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70th Drama Desk Awards

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70th Drama Desk Awards
DateMay 17, 2026
VenueThe Town Hall
Hosted byMarla Mindelle
Most winsRagtime (5)
Most nominationsBeau the Musical, Mexodus (10)
Websitedramadesks.com.
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The 70th Drama Desk Awards winners were announced on May 17, 2026, recognizing excellence in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions during the 2025–26 season. Nominations were announced at The Lambs on April 29, 2026, with Beau the Musical and Mexodus receiving the most nominations with 10 each. The most-nominated Broadway productions were Ragtime and The Balusters, with eight nominations each.[1][2]

Ragtime won the most awards, winning five including Outstanding Revival of a Musical. Following closely, the revival of Death of a Salesman and adaptation of Oedipus by Robert Icke were the most winning plays, winning four each, with the former winning Outstanding Revival of a Play and the latter winning Outstanding Adaptation. The Balusters won Outstanding Play, while Schmigadoon won Outstanding Musical.[3][4][5]

Winners and nominees

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The 70th Drama Desk Award nominations were announced on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, by Raúl Esparza and Helen J. Shen. The winners were announced on May 17, 2026 in an awards gala held at The Town Hall, hosted by Marla Mindelle.[6][7]

Category Winner and nominees[8][9]
Outstanding Play *The Balusters by David Lindsay-Abaire
Outstanding Musical *Schmigadoon!
Outstanding Revival of a Play *Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Outstanding Revival of a Musical *Ragtime
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play *John Lithgow, Giant and Lesley Manville, Oedipus
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play *Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical * Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy, Ragtime
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical * Judy Kuhn, The Baker's Wife and Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime
Outstanding Solo Performance * Jack Holden, Kenrex
Outstanding Direction of a Play * Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman
Outstanding Direction of a Musical * Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
Outstanding Choreography (tie) *Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!, and Omari Wiles & Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
  • Edgar Godineaux and Jared Grimes, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole
  • Natalie Malotke, Jonathan Platero, and Oksana Platero, Blood/Love
  • Toran X. Moore, Try/Step/Trip
  • Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys
Outstanding Music *Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Outstanding Lyrics *Jim Barne & Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Outstanding Book of a Musical *Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus
Outstanding Orchestrations *Sherry Stregnack Lutken, The Porch on Windy Hill
Outstanding Music in a Play *John Patrick Elliott, Kenrex
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play *Chloe Lamford, Death of a Salesman
Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical *Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
Outstanding Costume Design of a Play *Paul Tazewell, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical *Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play *Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman
Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical *Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Outstanding Sound Design of a Play *Tom Gibbons, Oedipus
Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical *Mikhail Fiksel, Mexodus
Outstanding Projection and Video Design *Tal Yarden, Oedipus
Outstanding Wig and Hair *Nikiya Mathis, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Outstanding Puppetry *Axtell Expressions, Amaze
  • Emily Batsford, Yuliya Tsukerman and Cumulo Julian Crouch, Goddess
  • Monkey Boys Productions, The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire
Outstanding Fight Choreography *Gerry Rodriguez, The Monsters
Outstanding Adaptation *Oedipus, Robert Icke
  • and her Children Rosie Glen-Lambert and Hailey McAfee
  • Are the Bennet Girls Ok?, Emily Breeze
  • Pride & Prejudice, Abigail Pickard Price, with Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches
  • Room 204, Zusammen Theatre Project (Dennis Flanagan and Anjelica Fellini)
  • The Imaginary Invalid, Lucie Tiberghien
Outstanding Revue *About Time
  • Baile Cangrejero
  • I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical
Unique Theatrical Experience *Burnout Paradise
  • Amaze
  • Color Theories
  • ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
  • Rheology
  • Slanted Floors

Special awards

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Award Recipient[10]
Ensemble Award The cast of Marjorie Prime: Danny Burstein, Christopher Lowell, Cynthia Nixon, and June Squibb
The cast of Spread: Daniel Bravo Hernandez, Danny Gómez, Ishmael Gonzalez, Jaden Perez, and Luis Vega
Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland
Drama Desk Special Award Initiative by Else Went, director Emma Rosa Went, ensemble: Olivia Rose Barresi, Brandon Burk, Greg Cuellar, Harrison Densmore, Carson Higgins, Andrea Lopez Alvarez, Jamie Sanders, and Christopher Dylan White
Masquerade and Diane Paulus

Productions with multiple nominations

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Nominations Production
10 Beau the Musical
Mexodus
9 The Seat of Our Pants
8 Ragtime
The Balusters
7 The Baker's Wife
6 Death of a Salesman
The Rocky Horror Show
5 The Lost Boys
Well, I'll Let You Go
4 Becky Shaw
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Goddess
Lights Out: Nat "King Cole"
Oedipus
Schmigadoon!
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Titus Andronicus
3 Caroline
Cold War Choir Practice
Kenrex
Meet the Cartozians
Prince Faggot
Try/Step/Trip
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
2 Amahl and the Night Visitors
Amaze
and her Children
Are the Bennett Girls Ok?
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
Chess
Initiative
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
My Joy is Heavy
Oh Happy Day!
Saturday Church
Tartuffe
The Adding Machine
The Brothers Size
The Imaginary Invalid
The Monsters
The Porch on Windy Hill
The Reservoir
Weather Girl

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Gordon, David (April 29, 2026). "Schmigadoon!, Two Strangers Land Drama Desk Best Musical Nominations". TheaterMania. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  2. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 29, 2026). "Beau, Mexodus Lead 2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations; Read the Full List Here". Playbill. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  3. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2026). "Ragtime Leads 2026 Drama Desk Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  4. ^ Mandell, Jonathan (May 17, 2026). "2026 Drama Desk Award Winners: Schmigadoon!, The Balusters". New York Theater. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  5. ^ Miller, Deb (May 17, 2026). "Winners of the 2026 Drama Desk Awards for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway". DC Theater Arts. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  6. ^ "2026 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced: Full List". Broadway.com. April 29, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  7. ^ Rosky, Nicole (May 17, 2026). "70th Annual Drama Desk Awards Winners - Updating Live". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  8. ^ Rosky, Nicole (April 29, 2026). "70th Annual Drama Desk Awards Nominations – Updating Live". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  9. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2026). "Ragtime Leads 2026 Drama Desk Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  10. ^ Russo, Gillian (April 29, 2026). "2026 Drama Desk Award nominations announced". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
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