Broadway Award season continues with the announcement of the Drama Desk Award nominees.
“Beau the Musical” and “Mexodus” led the way with 10 nominations each. “Ragtime” and “The Balusters” came in second with eight nominations each.
The Drama Desk Awards honour both Broadway and Off-Broadway shows with Off-Broadway leading the way this year.
Winners of the 2026 Drama Desk Awards will be announced on May 17 at Town Hall with Marla Mindelle from “Titanique” as the host.
The nominees for the 2026 Drama Desk Awards:
Outstanding Play:
“Caroline” by Preston Max Allen
“Cold War Choir Practice” by Ro Reddick
“Meet the Cartozians” by Talene Monahon
“Prince Faggot” by Jordan Tannahill
“The Balusters” by David Lindsay-Abaire
“The Porch on Windy Hill” by Sherry Stregnack Lutken
“Well, I’ll Let You Go” by Bubba Weiler
Outstanding Musical:
“Beau the Musical”
“Mexodus”
“Schmigadoon!”
“The Seat of Our Pants”
“Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Outstanding Revival of a Play:
“Becky Shaw”
“Ceremonies in Dark Old Men”
“Death of a Salesman”
“Los Soles Truncos”
“Titus Andronicus”
“You Got Older”
Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
“Amahl and the Night Visitors”
“Chess”
“Ragtime”
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
“The Baker’s Wife”
“The Rocky Horror Show”
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play:
Quincy Tyler Bernstine in “Well, I’ll Let You Go”
Noah Galvin in “The Reservoir”
Synnøve Karlsen in “Pygmalion”
John Krasinski in “Angry Alan”
Nathan Lane in “Death of a Salesman”
John Lithgow in “Giant”
Lesley Manville in “Oedipus”
Laurie Metcalf in “Death of a Salesman”
Aigner Mizzelle in “The Monsters”
Patrick Page in “Titus Andronicus”
Anika Noni Rose in “The Balusters”
Kara Young in “Gruesome Playground Injuries”
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical:
Nicholas Christopher in “Chess”
Micaela Diamond in “The Seat of Our Pants”
Luke Evans in “The Rocky Horror Show”
Joshua Henry in “Ragtime”
Dulé Hill in “Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole”
Amber Iman in “Goddess”
Caissie Levy in “Ragtime”
Brian Quijada in “Mexodus”
Nygel D. Robinson in “Mexodus”
Matt Rodin in “Beau the Musical”
Sam Tutty in”Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Brandon Uranowitz in “Ragtime”
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play:
Caroline Aaron in “The Reservoir”
Edoardo Benzoni in “Are the Bennet Girls Ok?”
Maria-Christina Oliveras in “The Balusters”
Nathan Darrow in “(un)conditional”
Emily Davis in “Well, I’ll Let You Go”
West Duchovny in “Diversion”
Alden Ehrenreich in “Becky Shaw”
Linda Emond in “Becky Shaw”
David Greenspan in “Prince Faggot”
River Lipe-Smith in “Caroline”
Lizan Mitchell in “Cold War Choir Practice”
Ruben Santiago-Hudson in Joe Turner’s “Come and Gone”
Richard Thomas in “The Balusters”
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical:
Chris Blisset in “Beau the Musical”
Max Clayton in “Schmigadoon!”
Lilli Cooper in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
Stephanie Hsu in “The Rocky Horror Show”
Judy Kuhn in “The Baker’s Wife”
McKenzie Kurtz in “Schmigadoon!”
Ruthie Ann Miles in “The Seat of Our Pants”
Erin Morton in “Heathers the Musical”
Jackson Kanawha Perry in “Saturday Church”
Jasmine Amy Rogers in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
Ben Levi Ross in “Ragtime”
Layton Williams in “Titaníque”
Outstanding Solo Performance:
Savon Bartley in “Holes in the Shape of My Father”
Jack Holden in “Kenrex”
Hailey McAfee in “and her Children”
Natalie Palamides in “Weer”
Julia McDermott in “Weather Girl”
Josh Sharp in t”a-da!”
Outstanding Direction of a Play:
Jesse Berger for “Titus Andronicus”
David Cromer for “Caroline”
Trip Cullman for “Becky Shaw”
Kenny Leon for “The Balusters”
Joe Mantello for “Death of a Salesman”
Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bijan Sheibani for “The Brothers Size”
Jack Serio, Well for “I’ll Let You Go”
Outstanding Direction of a Musical:
Lear deBessonet for “Ragtime”
Gordon Greenberg for “The Baker’s Wife”
Danny Mefford for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
David Mendizábal for “Mexodus”
Josh Rhodes for “Beau the Musical”
Leigh Silverman for “The Seat of Our Pants”
Outstanding Choreography:
Christopher Gattelli for “Schmigadoon!”
Edgar Godineaux and Jared Grimes (tap choreography) for “Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole”
Natalie Malotke, Jonathan Platero, and Oksana Platero for “Blood/Love”
Toran X. Moore for “Try/Step/Trip”
Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant for “The Lost Boys” (includes aerial choreography)
Outstanding Music:
The Lazours (Daniel Lazour and Patrick Lazour) for “Night Side Songs”
Ethan Lipton for “The Seat of Our Pants”
Douglas Lyons for “Beau the Musical”
Michael Thurber for “Goddess”
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson for “Mexodus”
Outstanding Lyrics:
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan for “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Dahlak Brathwaite for “Try/Step/Trip”
Ethan Lipton for “The Seat of Our Pants”
Douglas Lyons for “Beau the Musical”
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson for “Mexodus”
Outstanding Book of a Musical:
Dahlak Brathwaite for “Try/Step/Trip”
Ethan Lipton for “The Seat of Our Pants”
Douglas Lyons for “Beau the Musical”
Jesse Malin and Lauren Ludwig for “Silver Manhattan”
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson for “Mexodus”
Outstanding Orchestrations:
Bryan Carter for “The Fear of 13”
Daniel Kluger for “The Seat of Our Pants”
Sherry Stregnack Lutken for “The Porch on Windy Hill”
John McDaniel for “Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole”
The Bengsons and Or Matias for “My Joy is Heavy”
Outstanding Music in a Play:
John Patrick Elliott for “Kenrex”
Donald Lawrence for “Oh Happy Day!”
Stan Mathabane and Munir Zakee for “The Brothers Size”
Johnathan Moore for “The Imaginary Invalid (Molière in the Park)”
Ro Reddick for “Cold War Choir Practice”
Darron L West and Alexander Sovronsky for “The Wild Duck”
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play:
Harry Feiner for “Ceremonies in Dark Old Men”
Soutra Gilmour for “Waiting for Godot”
Tatiana Kahvegian for “Meet the Cartozians”
Chloe Lamford for “Death of a Salesman”
Derek McLane for “The Adding Machine”
Derek McLane for “The Balusters”
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical:
Daniel Allen for “Beau the Musical”
dots for “The Rocky Horror Show”
Rachel Hauck for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Dane Laffrey for “The Lost Boys”
Arnulfo Maldonado for “Goddess”
Jason Sherwood for “The Baker’s Wife”
Outstanding Costume Design of a Play:
Kindall Almond for “Initiative”
Enver Chakartash for “Meet the Cartozians”
Enver Chakartash for “Tartuffe (New York Theatre Workshop)”
Qween Jean for “Oh Happy Day!”
Emilio Sosa for “The Balusters”
Paul Tazewell for Joe Turner’s “Come and Gone”
Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical:
Qween Jean for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Qween Jean for “Saturday Church”
David I. Reynoso for “The Rocky Horror Show”
Kaye Voyce for “The Seat of Our Pants”
Catherine Zuber for “The Baker’s Wife”
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play:
Isabella Byrd for “Prince Faggot”
Jeff Croiter for “The Adding Machine”
Stacey Derosier for “Well, I’ll Let You Go”
Jack Knowles for “Death of a Salesman”
Kate McGee for “without mirrors”
Studio Luna for “Marcel on the Train”
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical:
Mextly Couzin for “Mexodus”
Adam Honoré for “Amahl and the Night Visitors”
Adam Honoré and Donald Holder,” Ragtime”
Japhy Weideman for “Beau the Musical”
Bradley King for “The Baker’s Wife”
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden for “The Lost Boys”
Outstanding Sound Design of a Play:
Angela Baughman for “Initiative”
Caroline Eng for “The Unknown”
Tom Gibbons for “Oedipus”
Kieran Lucas for “Weather Girl”
Nevin Steinberg for “Anna Christie”
Giles Thomas for “Kenrex”
Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical:
Jordana Abrencia for “Beau the Musical”
Jason Crystal for “The Baker’s Wife”
Mikhail Fiskel for “Mexodus”
Kai Harada for “Ragtime”
Alex Hawthorn and Drew Levy for “Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole”
Outstanding Projection and Video Design:
David Bengali for “My Joy is Heavy”
Akhila Krishnan for “Kyoto”
Johnny Moreno for “Mexodus”
Tal Yarden for “Oedipus”
Outstanding Wig and Hair:
Alberto “Albee” Alvarado for “The Rocky Horror Show”
David Brian Brown for “The Lost Boys”
David Brian Brown and Victoria Tinsman “Fallen Angels”
Nikiya Mathis for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Robert Pickens for “Tartuffe”
Outstanding Puppetry:
Axtell Expressions for “Amaze”
Emily Batsford and Yuliya Tsukerman, and Cumulo Julian Crouch for “Goddess”
Monkey Boys Productions for “The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire”
Outstanding Fight Choreography:
Gerry Rodriguez for “The Monsters”
Thomas Schall for “The Balusters”
Rick Sordelet for “Titus Andronicus”
Rick Sordelet for “Ulster American”
Sordelet Inc. for “The Lost Boys”
Outstanding Adaptation:
“and her Children” by Rosie Glen-Lambert and Hailey McAfee
“Are the Bennet Girls Ok?” by Emily Breeze
“Oedipus” by Robert Icke
“Pride & Prejudice” by Abigail Pickard Price, with Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches
“Room 204” by Zusammen Theatre Project (Dennis Flanagan and Anjelica Fellini)
“The Imaginary Invalid (Molière in the Park)” by Lucie Tiberghien
Outstanding Revue:
“About Time”
“Baile Cangrejero”
“I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical”
Unique Theatrical Experience:
“Amaze”
“Burnout Paradise”
“Color Theories”
“ha ha ha ha ha ha ha”
“Rheology”
“Slanted Floors”
Special Awards:
Ensemble Awards:
Second Stage Theatre’s Danny Burstein, Christopher Lowell, Cynthia Nixon, and June Squibb
The cast of Intar Theatre’s Spread—Daniel Bravo Hernandez, Danny Gómez, Ishmael Gonzalez, Jaden Perez, and Luis Vega
Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award: Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland
Additional Special Awards:
“Initiative” writer Else Went, director Emma Rose Went, and the cast
The creative collaborators of “Masquerade”