The Drama Desk, which honors Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway productions, has set the schedule for its 2026 awards. The 70th annual ceremony will take place on May 17 at the Town Hall.
Nominations for awards will be announced on April 29. To be eligible for consideration, productions must open no later than April 26.
After a number of years at other venues including Sardi’s Restaurant and New York University’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, the 2026 awards will return to its pre-pandemic location of the Town Hall. The ceremony will celebrate the 70-year history of the Drama Desks.
As previously announced, this year’s awards will be produced by Drama Desk Awards Productions, a venture of Scene Partners in partnership with the Season. Chaired by the Martha Wade Steketee, the 2026 nominating committee includes Linda Armstrong, Daniel Dinero, Peter Filichia, Kenji Fujishima, Margaret Hall and Raven Snook.
The Drama Desk organization was created in 1949 by theater journalists who wanted to bring attention to the wide range of theatrical artistry in New York. Unlike other awards ceremonies, the Drama Desk Awards celebrate achievement on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway.
Top winners of the 2025 Drama Desk Awards included Outstanding Musical winner “Maybe Happy Ending” and Outstanding Play recipient “Purpose.”
