On May 17 the winners for the Drama Desk were announced with the revival of “Ragtime” earning the most awards with five. “Death of a Salesman”, “Oedipus”, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”, and “Mexodus” also earned multiple awards.
Winners of the 2026 Drama Deks Awards:
Outstanding Play:
“The Balusters” by David Lindsay-Abaire
Outstanding Musical:
“Schmigadoon!”
Outstanding Revival of a Play:
“Death of a Salesman”
Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
“Ragtime”
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play:
John Lithgow in “Giant” and
Lesley Manville in “Oedipus”
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical:
Joshua Henry in “Ragtime” and
Caissie Levy in “Ragtime”
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play:
Alden Ehrenreich in “Becky Shaw” and
Ruben Santiago-Hudson Joe Turner’s “Come and Gone”
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical:
Judy Kuhn in “The Baker’s Wife”
Ben Levi Ross in “Ragtime”
Outstanding Solo Performance:
Jack Holden in “Kenrex”
Outstanding Direction of a Play:
Joe Mantello for “Death of a Salesman”
Outstanding Direction of a Musical:
Lear deBessonet for “Ragtime”
Outstanding Choreography:Christopher Gattelli for “Schmigadoon!”
Omari Wiles & Arturo Lyons for “CATS: The Jellicle Ball”
Outstanding Music:
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson for “Mexodus”
Outstanding Lyrics:
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan for “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Outstanding Book of a Musical:
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson for “Mexodus”
Outstanding Orchestrations:
David M. Lutken, Morgan Morse, Lisa Helmi Johanson, and Sherry Stregack Lutken for “The Porch on Windy Hill”
Outstanding Music in a Play:
John Patrick Elliott for “Kenrex”
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play:
Chloe Lamford for “Death of a Salesman”
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical:
Dane Laffrey for “The Lost Boys”
Outstanding Costume Design of a Play:
Paul Tazewell for Joe Turner’s “Come and Gone”
Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical:
Qween Jean fpr “CATS: The Jellicle Ball”
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play:
Jack Knowles for “Death of a Salesman”
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical:
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden for “The Lost Boys”
Outstanding Sound Design of a Play:
Tom Gibbons for “Oedipus”
Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical:
Mikhail Fiksel for “Mexodus”
Outstanding Projection and Video Design:
Tal Yarden for “Oedipus”
Outstanding Wig and Hair Design:
Nikiya Mathis for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Outstanding Puppetry:
Axtell Expressions for “Amaze”
Outstanding Fight Choreography:
Gerry Rodriguez for “The Monsters”
Outstanding Adaptation:
“Oedipus” by Robert Icke
Outstanding Revue:
“About Time”
Unique Theatrical Experience:
“Burnout Paradise”
Ensemble Awards:
quartet of Second Stage Theater’s revival of Marjorie Prime—Danny Burstein, Christopher Lowell, Cynthia Nixon, and June Squibb
The cast of Intar Theatre’s Spread—Daniel Bravo Hernández, Danny Gómez, Ishmael Gonzalez, Jaden Perez, and Luis Vega
Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award:
Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland
Additional Special Awards:
The epic yet intimate Initiative gave us the full high school experience
Diane Paulus, and the outstanding team of creative collaborators she assembled for “Masquerade”
Other Awards
The William Wolf Award (given by the Board of the Drama Desk):
for individuals who’ve made valuable contributions to the New York theater and entertainment community. The 2026 Wolf Award goes to Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire
The Harold S. Prince Award:
Tom Schumacher, former president of Disney Theatrical Productions, for his outstanding contributions to the theater.