS earned her an Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award and Drama League nomination.

Young was most recently seen starring in MCC Theater’s TABLE 17, which earned her a 2025 Lucille Lortell Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play. In 2022, she made her Broadway debut in Lynn Nottage’s CLYDE’S, for which she earned a Theatre World Award and her first Tony nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. In 2023, she was Tony nominated for her work in COST OF LIVING and won an Obie Award for her performance in the Classical Theatre of Harlem’s production of TWELFTH NIGHT.

Kara can next be seen co-starring in the feature film IS GOD IS. She can also be seen in Boots Riley’s I’M A VIRGO for Prime Video, which earned her an Indie Spirit Nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance. She appeared in HBO Max’s THE STAIRCASE as well as Netflix’s THE PUNISHER and starred in the winning Sundance Short, HAIR WOLF. Kara also starred in MCC Theater’s ALL THE NATALIE PORTMANS, for which she received a Lucille Lortel Award Nomination. Her other stage credits include HALFWAY BITCHES GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN, NEW ENGLANDERS, REVOLVING CYCLES TRULY AND STEADILY ROLL’D and PRETTY HUNGER.