Mikaal Sulaiman has emerged as the first Black person ever to win a Tony Award for sound design. Sulaiman, who served as the sound designer for the 2026 revival of “Death of a Salesman,” accepted the honor during the 2026 Tonys on June 7. Also nominated in the category were Justin Ellington for “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” Tom Gibbons for “Oedipus,” Lee Kinney for “The Fear of 13” and Josh Schmidt for “Bug.”
Sulaiman made his Broadway debut as sound designer of 2021’s “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” Sulaiman was previously nominated for 2022’s revival of “Macbeth” — his second Broadway credit; he will also serve as sound designer on the upcoming revival of “Other Desert Cities.”
This season’s staging of “Death of a Salesman,” which won the Tony for Best Revival of a Play, stars Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf, the latter of whom won Best Leading Actress in a Play at the 2026 Tonys. Joe Mantello won for Best Direction of a Play.
The Tony for Best Sound Design of a Play was introduced in 2008, along with the Tony for Best Sound Design of a Musical; its inaugural winner was Mic Pool for “The 39 Steps.” Both categories were discontinued after the 2014 Tonys and reintroduced in 2018.
