The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Artistic Director; Bevin Ross, Executive Director) today announced the 2026 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Musical, and the Distinguished Performance Award. Honoring Broadway and Off-Broadway achievements, the nominations were announced this morning by Tony Award Winner Natalie Venetia Belcon (Buena Vista Social Club) and film, television, and stage star Corbin Bleu (The Great Gatsby) at the official announcement event held at Lincoln Center’s New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
The nominations announcement begins a month of celebrations leading up to the 92nd Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom (141 West 54th Street, New York City) on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 11:00AM. The event will be hosted by Emmy Award winner Frank DiLella (NY1 “On Stage”; PBS Great Performances “Reopening: The Broadway Revival”). Tickets and tables to the star-studded luncheon are available for purchase at dramaleague.org/2026awards or by calling The Drama League event office at 212.625.1025.
The Drama League previously announced the 2026 Special Recognition Award Recipients: Olivier and Grammy-nominated actress Caissie Levy will receive the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater; Tony Award-winning director David Cromer will be honored with the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing; Executive Producer of the Apollo Theater Kamilah Forbes will be honored with the Contribution to the Theater Award; and the Gratitude Award will be presented to Tony nominee and Olivier Award winner Scott Ellis. The Awards Honorary Committee, still in formation, includes Bryan Cranston, Bebe Neuwirth, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Nathan Lane, and John Lithgow.
The Steering Committee is led by co-chairs Bonnie Comley and Darin Oduyoye and members Trish Chambers, Irene Gandy, Sarah Hutton, Jennifer Johnson-Blalock, Paula Kaminsky Davis, Fred Siegel, and Kumiko Yoshii.
The Drama League is also thrilled to introduce the NextGen Theater Leaders, an inaugural junior board of 20 emerging and mid-career professionals who support the industry through advocacy, fundraising, and leadership development while building awareness of the director’s vital role, officially launching June 1.
The Drama League is grateful to their Presenting Sponsor: J.P. Morgan; Platinum Sponsor: BroadwayHD; Gold Sponsors: Jolene McCaw Family Foundation and Darin Oduyoye; and Silver Sponsors: Una Jackman/TALU Productions, John Gore Organization, Paula Kaminsky Davis, Lincoln Center Theater, Nederlander Organization, RB Theatricals, Roundabout Theatre Company, Frederic J. and Barby K. Siegel, Mr. Ted Snowdon, and Women's Independent Producer Network
First awarded in 1922 and formalized in 1935, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They are the only major theater awards chosen by a cross-section of the theater community — the industry professionals, producers, artists, audiences, and critics who are Drama League members nationwide. For more information about membership or The Drama League Awards, please call (212) 244-9494 x101 or visit www.dramaleague.org.
See the full list of nominations below:
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
The Balusters
Caroline
Cold War Choir Practice
Dog Day Afternoon
Giant
Kyoto
Liberation
Marcel on the Train
The Monsters
Prince F****t
Rheology
Spread
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Anna Christie
Becky Shaw
The Brothers Size
Bug
Death of a Salesman
Every Brilliant Thing
Fallen Angels
Gruesome Playground Injuries
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Proof
Twelfth Night
You Got Older
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Beaches, A New Musical
Beau the Musical
Bigfoot!
The Lost Boys
Mexodus
My Joy is Heavy
Night Side Songs
Saturday Church
Schmigadoon!
The Seat of Our Pants
Titaníque
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Bat Boy: The Musical
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Chess
The Gospel at Colonus
Heathers The Musical
Masquerade
Oratorio For Living Things
Ragtime
Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
The Wild Party
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Knud Adams, Cold War Choir Practice
Debbie Allen, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Tatyana-Marie Carlo, Spread
Shayok Misha Chowdhury, Prince F****t
David Cromer, Caroline
Trip Cullman, Becky Shaw
Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, Kyoto
Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman and Little Bear Ridge Road
Marshall Pailet, Marcel on the Train
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Lili-Anne Brown, The Wild Party
Rachel Chavkin, My Joy is Heavy
Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
Lee Sunday Evans, Oratorio For Living Things
Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Danny Mefford, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Bigfoot
David Mendizábal, Mexodus
Sam Pinkleton, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Leigh Silverman, The Seat of Our Pants
Alex Timbers, Bat Boy: The Musical
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 Johnson Chevannes, The Waterfall
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Justin Cooley, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Carrie Coon, Bug
André De 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
The Drama League also acknowledged the previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in Broadway or off-Broadway productions this season. As the Award can only be won once in a performer’s lifetime, they are ineligible to be nominated; however, their exemplary work is recognized and applauded.
Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime
Neil Patrick Harris, Art
Hugh Jackman, Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes
Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman
John Lithgow, Giant
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS (previously announced)
Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater – Caissie Levy
Founders Award for Excellence in Directing – David Cromer
Contribution to the Theater – Kamilah Forbes
Gratitude Award – Scott Ellis
The Steering Committee is led by co-chairs Bonnie Comley and Darin Oduyoye and members Trish Chambers, Irene Gandy, Sarah Hutton, Jennifer Johnson-Blalock, Paula Kaminsky Davis, Fred Siegel, and Kumiko Yoshii. The Awards Honorary Committee, still in formation, includes Bryan Cranston, Bebe Neuwirth, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Nathan Lane and John Lithgow.