Frontmezzjunkies reports: Schmigadoon!, Liberation, and Death of a Salesman emerge as the biggest winners of a thrilling 2026 Tony Awards evening
By Ross
Schmigadoon! danced away with the night’s biggest prize as Best Musical, while Bess Wohl’s Liberation claimed Best Play, capping off a remarkable season for both productions at the 79th annual Tony Awards. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman ultimately emerged as the evening’s most decorated production, collecting six Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play, while Ragtime earned Best Revival of a Musical alongside major acting victories for Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy. From Pink’s exuberant hosting duties to thrilling anniversary tributes and powerhouse performances throughout the night, including Ali Louis Bourzgui’s heartfelt acceptance speech, it was one of the most entertaining Tony telecasts I’ve watched in years.
Of course, every awards ceremony also creates its share of heartbreak. Despite arriving with eight nominations, the lovely Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) left empty-handed, while Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show surprisingly failed to convert any of its nine nominations into wins. Chess, Titaníque, The Balusters, Waiting for Godot, Little Bear Ridge Road, and several other productions likewise found themselves applauded but unawarded. Yet Broadway seasons are measured by far more than trophies alone. Many of these productions have already found devoted audiences, and their artistic impact extends well beyond a single evening’s results.
Yesterday I invited readers to play along with my annual prediction game, placing my own bets before the envelopes were opened. Happily, the theatre gods treated me kindly this year. My predictions earned 47 points out of a possible 52, a score that exceeded my expectations and made the evening even more enjoyable as category after category unfolded. The occasional surprise is part of the fun, and thankfully, there were still enough of them to remind us that certainty has no permanent home at the Tony Awards.
More than anything, this season has reminded me how fortunate I am to spend time with these artists and these stories, whether on Broadway, in London, at Stratford, or anywhere else theatre has taken me this year. Following these productions from opening nights through awards season has been an extraordinary privilege, and sharing that journey with readers has made it even richer. With the envelopes now opened and the applause still echoing, here is the complete list of the 2026 Tony Award nominees and winners.
Below are my prediction game choices and point scores alongside the official winners of the 2026 Tony Awards. How did your predictions compare? Mine finished with 47 out of a possible 52 points. Not bad, if I do say so myself.
✅ – who I think will win (2pts)
🤞– who I really want to win (1pt)
🏆 – who DID end up winning
Best Play
The Balusters, David Lindsay-Abaire
Giant, Mark Rosenblatt
🏆 ✅🤞 Liberation, Bess Wohl
Little Bear Ridge Road, Samuel D. Hunter
Best Musical
The Lost Boys
🏆 ✅🤞 Schmigadoon!
Titaníque
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Best Revival of a Play
🏆 ✅ Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Becky Shaw
Every Brilliant Thing
Fallen Angels
🤞 Oedipus
Best Revival of a Musical
✅ Cats: The Jellicle Ball
🏆🤞 Ragtime
Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
🤞 Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Luke Evans, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
🏆 ✅ Joshua Henry, Ragtime
Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!
Stephanie Hsu, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
🏆 ✅ Caissie Levy, Ragtime
🤞 Marla Mindelle, Titaníque
Christiani Pitts, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Will Harrison, Punch
🤞 Nathan Lane, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
🏆 ✅ John Lithgow, Giant
Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing
Mark Strong, Oedipus
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels
Carrie Coon, Bug
🤞 Susannah Flood, Liberation
🏆 ✅ Lesley Manville, Oedipus
Kelli O’Hara, Fallen Angels
Best Book of a Musical
The Lost Boys, David Hornsby and Chris Hoch
🏆 ✅ Schmigadoon!, Cinco Paul
🤞 Titaníque; Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Jim Barne and Kit Buchan
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Caroline Shaw
August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Steve Bargonetti
The Lost Boys, The Rescues
🏆 ✅ Schmigadoon!, Cinco Paul
🤞 Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Jim Barne and Kit Buchan
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Hildegard Bechtler, Oedipus
🤞 Takeshi Kata, Bug
🏆 ✅ Chloe Lamford, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
David Korins, Dog Day Afternoon
David Rockwell, Fallen Angels
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
dots, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Soutra Gilmour, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Rachel Hauck, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
🏆 ✅ Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
🤞 Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo, Dog Day Afternoon
✅ Qween Jean, Liberation
🏆🤞 Jeff Mahshie, Fallen Angels
Emilio Sosa, The Balusters
Paul Tazewell, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Best Costume Design of a Musical
🤞 Linda Cho, Ragtime
Linda Cho, Schmigadoon!
🏆 ✅ Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Ryan Park, The Lost Boys
David I. Reynoso, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Isabella Byrd, Dog Day Afternoon
Natasha Chivers, Oedipus
Stacey Derosier, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
🤞 Heather Gilbert, Bug
Heather Gilbert, The Fear of 13
🏆 ✅ Jack Knowles, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
🤞 Kevin Adams, Chess
Jane Cox, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Donald Holder, Schmigadoon!
Adam Honoré, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Adam Honoré and Donald Holder (Lighting Design) and 59 Studio (Projection Design), Ragtime
🏆 ✅ Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Best Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
🤞 Tom Gibbons, Oedipus
Lee Kinney, The Fear of 13
Josh Schmidt, Bug
🏆 ✅ Mikaal Sulaiman, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
🏆🤞 Kai Harada, Ragtime
✅ Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys
Brian Ronan, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Walter Trarbach, Schmigadoon!
Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, Giant
🤞 Robert Icke, Oedipus
Kenny Leon, The Balusters
🏆 ✅ Joe Mantello, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Whitney White, Liberation
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
🤞 Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
✅ Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Tim Jackson, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
🏆 Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Best Choreography
🤞 Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Ellenore Scott, Ragtime
Ani Taj, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
🏆 ✅ Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys
Best Orchestrations
🏆 ✅ Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, Schmigadoon!
Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez, and Gabriel Mann; The Lost Boys
Lux Pyramid, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
🤞 Brian Usifer, Chess
Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder, and Doug Schadt; Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
🤞 Betsy Aidem, Liberation
Marylouise Burke, The Balusters
Aya Cash, Giant
🏆 ✅ Laurie Metcalf, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
June Squibb, Marjorie Prime
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Christopher Abbott, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime
Brandon J. Dirden, Waiting for Godot
🏆 ✅ 🤞 Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Richard Thomas, The Balusters
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
🏆 ✅ Shoshana Bean, The Lost Boys
🤞 Hannah Cruz, Chess
Rachel Dratch, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Ana Gasteyer, Schmigadoon!
Nichelle Lewis, Ragtime
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
🏆 ✅ Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys
André De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Bryce Pinkham, Chess
Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime
