The Clarence Derwent Award
Current Recipients: Julia Lester and Nicholas Barasch
Past Recipients: 1945-Present
| Year | Recipient | Play |
| 2025 | Julia Lester | All Nighter |
| Nicholas Barasch | Pirates! Penzance the Musical | |
| 2024 | Andrew Durand | Dead Outlaw |
| Hannah Cruz | Suffs / The Connector | |
| 2023 | Alex Newell | Shucked |
| Bonnie Milligan | Kimberly Akimbo | |
| 2022 | Kara Young | Clyde's |
| Justin Cooley | Kimberly Akimbo | |
| 2019 | Sarah Stiles | Tootsie |
| Ephraim Sykes | Ain't too Proud | |
| 2018 | Ashley Park | K Pop And Mean Girls |
| Sean Carvajal | Jesus Hopped The A Train | |
| 2017 | Katrina Lenk | Bands Visit |
| Will Pullen | Sweat | |
| 2016 | Alana Arenas | Head Of Passes |
| Ben Platt | Dear Evan Hansen | |
| 2015 | Phillipa Soo | Hamilton |
| Josh Grisetti | It Shoulda Been You | |
| 2014 | Whitney Bashor | The Bridges Of Madison County |
| Steven Boyer | Hand To God | |
| 2013 | Annaleigh Ashford | Kinky Boots |
| Michael Urie | Buyer & Seller | |
| 2012 | Susan Pourfar | In The Wake |
| Finn Wittrock | Death Of A Salesman | |
| 2011 | Tracee Chimo | Bachelorette |
| Santino Fontana | The Importance Of Being Earnest | |
| 2010 | Nina Arianda | Venus In Fur |
| Bill Heck | The Orphans' Home Cycle | |
| 2009 | Quincy Tyler Bernstine | Ruined |
| Aaron Tveit | Next To Normal | |
| 2008 | Zoe Kazan | Come Back, Little Sheba; Things We Want; 100 Saints You Should Know |
| Michael Esper | Crazy Mary | |
| 2007 | Leslie Kritzer | Legally Blonde |
| Lin-Manual Miranda | In The Heights | |
| 2006 | Felicia P. Fields | The Color Purple |
| Jason Ritter | Third | |
| 2005 | Ari Graynor | Brooklyn Boy |
| Christian Borle | Monty Python Spamalot | |
| 2004 | Anika Noni Rose | Caroline, Or Change |
| John Tartaglia | Avenue Q | |
| 2003 | Denis O'Hare | Take Me Out |
| Kerry Butler | Hairspray | |
| 2002 | Sam Robards | The Man Who Had All The Luck |
| Anne Hathaway | Carnival | |
| 2001 | David Burtka | The Play About The Baby |
| Spencer Kayden | Urinetown | |
| 2000 | Derek Smith | Green Bird King John |
| Sherie Rene Scott | Aida | |
| 1999 | Robert Sella | Side Man |
| Kristin Chenoweth | You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown | |
| 1998 | Sam Trammell | Ah! Wilderness |
| Juliana Soelistyo | Golden Child | |
| 1997 | Alan Tudyk | Bunny, Bunny |
| Allison Janney | Present Laughter | |
| 1996 | Ruben Santiago Hudson | Seven Guitars |
| Lisa Gay Hamilton | Valley Song | |
| 1995 | Billy Crudup | Arcadia |
| Calista Flockhart | The Glass Menagerie | |
| 1994 | Robert Stanton | All In The Timing |
| Jeanne Paulen | The Kentucky Cycle | |
| 1993 | Joe Mantello | Angels In America |
| Ann Dowd | Candida | |
| 1992 | Patrick Fitzgerald | Grandchild Of Kings |
| Tonya Pinkins | Jelly's Last Jam | |
| 1991 | Danny Gerard | Lost In Yonkers |
| James McDaniel | Six Degrees Of Separation | |
| Jane Adams | I Hate Hamlet | |
| 1990 | Michael Jeter | Grand Hotel |
| Mary-Louise Parker | Prelude To A Kiss | |
| 1989 | John Pankow | Aristocrats |
| Mercedes Ruehl | Other People's Money | |
| 1988 | B.D. Wong | M. Butterfly |
| Christine Estabrook | The Boys Next Door | |
| 1987 | Courtney B. Vance | Fences |
| Annette Bening | Costal Disturbances | |
| 1986 | John Mahoney | The House Of Blue Leaves |
| Patti Cohenour | The Mystery Of Edwin Drood | |
| 1985 | Bill Sadler | Biloxi Blues |
| Joanna Gleason | A Day On The Death Of Joe Egg | |
| 1984 | Peter Gallagher | The Real Thing |
| Joan Allen | A Nightingale Sang | |
| 1983 | John Malkovich | True West |
| Dana Ivey | Present Laughter & Quartermaine's Terms | |
| 1982 | Larry Riley | A Soldier's Play |
| Joann Camp | Geniuses | |
| 1981 | Bob Gunton | How I Got That Story |
| Mia Dillon | Crimes Of The Heart | |
| 1980 | Eric Peterson | Billy Bishop Goes To War |
| Dianne Wiest | On The Art Of Dining | |
| 1979 | Richard Cox | Platinum |
| Laurie Kennedy | Man And Superman | |
| 1978 | Morgan Freeman | The Mighty Gents |
| Margaret Hilton | Molly | |
| 1977 | Barry Preston | Bubbling Brown Sugar |
| Rose Gregorio | The Shadow Box | |
| 1976 | Peter Evans | Streamers |
| Nancy Snyder | Knock, Knock | |
| 1975 | Reyno | The First Breexe Of Summer |
| Marybeth Hurt | Love For Love | |
| 1974 | Thom Christopher | Noel Coward In 2 Keys |
| Ann Reinking | Voer Here | |
| 1973 | Christopher Murney | Tricks |
| Mari Gorman | Hot L Baltimore | |
| 1972 | Richard Backus | Promenade All |
| Pamela Bellwood | Butterflies Are Free | |
| 1971 | James Woods | Saved |
| Katherine Helmond | The House Of Blue Leaves | |
| 1970 | Jeremiah Sullivan | A Scent Of Flowers |
| Pamela Payton-Wright | The Effect Of Gamma Rays On Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds | |
| 1969 | Ron O'Neal | No Place To Be Somebody |
| Marlene Warfield | The Great White Hope | |
| 1968 | David Birney | Summertree |
| Catherine Burns | The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie | |
| 1967 | Austin Pendleton | Hail Scrawdyke |
| Philip Bosco | The Alchemist (Special Citation) | |
| Reva Rose | You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown | |
| 1966 | Christopher Walken | The Lion In Winter |
| Tom Ahearne | Hogan's Goat (Special Citation) | |
| Jean Hepple | Sgt. Musgraves Dance | |
| 1965 | Jamie Sanchez | Conerico Was Here To Stay |
| Elizabeth Hubbard | The Physicist | |
| 1964 | Richard McMurray | A Case Of Libel |
| Joyce Ebert | The Trojan Women | |
| 1963 | Gene Hackman | Children From Their Games |
| Jessica Walter | Photo Finish | |
| 1962 | Gene Wilder | Complaisant Lover |
| Rebecca Drake | Who'll Save The Plowboy | |
| 1961 | Eric Christmas | Little Moon Of Alba |
| Rosemary Murphy | Period Of Adjustment | |
| 1960 | William Daniels | Zoo Story |
| Rochelle Oliver | Toys In The Attic | |
| 1959 | David Hurst | Look After Lulu |
| Lois Nettleton | God & Kate Murphy | |
| 1958 | George C. Scott | Richard III |
| Colin Wicox | The Day The Money Stopped | |
| 1957 | Ellis Rabb | The Misanthrope |
| Joan Croydon | The Potting Shed | |
| 1956 | Gerald Hiken | Uncle Vanya |
| Frances Sternhagen | The Admiral Bashville | |
| 1955 | Fritz Weaver | The White Devil |
| Vivian Nathan | Anastasia | |
| 1954 | David Lewis | King Of Hearts |
| Vilma Murer | The Winner | |
| 1953 | David J. Stewart | Camino Real |
| Jenny Egan | The Crucible | |
| 1952 | Iggie Wolfington | Mrs. Mcthing |
| Anne Meacham | The Long Watch | |
| 1951 | Logan Ramsey | High Ground |
| Frederic Warriner | Getting Married | |
| Phyllis Love | The Rose Tattoo | |
| 1950 | Douglas Watson | Wisteria Trees |
| Gloria Lane | The Consul | |
| 1949 | Ray Walston | Summer And Smoke |
| Leora Dana | The Madwoman Of Chaillot | |
| 1948 | Lou Gilbert | Hope Is A Thing With Feathers |
| Catherine Ayers | Moon Of The Caribbean | |
| 1947 | Tom Ewell | John Loves Mary |
| Margaret Philips | Another Part Of The Forest | |
| 1946 | Paul Douglas | Born Yesterday |
| Barbara Bel Geddes | Deep Are The Roots | |
| 1945 | Frederick O' Neal | Anna Lucasta |
| Judy Holliday | Kiss Them For Me |