OFFICIAL TONY AWARDS ELIGIBILITY 2025-26- Page 2

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/19/26 at 6:40pm

New Rulings:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Tony-Awards-Committee-Meets-For-Second-Time-To-Determine-Eligibility-For-25-26-Season-20260219

MARJORIE PRIME, OEDIPUS, and BUG are all revivals, with all authors considered eligible for the award.

Everyone in MARJORIE PRIME will be considered Featured (pitting Squibb and Nixon against each other).

CHESS considered for additional categories:

- Danny Strong (New Book) will be considered eligible in the Best Book of a Musical category for their work on Chess.

- David Rockwell (Scenic Designer) and Peter Nigrini(Video Designer) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical category for their work on Chess.

- Brian Usifer will be considered eligible in the Best Orchestrations category for their work on Chess

 

Updated On: 2/19/26 at 06:40 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/19/26 at 6:46pm

Also, Tutty/Pitts for Leading (Musical), which sounds like a given - but they also could’ve tried to bump one of them down to Featured as category fraud (like MHE tried last year)

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 2/19/26 at 7:47pm

This also apparently indicates that All Out isn’t eligible? I heard a rumor they didnt invite nominators but this seems to confirm it

[Kad]

Posted: 2/19/26 at 9:21pm

I think Oedipus could have been considered a new play considering it's not merely a translation of Sophocles, but a total reimagining. It would be like if Sondheim's The Frogs premiered today but was considered a revival.  

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/19/26 at 9:57pm

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "This also apparently indicates that All Out isn’t eligible? I heard a rumor they didnt invite nominators but this seems to confirm it"

They would’ve likely explicitly said if they were ineligible. I can’t imagine it will garner any awards though. It’s something that would be considered if they had a “Special Event” category.

In a year flush with great plays and revivals - ALL OUT deserves the trash bin.

[CJRochester]

Posted: 2/19/26 at 10:00pm

duplicate

 

Updated On: 2/19/26 at 10:00 PM

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 2/19/26 at 10:08pm

Tony Predictions Center open on Gold Derby

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 2/20/26 at 12:43am

Not necessarily. They actually never do a good job at explicitly stating much in these determinations. They never stated for instance that Rob Lake was ineligible, or Jeff Ross. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 2/20/26 at 1:42am

I assume it's not eligible as it wasn't listed in the productions being discussed, despite opening before Bug.  I think they usually list the productions discussed even if there are no determinations to be made, so the fact that it wasn't listed makes me think it isn't eligible.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 2/20/26 at 4:38am

Kad said: "I think Oedipus could have been considered a new play considering it's not merely a translation of Sophocles, but a total reimagining. It would be like if Sondheim's The Frogs premiered today but was considered a revival."

While the Tonys and the Oliviers don't always see eye to eye, it is worth noting that Oedipus did managed to win Best Play Revival from the latter last year.

Updated On: 2/20/26 at 04:38 AM

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/20/26 at 9:21am

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Kad said: "I think Oedipus could have been considered a new play considering it's not merely a translation of Sophocles, but a total reimagining. It would be like if Sondheim's The Frogs premiered today but was considered a revival."

While the Tonys and the Oliviers don't always see eye to eye, it is worth noting that Oedipus did managed to win Best Play Revival from the latter last year."

I think OEDIPUS being a revival is appropriate as well. Even if not a straightforward adaptation, it still follows the same essential storyline. It’s not like it’s an original “sequel/prequel” play like A DOLL’S HOUSE: PART 2 or GARY: A SEQUEL TO TITUS ANDRONICUS

[MezzA101]

Posted: 2/20/26 at 3:49pm

Move Over Sophocles: For Tonys, Robert Icke Is Author Of 'Oedipus'

https://deadline.com/2026/02/tony-awards-eligibility-oedipus-chess-1236730033/

 

[malcs98]

Posted: 2/21/26 at 11:01am

So based on how frequent these TONY eligibility rulings come out and based on patterns from previous seasons here’s what I’m prediciting. We have 16 shows left in the 2025-26 season which means we will more than likely have two more meetings from the administration committee with eight shows being discussed at each.

The productions discussed at the first pen-ultimate meeting of the 2025-26 TONY season will be Every Brilliant Thing, Giant, Dog Day Afternoon, Becky Shaw, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman, Titaníque and The Fear of 13.

The productions discussed at the final meeting of the 2025-26 TONY season will be Proof, Fallen Angels, Schmigadoon, The Balusters, Beaches; A New Musical, The Rocky Horror Show, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and The Lost Boys.

As we head into these final two rounds of eligibility; there are a few determinations I’m going to be very curious about.

1. Will Every Brilliant Thing be considered eligible for Best Play or Revival of A Play?

2. Would the new “beat” arrangements for Cats: The Jellicle Ball be considered jointly eligible for Best Orchestrations?

3. Should Luke Evans or Andrew Durand be considered eligible for Leading Actor in A Musical in The Rocky Horror Show

4. Is Ali Louis Bourzgui eligible for Featured Actor in a Musical in The Lost Boys?

Of course there are other questions left to be answered but I’m curious to hear what you all think and if you know the answers feel free to quote this 

[Kad]

Posted: 2/21/26 at 11:09am

Every Brilliant Thing will likely be considered a revival, considering it is a new production of a widely produced play (and one that had a New York production) that is over a decade old.

Luke Evans will almost certainly be considered a lead. Durand will likely be considered featured.

 

[malcs98]

Posted: 2/21/26 at 1:22pm

Kad said: "Every Brilliant Thing will likely be considered a revival, considering it is a new production of a widely produced play (and one that had a New York production) that is over a decade old."

So I guess Every Brilliant Thing does fall under the classics rule…noted! I also forgot to add this earlier but I’m also curious if André De Shields would be considered eligible for Leading Actor in a Musical for Jellicle Ball  

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 2/21/26 at 1:24pm

Every Brilliant Thing will definitely be a revival. It’s had many different productions over the years so there’s no argument to be made that it’s a new play.

Luke Evans will definitely be lead. They already set the precedent with Tom Hewitt that Frank is the sole lead of Rocky Horror. Doubtful they would change course.

The current plan for Lost Boys is to position LJ Benet as the sole lead. But there is still time to change course if they think another strategy benefits them. But as of now, Ali would be featured 

[Kad]

Posted: 2/21/26 at 1:37pm

malcs98 said: "Kad said: "Every Brilliant Thing will likely be considered a revival, considering it is a new production of a widely produced play (and one that had a New York production) that is over a decade old."

So I guess Every Brilliant Thing does fall under the classics rule…noted! I also forgot to addthis earlier but I’m also curiousif André De Shields would be considered eligible for Leading Actor in a Musical for Jellicle Ball"

The past Broadway productions have had all the performers considered featured and I doubt that will change here. It's a true ensemble show. 

[malcs98]

Posted: 2/21/26 at 2:10pm

Kad said: "The past Broadway productions have had all the performers considered featured and I doubt that will change here. It's a true ensemble show."

See this should be the case for the TONY committee to create a “Best Ensemble” category because if such category were to exist, this would easily win