Tony Awards 2026 lineup is out, this year’s contenders set the tone

• The original productions The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! lead the nominations with 12 candidacies each, including the category of Best Musical.

• This year, at least 30 productions will compete for the most prestigious accolade in the American scene.

• Three Broadway icons will receive the special Lifetime Achievement Award at this edition of the 2026 Tony Awards.

The New York theater season raised its curtain to announce the official list of nominees for the 79th Tony Awards, where some 30 productions will compete for the most prestigious recognition on the American stage. The atmosphere on Broadway is one of absolute celebration following a year characterized by bold musical proposals and high-caliber dramatic adaptations.

The musical duel of the year

The main protagonists of the nominations announcement are the original works The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon!, accumulating 12 mentions each and emerging as the absolute favorites in the Best Musical category. Following closely behind is the acclaimed revival of Ragtime, with 11 nominations including Best Revival of a Musical.

On the play side, the latest staging of Arthur Miller’s classic, Death of a Salesman, leads its category with nine nominations. Outstanding among them are Best Actor for protagonist Nathan Lane and Best Featured Actress for Laurie Metcalf. In the new plays section, The Balusters by David Lindsay-Abaire and Liberation by Bess Wohl (recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama) tie with five nominations each, competing directly for the coveted Best Play award.

Honoring stage legends

In addition to the regular competition across categories, this year’s gala will reserve a deeply emotional segment to celebrate the legacy of three indispensable figures of American theater. Former artistic director of the Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop; award-winning lighting designer, Jules Fisher; and respected playwright and director, James Lapine, will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

Each honoree will receive the emblematic circular Tony medallion, which features the iconic masks of comedy and tragedy in relief on a spinning base, a physical tribute to decades of dedication, innovation and technical excellence that have shaped Broadway’s identity.

Gala and hosting details

The 2026 Tony Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 7, at the grand Radio City Music Hall in New York. The event’s production confirmed that international pop music star Pink will host the evening, promising to bring a fresh, dynamic energy to a night celebrating the very best of current stage talent.

Nominees in major categories

Best Musical

• The Lost Boys

• Schmigadoon!

• Titanique

• Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Best Revival of a Musical

• Cats: The Jellicle Ball

• Ragtime

• The Rocky Horror Show

Best Play

• The Balusters

• Giant

• Liberation

• Little Bear Ridge Road

Best Revival of a Play

• Becky Shaw

• Death of a Salesman

• Every Brilliant Thing

• Fallen Angels

• Oedipus