The Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play was an award presented annually at the Lucille Lortel Awards to honor an actress for excellence in a leading role in an Off-Broadway production. The categories were split into Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical in 2014.Actoing Categories Split into Musicals and Plays The acting categories were made gender-neutral in 2021.
Eileen Atkins, Cherry Jones, Mary-Louise Parker and Tonya Pinkins have won the award twice each (with Pinkins' wins including one for a combined musical/play category in 2004. Quincy Tyler Bernstine and Jayne Houdyshell hold the record for most nominations, with four each; Houdyshell has received the most nominations without a win.Previous Nominees and Recipients
Several musical performers won or received nominations in this category before the musical/play categories split, including: Tonya Pinkins - 2004 winner for Caroline, Or Change Elaine Stritch - 2002 nominee for Elaine Stritch: At Liberty Jayne Houdyshell - - 2010 nominee for Coraline Sherie Rene Scott - 2010 nominee for Everyday Rapture Molly Ranson - 2012 nominee for Carrie Mary Testa - 2012 nominee for Queen of the Mist
Award winners Key
1990s Year Actress Play Role 1992Eileen AtkinsA Room of One’s Own Virginia Woolf 1993Anna Deavere SmithFires in the Mirror All 1994Myra CarterThree Tall Women A 1995Linda Lavin (Tie)Death Defying Acts Dorothy/CarolEileen Atkins (Tie)Vita & Virginia Virginia Woolf 1996Uta HagenMrs. Klein Mrs. Klein 1997Mary-Louise ParkerHow I Learned to Drive Li'l Bit 1998Cherry JonesPride’s Crossing Mabel Tidings/Bigelow 1999Kathleen ChalfantWit Vivian Bearing, Ph.D.
2000s Year Actress Play Role 2000Eileen HeckartThe Waverly Gallery Gladys Green 2001Mary-Louise ParkerProof CatherineEileen AtkinsThe Unexpected Man The WomanJanie DeeComic Potential Jacie Triplethree Mary Beth FisherBoy Gets Girl Theresa BedellMarian SeldesThe Play About the Baby Woman 2002Linda EmondHomebody/Kabul The HomebodyRuby DeeSaint Lucy’s Eyes N/AMartha PlimptonHobson’s Choice Maggie HobsonPhylicia RashadBlue Peggy ClarkElaine StritchElaine Stritch At Liberty N/A 2003Tovah FeldshuhGolda's Balcony Golda MeirS. Epatha MerkersonFucking A Hester SmithKate MulgrewTea at Five Katharine HepburnPamela Payton-WrightFifth of July Sally FriedmanParker Posey Gwen Landis 2004 Awarded as "Best Actress" for both play and musical performanceTonya PinkinsCaroline, or Change Caroline ThibodeauxLisa EmeryIron FayJayne HoudyshellWell EnsembleSwoosie KurtzFrozen Nancy Zilah MendozaLiving Out Ana Hernandez 2005Cherry JonesDoubt Sister AloysiusAshlie AtkinsonFat Pig HelenViola DavisIntimate Apparel EstherJudy KayeSouvenir Florence Foster JenkinsElizabeth MarvelHedda Gabler Hedda Gabler 2006Lois SmithThe Trip to Bountiful Carrie WattsJennifer Jason LeighAbigail's Party BeverlyS. Epatha MerkersonBirdie Blue BirdieJulie WhiteThe Little Dog Laughed DianeDianne WiestThird Laurie Jameson 2007Gloria ReubenStuff Happens Condoleezza Rice Rebecca BrooksherDying City KellyJill ClayburghThe Busy World Is Hushed HannahPatricia HeatonThe Scene StellaLaila RobinsSore Throats Judy 2008Elizabeth FranzThe Piano Teacher Mrs. KLisa Gay HamiltonOhio State Murders Suzanne Alexander Jayne HoudyshellThe Receptionist Beverly WilkinsAlison PillBlackbird UnaLynn RedgraveGrace Grace 2009Saidah Arrika EkulonaRuined Mama NadiEllen BurstynThe Little Flower of East Orange Therese Marie Carmen M. Herlihycrooked Maribel Kellie OverbeyThe Savannah Disputation MelissaAnnie ParisseBecky Shaw Becky
2010s Year Actress Play Role 2010Judith IveyThe Glass MenagerieAmanda Wingfield Nina Arianda Venus in Fur Vanda Jayne Houdyshell Coraline Coraline Cristin Milioti Stunning Lily Schwecky Sherie Rene Scott Everyday Rapture Sherie Rene Scott 2011Laurie MetcalfThe Other PlaceJuliana Tracee Chimo Bachelorette Regan Edie Falco This Wide Night Lorraine Elizabeth Marvel The Little Foxes Regina Giddens Michele Pawk A Small Fire Emily Bridges 2012 Sanaa Lathan By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Vera Stark Cristin Milioti Once Girl Carey Mulligan Through a Glass Darkly Karin Molly Ranson Carrie Carrie Mary Testa Queen of the Mist Annie Edson Taylor 2013 Roslyn Ruff The Piano Lesson Berniece Quincy Tyler Bernstine Neva Masha America Ferrera Bethany Crystal Vanessa Redgrave The Revisionist Maria Sharon Washington Wild With Happy Adelaide/Aunt Glo 2014Tracee ChimoBad Jews Daphna Diane Davis The Model Apartment Debby Carolyn McCormick The Open House Mother Laurie Metcalf Domesticated Judy Andrus Nichols Bedlam's Hamlet and Saint Joan Actor #2/Gertrude/Ophelia/Joan/Others 2015 Tonya Pinkins Rasheeda Speaking Jaclyn Quincy Tyler Bernstine Grand Concourse Shelly Anna Gunn Sex With Strangers Olivia Jan Maxwell The City of Conversation Hester Ferris S. Epatha Merkerson While I Yet Live Maxine 2016 Phylicia Rashad Head of Passes Shelah Ito Aghayere Familiar Nyasha Georgia Engel John Mertis Katherine Graven Jayne Houdyshell The Humans Deirdre Chinasa Ogbuagu Sojourners Abasiama 2017 Jennifer Ehle Oslo Mona Johanna Day Sweat Tracey Jennifer Kidwell Underground Railroad Game Teacher Caroline Kecia Lewis Marie and Rosetta Sister Rosetta Tharpe Maryann Plunkett Women of a Certain Age Mary 2018 Carrie Coon Mary JaneMary Jane Quincy Tyler Bernstine The Amateurs Hollis MaameYaa Boafo School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play Paulina Sarpong Cristin Milioti After the Blast Anna Karen Pittman Pipeline Nya 2019 Quincy Tyler BernstineMarys SeacoleMary Ako God Said This MasakoMarin Ireland Blue Ridge Alison Zainab Jah Boesman and Lena Lena Charlayne Woodard Daddy Zora
2020s Year Actress Play Character 2020 Emily Davis Is This a RoomReality Winner Liza Colón-ZayasHalfway Bitches Go Straight to HeavenSargeApril MatthisToni StoneToni StoneZoë WintersHeroes of the Fourth TurningTeresaKara YoungAll the Natalie PortmansKeyonna
Multiple wins 2 wins Eileen AtkinsPrevious Nominees and Recipients Cherry Jones Mary-Louise Parker Tonya PinkinsIncluding one win for combined musical/play category.
Multiple nominations 4 nominations Jayne Houdyshell Quincy Tyler Bernstine
3 nominations Eileen AtkinsPrevious Nominees and Recipients S. Epatha Merkerson Cristin MiliotiIncluding one nomination for combined musical/play category.
2 nominations Mary-Louise Parker Cherry Jones Phylicia Rashad Tonya PinkinsIncluding one win for combined musical/play category. Elizabeth Marvel Laurie Metcalf Tracee Chimo
See also Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress (Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway) Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway)
References
External links Lucille Lortel Award Nominees and Recipients Internet Off-Broadway Database - Lortel Archives