On May 5, the nominations for the 79th annual Tony Awards were announced. The Tony Awards recognize extraordinary achievement on Broadway for productions that opened between April 28, 2025 and April 26, 2026. Awards are administered in 26 competitive categories.
New musicals “The Lost Boys” and “Schmigadoon!” lead the race with 12 nominations each. The nominations of both shows include Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre and Best Musical. The Best Musical category is rounded out by “Titanique” and “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).”
Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of “Ragtime” was not far behind, with 11 total nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical. In that category, it is nominated alongside “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and “The Rocky Horror Show.”
The most-nominated play is the revival of “Death of a Salesman,” with nine nominations, including Best Revival of a Play. In that category, it is recognized alongside “Becky Shaw,” “Every Brilliant Thing,” “Fallen Angels” and “Oedipus.”
“The Balusters” and “Liberation” tied for the most nods of any original play, with five, including Best Play. In that category, they are nominated alongside “Giant” and “Little Bear Ridge Road.”
Of note, scores of two plays were nominated in the category for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre.
Tony-nominated actor Uzo Aduba and Tony-winning actor Darren Criss announced six categories of nominations via national broadcast on CBS: Best Play, Best Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play; Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. See below for the listing of these nominations.
Then, beginning at 9 a.m. ET, Aduba and Criss announced the full slate of 2026 Tony nominees via the Tony Awards official YouTube channel.
The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 55 theater professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. These nominees will be voted upon by 857 designated Tony voters. The 2026 Tony Awards are presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.
As previously announced, the 2026 Tony Awards will take place on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall. P!NK will host the ceremony, which will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). CBS and Pluto TV will present the Tony Awards: Act One, with additional details to follow.
See the full list of nominations below.
Best Play
“The Balusters”
Listen to our podcast interview.
“Giant”
Read our interview.
“Liberation”
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“Little Bear Ridge Road”
Read our article.
Best Musical
“The Lost Boys”
Listen to our podcast interview.
“Schmigadoon!”
Listen to our podcast interview.
“Titanique”
“Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Listen to our podcast interview.
Best Revival of a Play
“Death of a Salesman”
“Becky Shaw”
Listen to our podcast interview.
“Every Brilliant Thing”
Listen to our podcast interview.
“Fallen Angels”
“Oedipus”
Read the article.
Best Revival of a Musical
“Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
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“Ragtime”
“The Rocky Horror Show”
Best Book of a Musical
“The Lost Boys,” David Hornsby and Chris Hoch
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“Schmigadoon!,” Cinco Paul
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“Titanique,” Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue
“Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” Jim Barne and Kit Buchan
Read the article.
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
“Death of a Salesman,” Music: Caroline Shaw
“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” Music: Steve Bargonetti
“The Lost Boys,” Music & Lyrics: The Rescues
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“Schmigadoon!,” Music & Lyrics: Cinco Paul
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“Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York),” Music & Lyrics: Jim Barne and Kit Buchan
Read the article.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Will Harrison, “Punch”
Nathan Lane, “Death of a Salesman”
John Lithgow, “Giant”
Daniel Radcliffe, “Every Brilliant Thing”
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Mark Strong, “Oedipus”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Rose Byrne, “Fallen Angels”
Carrie Coon, “Bug”
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Susannah Flood, “Liberation”
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Lesley Manville, “Oedipus”
Kelli O’Hara, “Fallen Angels”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Nicholas Christopher, “Chess”
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Luke Evans, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Joshua Henry, “Ragtime”
Sam Tutty, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
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Brandon Uranowitz, “Ragtime”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sara Chase, “Schmigadoon!”
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Stephanie Hsu, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Caissie Levy, “Ragtime”
Marla Mindelle, “Titanique”
Christiani Pitts, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
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Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Christopher Abbott, “Death of a Salesman”
Danny Burstein, “Marjorie Prime”
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Brandon J. Dirden, “Waiting for Godot”
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Alden Ehrenreich, “Becky Shaw”
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”
Richard Thomas, “The Balusters”
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Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Betsy Aidem, “Liberation”
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Marylouise Burke, “The Balusters”
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Aya Cash, “Giant”
Laurie Metcalf, “Death of a Salesman”
June Squibb, “Marjorie Prime”
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Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Ali Louis Bourzgui, “The Lost Boys”
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André De Shields, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
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Bryce Pinkham, “Chess”
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Ben Levi Ross, “Ragtime”
Layton Williams, “Titanique”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Shoshana Bean, “The Lost Boys”
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Hannah Cruz, “Chess”
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Rachel Dratch, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Ana Gasteyer, “Schmigadoon!”
Nichelle Lewis, “Ragtime”
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Hildegard Bechtler, “Oedipus”
Takeshi Kata, “Bug”
Chloe Lamford, “Death of a Salesman”
David Korins, “Dog Day Afternoon”
David Rockwell, “Fallen Angels”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
dots, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Soutra Gilmour, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Rachel Hauck, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Dane Laffrey, “The Lost Boys”
Scott Pask, “Schmigadoon!”
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo, “Dog Day Afternoon”
Qween Jean, “Liberation”
Jeff Mahshie, “Fallen Angels”
Emilio Sosa, “The Balusters”
Paul Tazewell, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, “Ragtime”
Linda Cho, “Schmigadoon!”
Qween Jean, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Ryan Park, “The Lost Boys”
David I. Reynoso, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Isabella Byrd, “Dog Day Afternoon”
Natasha Chivers, “Oedipus”
Stacey Derosier, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”
Heather Gilbert, “Bug”
Heather Gilbert, “The Fear of 13”
Jack Knowles, “Death of a Salesman”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, “Chess”
Jane Cox, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Donald Holder, “Schmigadoon!”
Adam Honoré, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Adam Honoré and Donald Holder (Lighting Design) and 59 Studio (Projection Design), “Ragtime”
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, “The Lost Boys”
Best Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”
Tom Gibbons, “Oedipus”
Lee Kinney, “The Fear of 13”
Josh Schmidt, “Bug”
Mikaal Sulaiman, “Death of a Salesman”
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Kai Harada, “Ragtime”
Adam Fisher, “The Lost Boys”
Brian Ronan, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Walter Trarbach, “Schmigadoon!”
Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, “Giant”
Robert Icke, “Oedipus”
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Kenny Leon, “The Balusters”
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Joe Mantello, “Death of a Salesman”
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Whitney White, “Liberation”
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Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, “The Lost Boys”
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Lear deBessonet, “Ragtime”
Christopher Gattelli, “Schmigadoon!”
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Tim Jackson, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
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Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Read the article.
Best Choreography
Christopher Gattelli, “Schmigadoon!”
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Ellenore Scott, “Ragtime”
Read the article.
Ani Taj, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
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Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, “The Lost Boys”
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Best Orchestrations
Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, “Schmigadoon!”
Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez and Gabriel Mann, “The Lost Boys”
Lux Pyramid, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Brian Usifer, “Chess”
Listen to our podcast interview.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder and Doug Schadt, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Nominations by production:
“The Lost Boys” — 12
“Schmigadoon!” — 12
“Ragtime” — 11
“Death of a Salesman” — 9
“Cats: The Jellicle Ball” — 9
“The Rocky Horror Show” — 9
“Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” — 8
“Oedipus” — 7
“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” — 5
“The Balusters” — 5
“Chess” — 5
“Fallen Angels” – 5
“Liberation” - 5
“Bug” – 4
“Giant” - 4
“Titaníque” - 4
“Dog Day Afternoon” - 3
“Becky Shaw” - 2
“Every Brilliant Thing” – 2
“The Fear of 13” - 2
“Marjorie Prime” - 2
“Little Bear Ridge Road” - 1
“Punch” – 1
“Waiting for Godot” - 1
The 2025-2026 Tony Award Nominating Committee consists of: Bob Balaban, Dani Barlow, Mark Bennett, Rob Berman, Jocelyn Bioh, Jeremy Blocker, Rick Boynton, Brian Harlan Brooks, Dr. Jamie Cacciola-Price, Jade King Carroll, Adam Chanler-Berat, Jordan E. Cooper, Will Davis, Andy Einhorn, Dan Foster, Donald P. Gagnon, Ph.D., Deeksha Gaur, Tiffani Gavin, Daniel Goldstein, Linda Goodrich, Joshua Harmon, Timothy Huang, James Ijames, Anna K. Jacobs, Jessica Jahn, Christine Toy Johnson, Rosalie Joseph, Rod Kaats, Peter Kaczorowski, Glen Kelly, Michael Korie, L Morgan Lee, Peter Marks, Lisa McNulty, Danny Mefford, Ira Mont, Jacqueline Diane Moscou, Jessica Paz, Georgina Pazcoguin, Karen Perry, T. Oliver Reid, Carole Rothman, Rafael Sánchez, Florie Seery, Walt Spangler, Mark Stanley, Susan Soon He Stanton, Jeffrey Sweet, Jason Tam, Cori Thomas, Alexandria Wailes, Charlotte Wilcox, Patricia Wilcox, BD Wong and David C. Woolard.
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the original play with the most nominations. There is a tie. This has been corrected.
