Kara Young (actress)
Kara Young | |
---|---|
Alma mater | New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts |
Occupation | Actress |
Kara Young[1] is an American actress. She has received three nominations for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play: in 2022 for the role of Letitia in Clyde's, in 2023 for the role of Jess in Cost of Living, and winning in 2024 for the role of Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins in Purlie Victorious. She was the first black actress to be nominated in three consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024) for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play, winning in 2024.
Early life and education
[edit]Young was born and raised in Harlem in New York City.[2] Both of her parents emigrated from Belize. Her father, Klay Young, began working in the Rainbow Room in 30 Rockefeller Plaza in 1992 as a server and later captain (a place where Kara would eventually attend a special event for Tony Award nominees).[1] Her mother worked in health administration in Bellevue Hospital.[1]
Young had an interest in performing from the age of five, when she learned to mime in an afterschool program at the 92nd Street Y.[3] She briefly went to Gettysburg College and the City College of New York before studying at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, where she graduated.[2][4] She studied traditional theater in Thailand for a month in 2008.[2]
Career
[edit]Young joined the LAByrinth Theater Company in 2017.[2] She has appeared off-Broadway in plays such as NSangou Njikam's Syncing Ink, Jonathan Payne's The Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll'd, Stephen Adly Guirgis's Halfway Bitches Go Straight To Heaven (a LAByrinth co-production), Jeff Augustin's The New Englanders, and C.A. Johnson's All the Natalie Portmans.[2][5][6] A Times review of her starring role in All the Natalie Portmans wrote that Young "can fit what feels like a mountain of blood, heart, sinew and febrile emotional response into a frame that can't stretch past five feet".[6] Young often plays characters much younger than herself, adolescents or even preadolescents, something attributed in part to her small size and wide-set eyes.[2]
In November 2021, Young made her Broadway debut at the Hayes Theater playing a single mother, Letitia, in Lynn Nottage's play Clyde's.[3] The Times called her performance "superb".[7] At the 75th Tony Awards, she was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Clyde's.[8]
In 2022, Young played a caregiver, Jess, in Martyna Majok's play Cost of Living at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on Broadway.[9] At the 76th Tony Awards, she was again nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Cost of Living.[10] In 2023 she portrayed Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins in the revival of the Ossie Davis play Purlie Victorious on Broadway, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.[11]
Acting credits
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Hair Wolf | Cami | Mariama Diallo | Short film | [12] |
2020 | Chemical Hearts | La | Richard Tanne | [12] | |
King of Knives | Darla | Jon Delgado | [12] | ||
2021 | After Yang | Erin | Kogonada | Uncredited | [12] |
2022 | Master | Sascha | Mariama Dillo | [12] | |
F^¢k 'Em R!ght B@¢k | Yolanda | Harris Doran | Short film | [12] | |
2023 | Blow Up My Life | Charlie August | Abigail Horton / Ryan Dickie | [12] | |
2024 | We Strangers | Mari Winters | Anu Valia | [12] |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Random Acts of Flyness | Janelle | Episode: "They Got Some S**t That'll Blow Out Our Back" | [12] |
2019 | The Other Two | VMA Announcer | Episode: "Chase Performs at the VMAs" | [12] |
The Punisher | Wendy | 2 episodes | [12] | |
2020 | Bite Size Halloween | Billie | Episode: "First Date" | [12] |
2022 | The Staircase | Yasmine | 2 episodes | [12] |
2023 | I'm a Virgo | Jones | 7 episodes | [13] |
2024 | Great Performances | Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins | Episode: "Purlie Victorious" | [14] |
Theatre
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Pretty Hunger | Lea | The Public Theater | [15] |
In the Event of My Death | Kate | IRT Theatre | [16] | |
2017 | Syncing Ink | Sweet Tea | Alley Theatre The Flea Theater |
[17] |
2018 | The Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll'd | Karma | The Duke on 42nd Street | [18] |
2019 | The New Englanders | Eisa | New York City Center | [5] |
Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven | Lil Melba Diaz | Linda Gross Theatre | [19] | |
2020 | All the Natalie Portmans | Keyonna | Susan and Ronald Frankel Theater | [20] |
2021–2022 | Clyde's | Letitia | Hayes Theater | [3] |
2022 | Twelfth Night | Viola | Classical Theatre of Harlem | [21] |
Cost of Living | Jess | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre | [9]' | |
2023–2024 | Purlie Victorious | Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins | Music Box Theater | [3] |
2024 | The Apiary | Zora | Tony Kiser Theatre | [22] |
Syncing Ink | Sweet Tea | Victoria Theater | [23] | |
Table 17 | Jada | Susan and Ronald Frankel Theater | [24] |
Awards and nominations
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Paulson, Michael (May 27, 2022). "Why the Biggest Ovation at the Tonys Luncheon Was for a Waiter". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Vincentelli, Elisabeth (September 16, 2020). "For Kara Young, a Zooming Career Is Followed by a Zoom Role". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Brunner, Jeryl (December 22, 2021). "Making Her Broadway Debut In 'Clyde's,' Kara Young Is A Force On Stage And Screen". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ "Notable Alumni". New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Green, Jesse (October 2, 2019). "'The New Englanders' Review: Trying Too Hard to Be Special". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Soloski, Alexis (February 25, 2020). "'All the Natalie Portmans' Review: An Imaginary Friend With an Oscar". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Green, Jesse (November 23, 2021). "'Clyde's' Review: Sometimes a Hero Is More Than Just a Sandwich". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 30, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Sherman, Rachel (May 9, 2022). "Full List of the 2022 Tony Award Nominees". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 12, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Cox, Gordon (September 27, 2022). "Why 'Cost of Living' Is on the Broadway Forefront". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Sherman, Rachel; Cohn, Gabe (May 2, 2023). "Tony Awards Nominations 2023: The Complete List". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Kara Young 2024 Tony Awards First Impressions". The Tony Awards (Youtube). June 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Kara Young - IMDB". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "The Actor Bringing Harlem to Broadway". The Cut. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "Purlie Victorious, Starring Leslie Odom Jr. and Kara Young, to Broadcast on PBS May 24". Playbill. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "PRETTY HUNGER and TEENAGE DICK Set for Public Studio This Spring". BroadwayWorld.com. February 18, 2016. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ "The World Premiere of In the Event of My Death". Irttheatre.org. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "Cast, Creatives Set for NSangou Njikam's World Premiere of SYNCING INK at Alley Theatre". BroadwayWorld.com. January 11, 2017. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Wild, Stephi. "Jonathan Payne's THE REVOLVING CYCLES TRULY AND STEADILY ROLL'D Opens Tonight". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (November 26, 2019). "HALFWAY BITCHES GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN Extends One Week through December 29". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Ware, J. Gabriel (April 21, 2022). "More Than a Character: For Actor Kara Young, the Right Role Is Liberating". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (June 13, 2022). "Cast Announced for TWELFTH NIGHT at Classical Theatre Of Harlem". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Hall, Margaret (February 27, 2024). "Kara Young to Join Kate Douglas' The Apiary Off-Broadway".
- ^ Masseron, Meg (May 18, 2024). "Syncing Ink Officially Opens NYC Return May 19".
- ^ Gans, Andrew (August 8, 2024). "Kara Young-Led Table 17 Extends Off-Broadway Prior to Opening".
- ^ "Nominees Announced for the 2017 Innovative Theatre Awards; Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. July 26, 2017. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Cristi, A. A. (June 9, 2020). "TINA, Audra McDonald, Joshua Henry, LaChanze, Arienne Warren and More Nominated for 2020 Antonyo Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Rosky, Nicole (May 3, 2020). "The Winners Are In for the 2020 Lucille Lortel Awards- The Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Wild, Stephi (December 4, 2020). "Winners Announced For 2020 AUDELCO Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Putnam, Leah (May 13, 2022). "2022 Tony Nominee Kara Young Wins Lilly Award; See the Full Winners List". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (May 16, 2022). "Amber Gray, Kara Young & More Receive 2022 Actors' Equity Foundation Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "2nd Annual Antonyo Award Nominations Announced - See The Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Rosky, Nicole. "SIX, KIMBERLY AKIMBO Lead Nominations for 2022 Drama Desk Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (February 24, 2023). "FAT HAM, ENGLISH, Kara Young, Saheem Ali & More Win Obie Awards for 2020-2022 Season". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ "2024 Drama League Award Nominations announced". Theatermania. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 13, 2024). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Wins Best Play; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Sherman, Rachel (April 30, 2024). "Tony Awards Nominations 2024: The Complete List". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 30, 2024.