Lead Actress in a Musical 25-26

So far it seems like these are the possible contenders for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for the 2025-2026 season. Who do you think is a front runner? Will there be any additions to the list?


1. Caissie Levy - Ragtime
2. Caissie Levy - The Lost Boys
3. Maria Wirries - The Lost Boys
4. Lea Michele - Chess
5. Kristin Chenowith - Queen of Versailles
6. Christine Sherrill - Mamma Mia
7. Amy Weaver - Mamma Mia
8. Christiani Pitts - Two Strangers
9. Sara Chase - Schmigadoon
10. Isabella Esler - Beetlejuice
11. Solea Pheiffer - Wanted
12. Liisi LaFontaine - Wanted

…..

The show is confirmed just hasn’t announced a theater yet. Going into a shubert theater to be announced

Star is not a leading role in Lost Boys

TotallyEffed said: "Sherie Rene Scott, Queen of Versailles"

She would be ineligible as a standby unless she ends up performing on opening night.

Out of these, you really only have 5-7 actually viable candidates right now based on confirmed or running shows.

1. Levy (Ragtime)

2. Levy (Lost Boys)

3. Michele (Chess)

4. Chenoweth (Versailles)

5. Sherill (Mamma Mia)

6. Pitts (Two Strangers)

7. Tempress Chastity Moore (Cats) - if they petition her as a lead (This coming production has her as a principal and not featured ensemble)

I doubt Levy is going to score a double nomination. Her bigger push is going to be for RAGTIME - a lucrative and twice nominated role. QOV is atrocious and I don’t think Chenoweth has enough goodwill at this juncture to lock her in. I would love to see Sherrill get in because she’s finally getting her Broadway debut on and is undoubtedly the highlight of a cheap tour-based revival.

Of my 7 highlights, I think the only best bets are Levy (Ragtime), Michele (Chess), and Moore (Cats).

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "bwaylyric said: "TotallyEffed said: "Sherie Rene Scott, Queen of Versailles"
She would be ineligible as a standby unless she ends up performing on opening night."

TotallyEffed was being snarky, but to clarify your comment: "The actor or actress who is on contract to perform the role, as of the opening date, will be the actor or actress who is eligible." That was a change post-Covid. Meaning Sherie will never be eligible unless Kristin withdraws or is fired. Which won't happen (again, snark)."

Absolutely correct - because some were questioning the eligibility of Brian D’Arcy James for INTO THE WOODS as he missed opening due to COVID and Jason Forbach was on that night

After the drama of this year's Best Actress race, I'm fine with a lower-key race this season.

gleek4114 said: "Correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t think anyone from Beetlejuice will be eligible? Isn’t it too soon compared to its last Broadway run? Or is it that production elements aren’t eligible but performances are?"

Correct. No one will be eligible. Which is fine because I don't want the stans whining about how robbed people would be if they lost to someone from a different production

Broadway61004 said: "Important to remember that no one this century has won a musical acting award for a show that they were no longer with. So that makes it highly unlikely Caissie Levy wins for Ragtime. Lost Boys, perhaps."

Which might mean she is nominated/win for a Lost Boys, but it’s also quietly a win for Ragtime too.

Re: Beetlejuice - Performers would be eligible, but the production elements would not.

Why? How many times has she appeared on Broadway before? Frozen, Hair, Les Mis, Ghost, Caroline or change, Leopolstadt. Not one nomination so far, and her performance in ragtime, people are lukewarm at best. There’s no nomination for this or for Lost Boys.

Updated On: 10/10/25 at 02:32 PM

I'm certainly glad it opened when it did, but it makes me wonder, if Death Becomes Her opened this year, it'd sweep the Tony Awards.

Mamma Mia is not inviting any voters and not submitting itself for the Tonys. So Sherrill and Weaver are out of the picture.