Nominations for the 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced on Wednesday, and off-Broadway productions dominated this year’s slate of nominees. Beau the Musical and Mexodus led the field with 10 nominations apiece.
Since Broadway and off-Broadway productions compete against one another in combined categories, many Tony hopefuls were omitted this morning. But some important tea leaves can still be gleaned from these awards.
For starters, only two Broadway musicals made the cut in the Drama Desk’s Outstanding Musical lineup: the crowd-pleasers Schmigadoon! and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). Two Strangers was also the only Broadway musical to show up in any of the Drama Desk categories that honor a musical score, earning a nod for Best Lyrics, but getting snubbed for Best Music. That gives the charming two-hander an edge as it heads into a Tony race where no musical has emerged as an unbeatable frontrunner.
At the same time, the Drama Desk nominations did little to clear up which three musical revivals will be nominated in that category at the Tonys. Cats: The Jellicle Ball was not eligible for its Broadway version having already received multiple Drama Desk nods for its off-Broadway run. The Ragtime revival performed well, drawing nominations for director Lear deBessonet and stars Caissie Levy, Joshua Henry, and Brandon Uranowitz. And Chess and The Rocky Horror Show both scored Drama Desk nods, which continues their rivalry to claim the coveted third spot at the Tonys.
On the non-musical side of things, it was a particularly good morning for The Balusters. The David Lindsay-Abaire comedy is the only Broadway show up for Outstanding Play, while director Kenny Leon and stars Anika Noni Rose, Richard Thomas, and Maria-Christina Oliveras earned their first nominations of the season. Perhaps this timely script is in a better position than many pundits predicted as we approach Tony voting.
At this point in the race, seven actors have scored nominations from all three precursor awards groups, including the Outer Critics Circle and the Drama League. The list includes Lesley Manville (Oedipus), Laurie Metcalf (Death of a Salesman), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone), Nicholas Christopher (Chess), Luke Evans (The Rocky Horror Show), Joshua Henry and Brandon Uranowitz (both from Ragtime).
Winners of the 2026 Drama Desk Awards will be announced during a ceremony on Sunday, May 17.
Read the full list of nominees below
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 Stregack Lutken, Lisa Helmi Johanson, Morgan Morse, and David M. Lutken
Well, I’ll Let You Go, by Bubba Weile
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, Well, I’ll Let You Go
Noah Galvin, The Reservoir
Synnøve Karlsen, Pygmalion
John Krasinski, Angry Alan
Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman
John Lithgow, Giant
Lesley Manville, Oedipus
Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman
Aigner Mizzelle, The Monsters
Patrick Page, Titus Andronicus
Anika Noni Rose, The Balusters
Kara Young, Gruesome Playground Injuries
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Micaela Diamond, The Seat of Our Pants
Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show
Joshua Henry, Ragtime
Dulé Hill, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
Amber Iman, Goddess
Caissie Levy, Ragtime
Brian Quijada, Mexodus
Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Matt Rodin, Beau the Musical
Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play
Caroline Aaron, The Reservoir
Edoardo Benzoni, Are the Bennet Girls Ok?
Maria-Christina Oliveras, The Balusters
Nathan Darrow, (un)conditional
Emily Davis, Well, I’ll Let You Go
West Duchovny, Diversion
Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw
Linda Emond, Becky Shaw
David Greenspan, Prince FaggotRiver Lipe-Smith, Caroline
Lizan Mitchell, Cold War Choir Practice
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Richard Thomas, The Balusters
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical
Chris Blisset, Beau the Musical
Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!
Lilli Cooper, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Stephanie Hsu, The Rocky Horror Show
Judy Kuhn, The Baker’s Wife
McKenzie Kurtz, Schmigadoon!
Ruthie Ann Miles, The Seat of Our Pants
Erin Morton, Heathers the Musical
Jackson Kanawha Perry, Saturday Church
Jasmine Amy Rogers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime
Layton Williams, Titaníque
Outstanding Solo Performance
Savon Bartley, Holes in the Shape of My Father
Jack Holden, Kenrex
Hailey McAfee, and her Children
Natalie Palamides, Weer
Julia McDermott, Weather Girl
Josh Sharp, ta-da!
Outstanding Direction of a Play
Jesse Berger, Titus Andronicus
David Cromer, Caroline
Trip Cullman, Becky Shaw
Kenny Leon, The Balusters
Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman
Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bijan Sheibani, The Brothers Size
Jack Serio, Well, I’ll Let You Go
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
Gordon Greenberg, The Baker’s Wife
Danny Mefford, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
David Mendizábal, Mexodus
Josh Rhodes, Beau the Musical
Leigh Silverman, The Seat of Our Pants
Outstanding Choreography
Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Edgar Godineaux and Jared Grimes (tap choreography), Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
Natalie Malotke, Jonathan Platero, and Oksana Platero, Blood/Love
Toran X. Moore, Try/Step/Trip
Omari Wiles & Arturo Lyons, CATS: The Jellicle Ball
Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys (includes aerial choreography)
Outstanding Music
The Lazours, Night Side Songs
Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants
Ethan D. Pakchar & Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
Michael Thurber, Goddess
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Outstanding Lyrics
Jim Barne & Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Dahlak Brathwaite, Try/Step/Trip
Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants
Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Outstanding Book of a Musical
Dahlak Brathwaite, Try/Step/Trip
Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants
Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical
Jesse Malin & Lauren Ludwig, Silver Manhattan
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Outstanding Orchestrations
Bryan Carter (music supervisor and arranger), The Fear of 13
Daniel Kluger, The Seat of Our Pants
David M. Lutken, Morgan Morse, Lisa Helmi Johanson, and Sherry Stregack Lutken, The Porch on Windy Hill
John McDaniel, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
The Bengsons & Or Matias, My Joy is Heavy
Outstanding Music in a Play
John Patrick Elliott, Kenrex
Donald Lawrence, Oh Happy Day!
Stan Mathabane (composer) and Munir Zakee (musician), The Brothers Size
Johnathan Moore, The Imaginary Invalid (Molière in the Park)
Ro Reddick, Cold War Choir Practice
Darron L West and Alexander Sovronsky, The Wild Duck
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play
Harry Feiner, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
Soutra Gilmour, Waiting for Godot
Tatiana Kahvegian, Meet the Cartozians
Chloe Lamford, Death of a Salesman
Derek McLane, The Adding Machine
Derek McLane, The Balusters
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical
Daniel Allen, Beau the Musical
dots, The Rocky Horror Show
Rachel Hauck, CATS: The Jellicle Ball
Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
Arnulfo Maldonado, Goddess
Jason Sherwood, The Baker’s Wife
Outstanding Costume Design of a Play
Kindall Almond, Initiative
Enver Chakartash, Meet the Cartozians
Enver Chakartash, Tartuffe (New York Theatre Workshop)
Qween Jean, Oh Happy Day!
Emilio Sosa, The Balusters
Paul Tazewell, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical
Qween Jean, CATS: The Jellicle Ball
Qween Jean, Saturday Church
David I. Reynoso, The Rocky Horror Show
Kaye Voyce, The Seat of Our Pants
Catherine Zuber, The Baker’s Wife
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play
Isabella Byrd, Prince Faggot
Jeff Croiter, The Adding Machine
Stacey Derosier, Well, I’ll Let You Go
Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman
Kate McGee, without mirrors
Studio Luna, Marcel on the Train
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical
Mextly Couzin, Mexodus
Adam Honoré, Amahl and the Night Visitors
Adam Honoré & Donald Holder, Ragtime
Bradley King, The Baker’s Wife
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Japhy Weideman, Beau the Musical
Outstanding Sound Design of a Play
Angela Baughman, Initiative
Caroline Eng, The Unknown
Tom Gibbons, Oedipus
Kieran Lucas, Weather Girl
Nevin Steinberg, Anna Christie
Giles Thomas, Kenrex
Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical
Jordana Abrenica, Beau the Musical
Jason Crystal, The Baker’s Wife
Mikhail Fiksel, Mexodus (includes looping systems architecture)
Kai Harada, Ragtime
Alex Hawthorn & Drew Levy, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
Outstanding Projection and Video Design
David Bengali, My Joy is Heavy
Akhila Krishnan, Kyoto
Johnny Moreno, Mexodus
Tal Yarden, Oedipus
Outstanding Wig and Hair Design
Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, The Rocky Horror Show
David Brian Brown, The Lost Boys
David Brian Brown and Victoria Tinsman, Fallen Angels
Nikiya Mathis, CATS: The Jellicle Ball
Robert Pickens, Tartuffe (New York Theatre Workshop)
Outstanding Puppetry
Axtell Expressions, Amaze
Emily Batsford (creator) and Yuliya Tsukerman (puppet design), Cumulo
Julian Crouch, Goddess
Monkey Boys Productions, The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire
Outstanding Fight Choreography
Gerry Rodriguez, The Monsters
Thomas Schall, The Balusters
Rick Sordelet, Titus Andronicus
Rick Sordelet, Ulster American
Sordelet Inc., 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 Taylor Massa
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
The resonant quartet of Second Stage Theater’s revival of Marjorie Prime — Danny Burstein, Christopher Lowell, Cynthia Nixon, and June Squibb — who palpably tap into the emotions that make us human, even when playing AI versions of their characters, in Jordan Harrison’s prescient play about memory, aging, technology, and grief.
The cast of Intar Theatre’s Spread — Daniel Bravo Hernández, Ricardy Fabre, Danny Gómez, Ishmael Gonzalez, and Jaden Perez — for creating warm camaraderie and individual vulnerability, bringing heft to Jesús I. Valles’s sharply observant and deeply compassionate coming-of-age tale of adolescents bravely facing challenges, current and future.
Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award
To the creative and performance collaborators Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland for their disparate historical-literary-interpretive works this season A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God and What If They Ate The Baby? Their absurdist sensibilities test the parameters of several genres and movement styles, including immersive historical drama, physical theater games, and 1950s American domestic realism, and invite new appreciation for all of them.
