Kara Young has emerged as a groundbreaking force in the world of theater. With her captivating performance as Aziza in Purpose, she is once again at the forefront of the Tony Awards, grabbing her fourth consecutive nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. This achievement not only highlights her talent but also cements her place in theater history.
Kara is the first Black person to receive four consecutive Tony nominations, and she could soon make history as the first Black performer to secure back-to-back wins if she triumphs this year. This meteoric rise is astonishing, considering she has been part of just four Broadway productions to date, each earning her a Tony nod.
On stage, Kara embodies characters grounded in reality, bringing complex, lower-class figures into intricate, upper-class worlds. In the 1961 Ossie Davis play Purlie Victorious, set in the 1950s South, she portrayed the charmingly naive Lutiebelle Gussie May Jenkins. In the Pulitzer-winning Purpose, Kara’s Aziza is a queer woman seeking artificial insemination from her asexual friend, Naz (Jon Michael Hill), only to be caught in a snowstorm at a family gathering.
Despite her success, Kara remains deeply rooted in the gritty realities of New York City’s theater scene. Her schedule, packed with performances and events, reflects her unwavering dedication to the craft.
“It feels that way, but I’m grateful to just be continuing to do the work,” she admits, laughing during a break from introducing Buena Vista Social Club at Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Ham4Ham event.
On the day Purpose won the Pulitzer — which also coincided with the Met Gala — she recalled: “I screamed when I found out that Branden Jacobs-Jenkins won… I called him immediately. I called my mom.”
When asked if her approach to awards season has changed, Kara replied: “It’s a great opportunity… What better time to be out in the streets, in our community, and making sure that people come to see the show?”
Kara also opened up about the meaning of institutional success and staying grounded: “No, I don’t think like that,” she says, crediting directors, designers, and her creative circle for supporting her journey from Off-Broadway to Broadway.
When asked about her character Aziza, she replied: “She is who I want to be or somebody who I could have been.”
Roles, she believes, “just come” to her. “As soon as the next thing comes, it always feels like the thing,” she affirms.
About burnout? She pauses and reflects: “I’m sure that I do. But I just always bring it back to my ancestors.”
Looking ahead, Kara dreams of more film and TV work: “It’s just a never-ending process of absorbing everything. I want to experience all the facets of being a storyteller.”
In the end, Kara Young exemplifies the artistry, resilience, and soul of the theater. Her purpose is not only to perform — but to inspire, connect, and uplift through the timeless craft of storytelling.
