Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of Ragtime led the way as nominations for the 2026 Drama League Awards were announced Tuesday.
The production earned an impressive five nominations, including bids for Outstanding Revival of a Musical Direction of a Musical for Lear deBessonet, and Distinguished Performance nominations for Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Brandon Uranowitz. Levy is also receiving a special recognition for
The Drama League Awards honor both Broadway and off-Broadway productions. They are known for their unique catch-all acting category, the Distinguished Performance Award. An actor can only win this honor once in their career, and after they have won, they can never be nominated again. This year, 54 performers are nominated in the category.
While there is no crossover between Drama League voters and Tony Award voters, the Drama League nominations can reveal which performances and productions stand out at the end of the season. For instance, it is often difficult for featured performances to make the cut for Distinguished Performance. But this year, Shoshana Bean and Ali Louis Bourzgui (The Lost Boys), Stephanie Hsu (The Rocky Horror Show), Andre De Shields (Cats: The Jellicle Ball), and Constantine Rousouli (Titanique) were all nominated for their supporting roles in those respective musicals.
Elsewhere, scene-stealers Marylouise Burke (The Balusters) and Laurie Metcalf (Death of a Salesman) are the only two women recognized by the Drama League who are also competing for Featured Actress in a Play. That recognition likely gives them a major leg up in the Tony race as we head towards the the conclusion of the season.
Some Tony hopefuls were left out in the cold by the Drama League, however. The most shocking omission is the acclaimed revival of Oedipus starring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville. While Manville received a Distinguished Performance mention, Strong was snubbed as was Robert Icke in the director field. The production itself was also snubbed for Revival of a Play, alongside another Tony contender Marjorie Prime. Instead, off-Broadway options like MCC’s Gruesome Playground Injuries and The Public’s starry Shakespeare in the Park offering, Twelfth Night, took those spots.
On the acting front, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) star Sam Tutty was omitted from the Distinguished Performance lineup, although his co-star, Christiani Pitts, was recognized. That’s not good news for Tutty as he hopes to break into a Tony category with only four nomination slots. Leading musical men Nicholas Christopher, Luke Evans, Joshua Henry, Brandon Uranowitz all managed to win over the Drama League.
Below is the full list of 2026 Drama League Awards nominations as announced by Tony winner Natalie Venetia Belcon (Buena Vista Social Club) and Corbin Bleu (The Great Gatsby). Winners will be unveiled at a May 15 ceremony at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, hosted by Frank DiLella.
OUTSTANDING PLAY
The Balusters
Caroline
Cold War Choir Practice
Dog Day Afternoon
Giant
Kyoto
Liberation
Marcel on the Train
The Monsters
Prince Faggot
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 MUSICAL
Beaches
Beau the Musical
Big Foot
The Lost Boys
Mexodus
My Joy Is Heavy
Night Side Songs
Saturday Church
Schmigadoon!
The Seat of Our Pants
Titanique
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
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 Faggot
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, 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 wishes to acknowledge 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
