Broadway’s Biggest Stars Prepare for the 2026 Tony Awards
(TJV NEWS) The 79th Annual Tony Awards are set to take place Sunday night at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, celebrating the best performances, productions and creative achievements on Broadway over the past year.
Hosted by singer P!nk, the 2026 Tony Awards feature several closely contested races, with The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! leading all productions with 12 nominations each. The acclaimed revival of Ragtime follows closely behind with 11 nominations, making it one of the season’s biggest success stories. According to CBS News and NY1, this year’s awards are among the most competitive in recent memory, with no clear frontrunner in several major categories.
Best Musical Nominees
The race for Best Musical includes four productions:
- The Lost Boys
- Schmigadoon!
- Titaníque
- Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Industry observers have identified The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! as the leading contenders heading into awards night.
Best Play Nominees
The nominees for Best Play are:
- The Balusters
- Giant
- Liberation
- Little Bear Ridge Road
Many critics have pointed to Liberation and Giant as favorites in the category.
Best Revival of a Musical
Three acclaimed revivals are competing:
- Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Ragtime
- Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
The revival of Ragtime has received widespread praise throughout the season, while Cats: The Jellicle Ball has been celebrated for its innovative reimagining of the classic musical.
Best Revival of a Play
Nominees include:
- Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
- Becky Shaw
- Every Brilliant Thing
- Fallen Angels
- Oedipus
Several critics have highlighted Death of a Salesman and Oedipus as strong contenders.
Leading Actor in a Musical Nominees
The nominees are:
- Nicholas Christopher — Chess
- Luke Evans — The Rocky Horror Show
- Joshua Henry — Ragtime
- Sam Tutty — Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
- Brandon Uranowitz — Ragtime
Many Broadway analysts believe Joshua Henry’s powerful performance in Ragtime could make him the favorite heading into the ceremony.
Leading Actress in a Musical Nominees
The nominees include:
- Sara Chase — Schmigadoon!
- Stephanie Hsu — The Rocky Horror Show
- Caissie Levy — Ragtime
- Marla Mindelle — Titaníque
- Christiani Pitts — Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Caissie Levy’s performance in Ragtime has generated significant awards buzz throughout the season.
Leading Actor in a Play Nominees
The nominees are:
- Will Harrison — Punch
- Nathan Lane — Death of a Salesman
- John Lithgow — Giant
- Daniel Radcliffe — Every Brilliant Thing
- Mark Strong — Oedipus
John Lithgow’s portrayal of author Roald Dahl in Giant has earned widespread acclaim and positioned him as a leading contender.
Leading Actress in a Play Nominees
The nominees are:
- Rose Byrne — Fallen Angels
- Carrie Coon — Bug
- Susannah Flood — Liberation
- Lesley Manville — Oedipus
- Kelli O’Hara — Fallen Angels
Lesley Manville’s Broadway performance in Oedipus has emerged as one of the season’s most celebrated acting achievements.
Featured Actor in a Musical Nominees
The nominees are:
- Ali Louis Bourzgui — The Lost Boys
- André De Shields — Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Bryce Pinkham — Chess
- Ben Levi Ross — Ragtime
- Layton Williams — Titaníque
Featured Actress in a Musical
The category features several standout Broadway performers, with many industry observers viewing The Lost Boys and Ragtime performers as strong contenders in supporting races.
- Shoshana Bean – The Lost Boys
- Hannah Cruz – Chess
- Rachel Dratch – Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
- Ana Gasteyer – Schmigadoon!
- Nichelle Lewis – Ragtime
Book of a Musical Nominees
The nominees are:
- The Lost Boys
- Schmigadoon!
- Titaníque
- Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Best Original Score Nominees
Competing productions include:
- Death of a Salesman
- Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
- The Lost Boys
- Schmigadoon!
- Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Best Orginal Orcheatrations Nominees
- Doug Besterman and Mike Morris for Schmigadoon!
- Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder, and Doug Schadt for Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez, and Gabriel Mann for The Lost Boys
- Lux Pyramid for Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
- Brian Usifer for Chess
Broadway Awaits a Wide-Open Tony Awards Race
Unlike some recent years, the 2026 Tony Awards enter the ceremony without a dominant favorite. While The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon! and Ragtime have emerged as major contenders, experts predict several races could come down to the final votes.
Broadway fans will find out the winners Sunday night when the Tony Awards are broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall, honoring the actors, directors, writers and designers who helped shape the 2025-26 Broadway season. According to CBS News, the ceremony will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
