2025 / Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical





James Monroe Iglehart
For
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

2024 / Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical





2023 / Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical






2022 / Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical





2020 / Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

2019 / Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical



Derrick Baskin
For
Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations


2018 / Actor (Musical)

Tony Shalhoub, The Band's Visit

Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady

Joshua Henry, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel

Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
2017 / Actor (Musical)

Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

Christian Borle, Falsettos

Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Andy Karl, Groundhog Day The Musical

David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
2016 / Actor (Musical)

Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

Alex Brightman, School of Rock - The Musical

Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof

Zachary Levi, She Loves Me

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
2015 / Actor (Musical)

Michael Cerveris, Fun Home

Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris

Brian d'Arcy James, Something Rotten!

Ken Watanabe, The King and I

Tony Yazbeck, On the Town
2014 / Actor (Musical)

Neil Patrick Harris, Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Ramin Karimloo, Les Misérables

Andy Karl, Rocky

Jefferson Mays, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder

Bryce Pinkham, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder
2013 / Actor (Musical)

Billy Porter, Kinky Boots

Bertie Carvel, Matilda The Musical

Santino Fontana, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella

Rob McClure, Chaplin

Stark Sands, Kinky Boots
2012 / Actor (Musical)

Steve Kazee, Once

Danny Burstein, Follies

Jeremy Jordan, Newsies

Norm Lewis, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

Ron Raines, Follies
2011 / Actor (Musical)

Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can

Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon

Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys

Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon

Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
2010 / Actor (Musical)

Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles

Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles

Sean Hayes, Promises, Promises

Chad Kimball, Memphis

Sahr Ngaujah, Fela!
2009 / Actor (Musical)

David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish Billy Elliot, The Musical

Gavin Creel, Hair

Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical

Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages

J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal
2008 / Actor (Musical)

Paulo Szot, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park with George

Lin-Manuel Miranda, In The Heights

Stew, Passing Strange

Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair
2007 / Actor (Musical)

David Hyde Pierce, Curtains

Michael Cerveris, LoveMusik

Raul Esparza, Company

Jonathan Groff, Spring Awakening

Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins
2006 / Actor (Musical)

John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys

Michael Cerveris Sweeney Todd

Harry Connick, Jr., The Pajama Game

Stephen Lynch, The Wedding Singer

Bob Martin, The Drowsy Chaperone
2005 / Actor (Musical)

Norbert Leo Butz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Hank Azaria, Monty Python's Spamalot

Gary Beach, La Cage aux Folles

Tim Curry, Monty Python's Spamalot

John Lithgow, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
2004 / Actor (Musical)

Hugh Jackman, The Boy from Oz

Hunter Foster, Little Shop of Horrors

Alfred Molina, Fiddler on the Roof

Euan Morton, Taboo

John Tartaglia, Avenue Q
2003 / Actor (Musical)

Harvey Fierstein, Hairspray

Antonio Banderas, Nine The Musical

Malcom Gets, Amour

Brian Stokes Mitchell, Man of La Mancha

John Selya, Movin' Out
2002 / Actor (Musical)

John Lithgow, Sweet Smell of Success

Gavin Creel, Thoroughly Modern Millie

John McMartin, Into the Woods

Patrick Wilson, Oklahoma!

John Cullum, Urinetown The Musical
2001 / Actor (Musical)

Nathan Lane, The Producers, the new Mel Brooks musical

Matthew Broderick, The Producers, the new Mel Brooks musical

Kevin Chamberlin, Seussical

Tom Hewitt, The Rocky Horror Show

Patrick Wilson, The Full Monty
2000 / Actor (Musical)

Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kiss Me, Kate

Craig Bierko, The Music Man

George Hearn, Putting It Together

Mandy Patinkin, The Wild Party

Christopher Walken, James Joyce's The Dead
1999 / Actor (Musical)

Martin Short, Little Me

Brent Carver, Parade

Adam Cooper, Swan Lake

Tom Wopat, Annie Get Your Gun
1998 / Actor (Musical)

Alan Cumming, Cabaret

Peter Friedman, Ragtime

Brian Stokes Mitchell, Ragtime

Douglas Sills, The Scarlet Pimpernel
1997 / Actor (Musical)

James Naughton, Chicago

Robert Cuccioli, Jekyll and Hyde

Jim Dale, Candide

Daniel McDonald, Steel Pier
1996 / Actor (Musical)

Nathan Lane, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Savion Glover, Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk

Adam Pascal, Rent

Lou Diamond Phillips, The King and I
1995 / Actor (Musical)

Matthew Broderick, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying!

Alan Campbell, Sunset Boulevard

Mark Jacoby, Show Boat

John McMartin, Show Boat
1994 / Actor (Musical)

Boyd Gaines, She Loves Me

Victor Garber, Damn Yankees

Terrence Mann, Beauty and the Beast

Jere Shea, Passion
1993 / Actor (Musical)

Brent Carver, Kiss of the Spider Woman--The Musical

Tim Curry, My Favorite Year

Con O'Neill, Blood Brothers

Martin Short, The Goodbye Girl
1992 / Actor (Musical)

Gregory Hines, Jelly's Last Jam

Harry Groener, Crazy for You

Nathan Lane, Guys and Dolls

Michael Rupert, Falsettos
1991 / Actor (Musical)

Jonathan Pryce, Miss Saigon

Keith Carradine, The Will Rogers Follies

Paul Hipp, Buddy

Topol, Fiddler on the Roof
1990 / Actor (Musical)

James Naughton, City of Angels

David Carroll, Grand Hotel, The Musical

Gregg Edelman, City of Angels

Bob Gunton, Sweeney Todd
1989 / Actor (Musical)

Jason Alexander, Jerome Robbins' Broadway

Gabriel Barre, Starmites

Brian Lane Green, Starmites

Robert La Fosse, Jerome Robbins' Broadway
1988 / Actor (Musical)

Michael Crawford, The Phantom of the Opera

Scott Bakula, Romance/Romance

David Carroll, Chess

Howard McGillin, Anything Goes
1987 / Actor (Musical)

Robert Lindsay, Me and My Girl

Roderick Cook, Oh Coward!

Terrence Mann, Les Misérables

Colm Wilkinson, Les Misérables
1986 / Actor (Musical)

George Rose, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Don Correia, Singin' in the Rain

Cleavant Derricks, Big Deal

Maurice Hines, Uptown...It's Hot!
1984 / Actor (Musical)

George Hearn, La Cage aux Folles

Gene Barry, La Cage aux Folles

Ron Moody, Oliver!

Mandy Patinkin, Sunday in the Park with George
1983 / Actor (Musical)

Tommy Tune, My One and Only

Al Green, Your Arm's Too Short To Box With God

George Hearn, A Doll's Life

Michael V. Smartt, Porgy and Bess
1982 / Actor (Musical)

Ben Harney, Dreamgirls

Herschel Bernardi, Fiddler on the Roof

Victor Garber, Little Me

Raul Julia, Nine
1981 / Actor (Musical)

Kevin Kline, The Pirates of Penzance

Gregory Hines, Sophisticated Ladies

George Rose, The Pirates of Penzance

Martin Vidnovic, Brigadoon
1980 / Actor (Musical)

Jim Dale, Barnum

Gregory Hines, Comin' Uptown

Mickey Rooney, Sugar Babies

Giorgio Tozzi, The Most Happy Fella
1979 / Actor (Musical)

Len Cariou, Sweeney Todd

Vincent Gardenia, Ballroom

Joel Grey, The Grand Tour

Robert Klein, They're Playing Our Song
1978 / Actor (Musical)

John Cullum, On the Twentieth Century

Eddie Bracken, Hello, Dolly!

Barry Nelson, The Act

Gilbert Price, Timbuktu!
1977 / Actor (Musical)

Barry Bostwick, The Robber Bridegroom

Robert Guillaume, Guys and Dolls

Raul Julia, Threepenny Opera

Reid Shelton, Annie
1976 / Actor (Musical)

George Rose, My Fair Lady

Mako, Pacific Overtures

Jerry Orbach, Chicago

Ian Richardson, My Fair Lady
1975 / Actor (Musical)

John Cullum, Shenandoah

Joel Grey, Goodtime Charley

Raul Julia, Where's Charley?

Eddie Mekka, The Lieutenant

Robert Preston, Mack and Mabel
1974 / Actor (Musical)

Christopher Plummer, Cyrano

Alfred Drake, Gigi

Joe Morton, Raisin

Lewis J. Stadlen, Candide
1973 / Actor (Musical)

Ben Vereen, Pippin

Len Cariou, A Little Night Music

Robert Morse, Sugar

Brock Peters, Lost in the Stars
1972 / Actor (Musical)

Phil Silvers, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Clifton Davis, Two Gentlemen of Verona

Barry Bostwick, Grease

Raul Julia, Two Gentleman of Verona
1971 / Actor (Musical)

Hal Linden, The Rothschilds

David Burns, Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentleman

Larry Kert, Company

Bobby Van, No, No Nanette - Revival
1970 / Actor (Musical)

Cleavon Little, Purlie

Len Cariou, Applause

Robert Weede, Cry for Us All
1969 / Actor (Musical)

Jerry Orbach, Promises, Promises

Herschel Bernardi, Zorba

Jack Cassidy, Maggie Flynn

Joel Grey, George M!
1968 / Actor (Musical)

Robert Goulet, The Happy Time

Robert Hooks, Hallelujah, Baby!

Anthony Roberts, How Now, Dow Jones

David Wayne, The Happy Time
1967 / Actor (Musical)

Robert Preston, I Do! I Do!

Alan Alda, The Apple Tree

Jack Gilford, Cabaret

Norman Wisdom, Walking Happy
1966 / Actor (Musical)

Richard Kiley, Man of La Mancha

Jack Cassidy, Superman

John Cullum, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

Harry Secombe, Pickwick
1965 / Actor (Musical)

Zero Mostel, Fiddler on the Roof

Sammy Davis, Golden Boy

Cyril Ritchard, The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd

Tommy Steele, Half a Sixpence
1964 / Actor (Musical)

Bert Lahr, Foxy

Sydney Chaplin, Funny Girl

Bob Fosse, Pal Joey - City Center Revival

Steve Lawrence, What Makes Sammy Run?
1963 / Actor (Musical)

Zero Mostel, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Sid Caesar, Little Me

Anthony Newley, Stop the World - I Want to Get Off

Clive Revill, Oliver!
1962 / Actor (Musical)

Robert Morse, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Ray Bolger, All American

Alfred Drake, Kean

Richard Kiley, No Strings
1961 / Actor (Musical)

Richard Burton, Camelot

Phil Silvers, Do Re Mi

Maurice Evans, Tenderloin
1960 / Actor (Musical)

Jackie Gleason, Take Me Along

Robert Morse, Take Me Along

Walter Pidgeon, Take Me Along

Andy Griffith, Destry Rides Again
1959 / Actor (Musical)

Richard Kiley, Redhead

Larry Blyden, Flower Drum Song
1958 / Actor (Musical)

Robert Preston, The Music Man

Ricardo Montalban, Jamaica

Eddie Foy, Jr., Rumple

Tony Randall, Oh, Captain!
1957 / Actor (Musical)

Rex Harrison, My Fair Lady

Fernando Lamas, Happy Hunting

Robert Weede, The Most Happy Fella
1956 / Actor (Musical)

Ray Walston, Damn Yankees

Stephen Douglass, Damn Yankees

William Johnson, Pipe Dream
1955 / Actor (Musical)

Walter Slezak, Fanny
1954 / Actor (Musical)

Alfred Drake, Kismet
1953 / Actor (Musical)

Thomas Mitchell, Hazel Flagg
1952 / Actor (Musical)

Phil Silvers, Top Banana
1951 / Actor (Musical)

Robert Alda, Guys and Dolls
1950 / Actor (Musical)

Ezio Pinza, South Pacific
1949 / Actor (Musical)

Ray Bolger, Where's Charley?
1948 / Actor (Musical)
