Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City.

Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play
Awarded forOutstanding Featured Performance in a Play
LocationNew York City
CountryUnited States
Presented byDrama Desk
First award2023
Currently held by
Websitedramadesk.org

From 1955 to 1974, acting awards were given only for lead performances, without making distinctions between roles in plays and musicals, nor between actors and actresses. From 1975 to 2022, acting awards were presented in eight categories: separate categories by gender; further divided by lead or featured performer; producing four acting awards each for plays and musicals.

In 2023, the Drama Desk organization announced that, starting with that year's awards, the eight acting categories had been retired and replaced with four gender neutral categories with twice the winners and nominees: separate categories by lead or featured performer; producing two acting categories each for plays and musicals.[1] The former awards for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play were merged to create this Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play category.

Winners and nominees

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Key
  and bold indicates the winner.

2020s

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Year Actor Title Character Ref.
2023
Miriam Silverman The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window Mavis Parodus Bryson [2][3]
Brandon Uranowitz Leopoldstadt Ludwig Jakobovicz / Nathan Fischbein
Emily Bergl Good Night, Oscar June Levant
Danielle Brooks The Piano Lesson Berniece
Amelda Brown Love Barbara
Ray Fisher The Piano Lesson Lymon
K. Todd Freeman Downstate Dee
Francis Guinan Downstate Fred
Nick Holder Love Colin
Arian Moayed A Doll's House Torvald Helmer
Brian Quijada Wolf Play Ryan
Kara Young Cost of Living Jess
2024
Celia Keenan-Bolger Mother Play Martha [4][5]
Kara Young Purlie Victorious Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins
Brittany Adebumola Jaja's African Hair Braiding Miriam
Marylouise Burke Infinite Life Eileen
Michael Esper Appropriate Franz Lafayette
Marin Ireland Uncle Vanya Sonya
Will Keen Patriots Vladimir Putin
Conrad Ricamora Oh, Mary! Abraham Lincoln
Sheila Tousey Manahatta Mother / Bobbie
Bubba Weiler Swing State Ryan
2025
Amalia Yoo John Proctor is the Villain Raelynn Nix [6][7]
Kara Young Purpose Aziza Jasper
Greg Keller Pre-Existing Condition Performer
Julia Lester All Nighter Wilma
Adrienne C. Moore The Blood Quilt Gio
Deirdre O’Connell Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp. Cast
Maria-Christina Oliveras Cymbeline Queen
Maryann Plunkett Deep Blue Sound Ella
Michael Rishawn Table 17 River, Eric, & Others
Jude Tibeau Bad Kreyòl Pita
Anjana Vasan A Streetcar Named Desire Stella Kowalski
Frank Wood Hold On to Me Darling Mitch
2026
Alden Ehrenreich Becky Shaw Max Garrett [8][9]
Ruben Santiago-Hudson Joe Turner's Come and Gone Bynum Walker
Caroline Aaron The Reservoir Beverly
Edoardo Benzoni Are the Bennett Girls OK? Men
Maria-Christina Oliveras The Balusters Luz Baccay
Nathan Darrow (un)conditional Hank
Emily Davis Well, I'll Let You Go Angela
West Duchovny Diversion Mandy
Linda Emond Becky Shaw Susan Slater
David Greenspan Prince Faggot Performer 5
River Lipe-Smith Caroline Caroline
Lizan Mitchell Cold War Choir Practice Puddin
Richard Thomas The Balusters Elliott Emerson

Statistics

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Multiple Wins

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2 wins

Multiple Nominations

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3 nominations
2 nominations

References

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  1. Culwell-Block, Logan (April 26, 2023). "Drama Desk Awards Go Gender Neutral". Playbill. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  2. "2023 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  3. Logan Culwell-Block (May 31, 2023). "Some Like It Hot Dominates 2023 Drama Desk Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  4. "2024 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  5. Logan Culwell-Block (June 10, 2024). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Drama Desk Awards With 7 Wins Including Outstanding Play". Playbill. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  6. "2025 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  7. Logan Culwell-Block (June 1, 2025). "Drama Desk Award Winners 2025: The Full List". Playbill. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  8. "2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced: Full List". Broadway.com. April 29, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  9. Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2026). "Ragtime Leads 2026 Drama Desk Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 19, 2026.