Drama League Awards 2026- Page 2
Drama League Awards 2026
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/7/12
Drama League Awards 2026#25
Posted: 4/20/26 at 3:20pm
I am truly shocked at the exclusion of Oedipus. It’s one of the best things I’ve seen in a long time.
Drama League Awards 2026#26
Posted: 4/20/26 at 4:36pm
It does appear the eligibility either quietly changed or the rules were loosened a bit. Looking over eligibility requirements, it doesn’t state that only two performers from a show are eligible, and regarding the transfer shows “double dipping”, it states that “Productions that transfer within two separate seasons, but that are materially similar in the creative team, design, and acting company, may be considered in both seasons”.
Regarding City Center, it does state “Present no less than four weeks of performances (including previews) in a venue holding at least 140 seats, beginning its run during the eligibility period”. But also “In rare cases, the Eligibility Committee may, at their discretion, exempt a venue or company from the theater size or performance requirements, allowing it to be eligible for consideration”. So my assumption is that those shows were given a special exemption because they were fully staged and completely off-book with no binders.
Drama League Awards 2026#27
Posted: 4/20/26 at 4:53pm
This is the "everyone gets a trophy" theater awards group. It's like if you opened this year you get nominated. Not sure what point there is to having this many nominees in every category.
Drama League Awards 2026#28
Posted: 4/20/26 at 5:22pm
For some reason the “edit” option is gone for me so I can’t just add this to my initial post. But the rules would have changed / loosened up prior to the 2024 nominations because all three from Merrily were nominated; and Urinetown was nominated last year for City Center. I can’t think of any other instances of more than two performers from a show or City Center productions prior to that. Others will know better than I, but I can’t think of a single time prior to this year when shows/ performers received nominations twice with a transfer.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/1/23
Drama League Awards 2026#29
Posted: 4/20/26 at 5:32pm
EvanstonDad said: "This is the "everyone gets a trophy" theater awards group. It's like if you opened this year you get nominated. Not sure what point there is to having this many nominees in every category."
Considering there were over 200 productions that could be nominated this statement is categorically false.
Drama League Awards 2026#30
Posted: 4/20/26 at 5:37pm
"Considering there were over 200 productions that could be nominated this statement is categorically false."
Sighhhhh........I wasn't making a statement of fact, and I'm aware that not literally every piece of theater was nominated. My point was more in the spirit of my comment. But I feel adequately chastised now, so thank you for that public service.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/4/04
Drama League Awards 2026#31
Posted: 4/20/26 at 5:38pm
Ensemble1698878795 said: "EvanstonDad said: "This is the "everyone gets a trophy" theater awards group. It's like if you opened this year you get nominated. Not sure what point there is to having this many nominees in every category."
Considering there were over 200 productions that could be nominated this statement is categorically false."
I get exactly what he is saying. On quick glance, it looks like anything and everything has been nominated, but thanks for your invaluable contribution as always, Professor.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/4/04
Drama League Awards 2026#32
Posted: 4/20/26 at 5:40pm
EvanstonDad said: ""Considering there were over 200 productions that could be nominated this statement is categorically false."
Sighhhhh........I wasn't making a statement of fact, and I'm aware that not literally every piece of theater was nominated. My point was more in the spirit of my comment. But I feel adequately chastised now, so thank you for that public service.
"
I got your point. Pay no attention to the troll.
Drama League Awards 2026#33
Posted: 4/20/26 at 7:32pm
jacobsnchz14 said: "2026 DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS NOMINATIONS
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
THE BALUSTERS
Samuel J. FriedmanTheatre
Written byDavid Lindsay-Abaire; Directed byKenny Leon; Associate Director:Ioana Alfonso
CAROLINE
MCC Theater
Written byPreston Max Allen; Directed byDavid Cromer; Associate Director: Zoë Adams
COLD WAR CHOIR PRACTICE
MCC Theater
Written byRo Reddick; Directed byKnud Adams; Assistant Director:Olivia Songer
DOG DAY AFTERNOON
August WilsonTheatre
Directed byRupert Goold; Associate Director:Rory McGregor; Written byStephen Adly Guirgis; Based on the article “The Boys in the Bank” by P.F. Kluge andThomas Mooreand the film “Dog Day Afternoon”
GIANT
Music Box Theatre
Written byMark Rosenblatt; Directed byNicholas Hytner
KYOTO
Lincoln Center Theater
Written byJoe MurphyandJoe Robertson; Directed byStephen DaldryandJustin Martin; Associate Director: Ed Burnside
LIBERATION
James Earl JonesTheatre
Written byBess Wohl; Directed byWhitney White; Associate Director: Annabel Heacock
MARCEL ON THE TRAIN
Classic Stage Company
Co-written byMarshall PailetandEthan Slater; Directed byMarshall Pailet; Assistant Director: JuJu Jaworski
THE MONSTERS
Manhattan Theatre Club at New York City Center
Written and directed byNgozi Anyanwu; Associate Director: Leandra Torres Santiago
PRINCE FAGGOT
Playwrights Horizons/Soho Rep, Studio Seaview
Written byJordan Tannahill; Directed byShayok Misha Chowdhury; Associate Director:Jack Serio
RHEOLOGY
Playwrights Horizons, The Bushwick Starr
Written and directed byShayok Misha Chowdhury; In collaboration withBulbul Chakraborty; Directing Consultant: Caitlin Ryan O’Connell; Associate Director: Kedian Keohan; Associate Direction/Additional Dramaturgy:Lindsay Tanner
SPREAD
Written by Jesús I. Valles; Directed byTatyana-Marie Carlo; Assistant Director: Angela Reynos
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
ANNA CHRISTIE
St. Ann’s Warehouse
Written by Eugene O’Neill; Directed byThomas Kail; Associate Director: Dianna Weiner
BECKY SHAW
Hayes Theater
Written byGina Gionfriddo; Directed byTrip Cullman; Associate Director:Ryan Dobrin
THE BROTHERS SIZE
The Shed
Written byTarellAlvin McCraney; Co-directed byTarellAlvin McCraneyandBijan Sheibani; Associate Director: Kemar Jewel
BUG
Samuel J. FriedmanTheatre
Written byTracy Letts; Directed byDavid Cromer; Associate Director: Zoë Adams
DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Winter Garden Theatre
Written byArthur Miller; Directed byJoe Mantello; Associate Director:Lily Dyble
EVERY BRILLIANT THING
Hudson Theatre
Written byDuncan MacMillanwithJonny Donahoe; Directed byJeremy HerrinandDuncan MacMillan; Associate Director: Laura Dupper andDavid Hull
FALLEN ANGELS
Todd HaimesTheatre
Written by Noël Coward; Directed byScott Ellis; Assistant Director: Bibiana Torres
GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES
Lucille LortelTheatre
Written byRajiv Joseph; Directed byNeil Pepe; Assistant Director: Francesca Sabel
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
Ethel BarrymoreTheatre
Written byAugust Wilson; Directed byDebbie Allen; Associate Director:David Blackwell
PROOF
Booth Theatre
Written byDavid Auburn; Directed byThomas Kail; Associate Director:Tiffany Nichole Greene
TWELFTH NIGHT
Delacorte Theatre
Written byWilliam Shakespeare; Directed bySaheem Ali; Associate Director: Jess Slaght
YOU GOT OLDER
Cherry Lane Theatre
Written byClare Barron; Directed byAnne Kauffman; Associate Director: Francesca Sabel
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
BEACHES, A NEW MUSICAL
Majestic Theatre
Book byIris Rainer DartandThom Thomas; Music byMike Stoller; Lyrics byIris Rainer Dart; Co-directed byLonny PriceandMatt Cowart; Associate Director:Neil Robinson
BEAU THE MUSICAL
St. Luke’s Theatre
Concept, book, lyrics, and music byDouglas Lyons; Music byEthan D. Pakchar; Directed byJosh Rhodes; Associate Director:Lee Wilkins
BIGFOOT
New York City Center
Written byAmber Ruffin, David A. Schmoll, andKevin Sciretta; Directed byDanny Mefford; Associate Director: Zoë Adams
THE LOST BOYS
Palace Theatre
Book byDavid HornsbyandChris Hoch; Music and lyrics byThe Rescues; Based on the film “The Lost Boys”; Directed byMichael Arden; Associate Director:Henry Gottfried; Assistant Director:Caroline Fairweather
MEXODUS
Minetta Lane Theatre,Daryl RothTheatre
Written and performed byBrian QuijadaandNygel D. Robinson; Directed by David Mendizábal; Associate Director: Irvin Mason Jr.
MY JOY IS HEAVY
New York Theatre Workshop
Created and performed byThe Bengsons; Directed byRachel Chavkin; Associate Director:AbbeyJoan Burgess
NIGHT SIDE SONGS
Claire Tow Theater
Words and music byThe Lazours; Developed with and directed byTaibi Magar
SATURDAY CHURCH
New York Theatre Workshop
Book and additional lyrics byDamon CardasisandJames Ijames; Music and lyrics by Sia; Additional music byHoney Dijon; Directed byWhitney White; Associate Director: Jerrica White
SCHMIGADOON!
Nederlander Theatre
Book, music, and lyrics byCinco Paul; Directed byChristopher Gattelli; Associate Director:Bethany SamuelsonPettigrew
THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS
The Public Theater
Adaptation, music, and lyrics byEthan Lipton; Based on The Skin of Our Teeth byThornton Wilder; Directed byLeigh Silverman; Associate Director:Hawley Gould
TITANÍQUE
St. James Theatre
Powered by the music of Céline Dion; Co-created byTye Blue,Marla Mindelle, andConstantine Rousouli; Directed byTye Blue; Associate Director:Billie Aken-Tyers
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK)
Longacre Theatre
Book, music, and lyrics byJim BarneandKit Buchan; Musical Director:Ted Arthur; Directed byTim Jackson; Associate Director:Asmeret Ghebremichael
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
New World Stages
Music and lyrics byWilliam Finn; Book byRachel Sheinkin; Conceived byRebecca Feldman; Directed byDanny Mefford; Associate Director:NJ Agwuna
BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL
New York City Center
Story and book byKeythe FarleyandBrian Flemming; Music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe; Directed byAlex Timbers; Associate Director: Taylor Haven Holt
CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL
Broadhurst Theatre
Music byAndrew Lloyd Webber; Based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats byT.S. Eliot; Directed byZhailon LevingstonandBill Rauch; Associate Director:Cooper Howelland N’yomi Allure Stewart
CHESS
Imperial Theatre
Book byDanny Strong; Music and lyrics byBenny Andersson,Tim Rice, and Björn Ulvaeus; Directed byMichael Mayer; Associate Director:Johanna McKeon; Assistant Director: Fernando Parra Bortí
THE GOSPEL AT COLONUS
Conceived and adapted byLee Breuer; Music byBob Telson; Directed byShayok Misha Chowdhury; Associate Director: Sam Morreale
HEATHERS THE MUSICAL
Book, music, and lyrics byKevin Murphyand Laurence O’Keefe; Based on the film byDaniel Waters; Directed byAndy Fickman; Associate Director: Taylor Haven Holt
MASQUERADE
Book byRichard StilgoeandAndrew Lloyd Webber; Music byAndrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics byCharles Hart; Directed byDiane Paulus; Associate Director:Hunter BirdandMarc Kimelman
ORATORIO FOR LIVING THINGS
Written byHeather Christian; Directed byLee Sunday Evans; Associate Director:Keenan Tyler Oliphant
RAGTIME
Vivian Beaumont Theater
Book byTerrence McNally; Music byStephen Flaherty; Lyrics byLynn Ahrens; Directed byLear deBessonet; Associate Director: Victoria Davidjohn; Assistant Director:Nathaniel P. Claridad
RICHARD O’BRIEN’S THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Studio 54
Book, music, and lyrics by Richard O’Brien; Directed bySam Pinkleton; Associate Director: Kedian Keohan
THE WILD PARTY
New York City Center
Music and lyrics byMichael John LaChiusa; Book byMichael John LaChiusaandGeorge C. Wolfe; Directed byLili-Anne Brown; Associate Director: Irvin Mason Jr.
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Knud Adams
COLD WAR CHOIR PRACTICE
MCC Theater
Debbie Allen
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
Ethel BarrymoreTheatre
Tatyana-Marie Carlo
SPREAD
INTAR Theatre
Shayok Misha Chowdhury
PRINCE FAGGOT
Playwrights Horizons/Soho Rep and Studio Seaview
David Cromer
CAROLINE
MCC Theater
Trip Cullman
BECKY SHAW
Second StageTheater
Stephen DaldryandJustin Martin
KYOTO
Lincoln Center Theater
Joe Mantello
DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Winter Garden Theatre
and
LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD
Booth Theatre
Marshall Pailet
MARCEL ON THE TRAIN
Classic Stage Company
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Michael Arden
THE LOST BOYS
Palace Theatre
Lili-Anne Brown
THE WILD PARTY
New York City Center Encores!
Rachel Chavkin
MY JOY IS HEAVY
New York Theatre Workshop
Lear deBessonet
RAGTIME
Lincoln Center Theater
Lee Sunday Evans
ORATORIO FOR LIVING THINGS
Signature Theatre
Zhailon LevingstonandBill Rauch
CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL
Broadhurst Theatre
Danny Mefford
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
New World Stages
and
BIGFOOT
Manhattan Theatre Club/New York City Center
David Mendizábal
MEXODUS
Minetta Lane Theatre/Daryl RothTheatre
Sam Pinkleton
RICHARD O’BRIEN’S THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Studio 54
Leigh Silverman
THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS
The Public Theater
Alex Timbers
BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL
New York City Center Encores!
DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE
Caroline Aaron, The Reservoir
Christopher Abbott, Death of a Salesman
Shoshana Bean, The Lost Boys
Jon Bernthal, Dog Day Afternoon
Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys
Marylouise Burke, The Balusters
Kerry Butler, Bat Boy: The Musical
Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels
Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!
Patrice JohnsonChevannes, The Waterfall
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Justin Cooley, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Carrie Coon, Bug
AndréDe Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Brandon J. Dirden, Waiting For Godot
Ayo Edebiri, Proof
Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw
Luke Evans, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Tru
Susannah Flood, Liberation
Ishmael Gonzalez, Spread
Sean Hayes, The Unknown
Joshua Henry, Ragtime
Grey Henson, Bigfoot
André Holland, The Brothers Size
Stephanie Hsu, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Alani iLongwe, The Brothers Size
Stephen Kunken, Kyoto
Caissie Levy, Ragtime
Lesley Manville, Oedipus
John McCrea, Prince Faggot
Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman and Little Bear Ridge Road
Lea Michele, Chess
Marla Mindelle, Titaníque
Lizan Mitchell, Cold War Choir Practice
Aigner Mizzelle, The Monsters
Chloë Grace Moretz, Caroline
Lupita Nyong’o, Twelfth Night
Kelli O’Hara, Fallen Angels
Christiani Pitts, Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)
Brian Quijada, Mexodus
Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing
Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Jasmine Amy Rogers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Wild Party
Constantine Rousouli, Titaníque
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Ethan Slater, Marcel on the Train
Ari'el Stachel, Other
B Noel Thomas, Saturday Church
Taylor Trensch, Bat Boy: The Musical
Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Jessica Vosk, Beaches, A New Musical
Adrienne Warren, The Wild Party
Kara Young, Gruesome Playground Injuries and Proof"
OK so here are my overall thoughts on what this could mean for the TONY Awards...
starting with Distinguished Performance Award, there are four potential nominees for Lead Actor in a Musical: those being Christopher, Evans, Henry and Uranowitz. I am surprised that Sam Tutty and Aaron Tveit were notably absent but we will see how the other awards shake out...Leading Actress in a Musical interestingly has six potential noms (Chase, Levy, Michele, Mindele, Pitts and Vosk) however we're only expecting 5 noms to make it to the Tony's so pick your poison to who doesn't make it...The featured categories is where it gets tricky because the Drama League can only nominate two people per show. For potential Featured Actress in a Musical we only have two: Bean and Hsu, hoping that Cruz, Lewis, Kurtz or Tempress can get noms for their shows in other awards tho so we have a good 5 or 6. Potential Featured on the other hand, we have Bourzgui, De Shields, and Rousouli
Understudy Joined: 10/16/13
Drama League Awards 2026#34
Posted: 4/20/26 at 8:27pm
DaveyG said: "The Drama League and OCC nominations are usually full of nonsense."
I just went on their website and if I read it correctly ANYONE can become a member and a "voter" for $19. What am I missing?
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/30/17
Drama League Awards 2026#36
Posted: 4/20/26 at 10:05pm
I’m just catching Ari'el Stachel’s nomination for Other; seems like an egregious error…
Drama League Awards 2026#37
Posted: 4/21/26 at 1:21am
ELP said: "DaveyG said: "The Drama League and OCC nominations are usually full of nonsense."
I just went on their website and if I read it correctly ANYONE can become a member and a "voter" for $19. What am I missing?"
You're not missing anything... you're absolutely right except I think it's closer to $100. People on this board don't do their research or know basic facts so they think it's some kind of exclusive awards body when it's just basically a People's Choice Award that anyone can vote on if they pay the fee. It's a popularity contest voted on by regular people, thus plays like Oedipus don't make it in because it's not everyone's cup of tea.
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