Bonnie Milligan Wins Her First Tony Award for Kimberly Akimbo

Bonnie Milligan — or Belting Bonnie as she’s known to her fans — has claimed the title of Tony Award winner.

Milligan just earned the trophy for her featured performance as Aunt Debra in the musical Kimberly Akimbo. The production marks only her second time on Broadway, following her 2018-19 role as Pamela in the Go-Go’s musical Head Over Heels. As David Gordon wrote in TheaterMania’s Broadway review of Kimberly Akimbo, “Milligan…finds ingenious ways to steal every scene she’s in.”

Milligan is a first-time nominee this season, with many feeling she was snubbed a nomination for her Broadway debut. Also in Milligan’s category this year were first-time nominees Julia Lester (Into the Woods), NaTasha Yvette Williams (Some Like It Hot), and Betsy Wolfe (& Juliet), along with previous Ruthie Ann Miles (Sweeney Todd), who won a 2015 Tony Award in this category for her performance as Lady Thiang in The King and I.

Based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2001 play about a young woman with a rare condition that causes her to appear much older, Kimberly Akimbo features new music by Tony Award winner Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home) and lyrics by Lindsay-Abaire.

In addition to Milligan, the Broadway company of Kimberly Akimbo features Victoria Clark (as Kimberly), Justin Cooley, Steven Boyer, Alli Mauzey, Olivia Elease Hardy, Fernell Hogan, Michael Iskander, and Nina White. Clark and Cooley were nominated for their performances as well.

Kimberly Akimbo is now running on Broadway at the Booth Theatre.