Author: Rebecca Prowler

The Outfits That Made The Show: Best Costume Design 2025-2026

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date July 22, 2026

By Ben Schachne

A Look at the Best Costume Designs Behind the 2026 Tony Nominees

Costume design is one of the first storytelling tools an audience encounters that reveals character, time period, and tone in an instant. Far more than clothing, costumes reflect a character’s identity, relationships, ambitions, and emotional journey, while helping create a cohesive visual language that unites an entire production.

The 2025–2026 Broadway season featured an extraordinary range of costume design, from meticulously researched period dress to boldly stylized creations that reimagined familiar stories. The productions below highlight how thoughtful design can deepen characterization, elevate world-building, and leave a lasting visual impression long after the curtain falls.

Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Winner of the 2026 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, Cats: The Jellicle Ball completely reimagines what it means and looks like to be a Jellicle Cat. By placing the musical within the vibrant world of Ballroom culture, the production replaces traditional feline aesthetics with the high-fashion, extravagant, and unapologetically expressive looks synonymous with New York City’s underground LGBTQ+ Ballroom scene. Qween Jean’s designs are fierce and electrifying, using bold silhouettes, dazzling color, and couture-inspired craftsmanship to create costumes that are as much a celebration of identity and self-expression as they are an essential part of the production’s storytelling.

Schmigadoon!

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, Schmigadoon! translates the vibrant visual identity of the Apple TV+ series into an even more dazzling Broadway wardrobe. Drawing inspiration from the bright palettes, classic silhouettes, and unmistakable style of Golden Age musicals, Linda Cho’s designs lovingly parody the era while celebrating its timeless charm. Bursting with color and personality, the costumes bring the idyllic town of Schmigadoon! to life, seamlessly complementing the production’s whimsical world and exuberant spirit.

Fallen Angels

Winner of the 2026 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Play, Fallen Angels captures the sophistication and glamour of a pivotal moment in fashion history. Costume designer Jeff Mahshie shifted the production’s setting to 1929–1930, embracing the sleek elegance of early 1930s style in place of the looser silhouettes more commonly associated with the Roaring Twenties. From impeccably tailored suits and bright golf attire to effortlessly chic evening dresses, the costumes are timeless, luxurious, and perfectly suited to Noël Coward’s stylish comedy.

The Rocky Horror Show

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, The Rocky Horror Show celebrates the cult classic’s 53-year legacy while boldly revitalizing the iconic looks of its characters. David I. Reynoso embraces an intentionally raw, gritty, and DIY aesthetic, crafting costumes that feel handmade and rebellious, including one of Luke Evans’ Frank N. Furter dresses that is trimmed with ribbons from trash bags. Rich in texture, inventive materials, and subtle nods to past productions and the beloved film, the costumes perfectly capture the musical’s intoxicating blend of punk, sci-fi, horror, and camp.

Ragtime

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, Ragtime captures the elegance and complexity of early twentieth-century America through a wardrobe that feels both historically authentic and remarkably fresh. Earning Linda Cho her second Tony nomination of the season, the meticulously crafted costumes are sweeping, detailed, and have a lived-in sense of realism. As the musical follows three distinct communities whose lives gradually intertwine, the designs subtly distinguish their cultures, social classes, and identities while reinforcing the production’s historical perspective.

Broadway's Best Creative

The Most Iconic Broadway Iconography & Typography

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date July 14, 2026

By Ben Schachne

A Look at Broadway’s Best Visual and Textual Language

Some Broadway shows are remembered long after their final curtain or throughout their current run not just for the performances onstage, but for the visual and textual language that came to define them. A single emblem, a distinctive typeface, or a carefully crafted logo can become as recognizable as a show’s score, instantly evoking a production decades later or for decades to come.

In an industry built on storytelling, Broadway’s most iconic iconography and typography prove that great design can leave just as lasting an impression as the stories themselves. Here are some of the quintessential examples of Broadway iconography and typography that continue to shape the industry’s visual legacy.

Iconography

The Phantom of the Opera

Icon: The Mask

Perhaps the most recognizable image in Broadway history, the mask from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera encapsulates the mystery, romance, and tragedy at the heart of the musical. While the key art features a full-face mask rather than the half-mask worn by the Phantom onstage, both evoke the same haunting elegance and have become enduring symbols of the show’s story and its enigmatic title character. Even though the Phantom’s mask existed long before the musical, The Phantom of the Opera redefined it, forever linking the image with Broadway itself.

Les Misérables

Icon: Cosette

Originally created in the 19th century, Émile Bayard’s illustration of young Cosette has become synonymous with the musical adaptation of Les Misérables. Since the show’s original production, the image has appeared on Playbills, posters, and cast album covers for almost every production around the world, from Broadway and the West End to regional and school stages. Though rooted in Victor Hugo’s novel, the image has become inseparable from the stage production as it captures the sweeping emotion and revolutionary themes of the story.

Little Shop of Horrors

Icon: Audrey II

Across both stage and screen adaptations of Little Shop of Horrors, Audrey II has terrorized characters while charming audiences around the world, stealing hearts both literally and figuratively. Evolving from a cute hand puppet into a towering, stage-filling monster, the carnivorous plant perfectly embodies the show’s blend of camp, horror, and dark comedy. Brought to life through extraordinary puppetry and an irresistibly devious personality, Audrey II has become one of Broadway’s defining visual icons.

Hamilton

Icon: The Star & The Silhouette

Few Broadway logos have achieved the instant recognition of the star-and-silhouette emblem from Hamilton. Its bold simplicity mirrors the show’s forward-driving energy and revolutionary spirit, with Hamilton’s silhouette in his “My Shot” pose evoking both the character’s relentless ambition and the perpetual cultural impact of the song. The logo’s pose also serves as a poetic foreshadowing of Hamilton’s fate in his duel with Aaron Burr, producing a striking image that has fostered its instant recognition and countless parodies across popular media.

Wicked

Icon: The Hat

Elphaba’s pointed black hat has been a defining visual of Broadway—and now Hollywood—culture since the debut of Wicked in 2003. While rooted in the iconic headpiece from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked reimagines its meaning, transforming it into a symbol of defiance and self-acceptance as Elphaba embraces her identity by wearing it. Instantly recognizable even outside the context of the story, the hat captures the essence of one of Broadway’s most popular musicals in a single, timeless image.

Ragtime

Icon: The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty stands as one of America’s most iconic symbols, representing immigration, freedom, and the promise of the American Dream. Ragtime draws on this powerful image of hope, using it as a central visual motif that reflects the show’s themes on a monumental scale. Through its repeated visual presence across productions and promotional material, it has become inseparable from the musical, embodying its message of hope amid a changing America.

Maybe Happy Ending

Icon: HwaBoon

The small potted plant at the heart of Maybe Happy Ending may seem simple at first glance, but it has become one of the production’s most defining visual motifs. As the shared companion of its central characters, HwaBoon serves as a touching symbol of the musical’s themes of connection, memory, and what it means to be alive. Though a relatively new piece of Broadway iconography, HwaBoon has already left a lasting impression on audiences, with its legacy only beginning to grow.

Typography

A Chorus Line

The typography of A Chorus Line is as recognizable as its signature gold imagery. Set in elegant, Art-Deco lettering, the title conveys the glitz and glamour of Broadway while allowing the silhouettes of the dancers to remain the visual focus. Its understated and repeated design reflects the show’s celebration of the ensemble, proving that strong typography can be memorable without overpowering the artwork.

Chicago

The Chicago logo is bold, minimalist, and instantly recognizable, perfectly capturing the show’s sleek, jazz-era aesthetic. Its thick, geometric letterforms project confidence, while the striking red-and-black color palette reinforces the production’s themes of passion, danger, and spectacle. The clean, commanding title has become synonymous with the musical itself, making it one of Broadway’s most successful typographic identities.

Sweeney Todd

The typography of Sweeney Todd is hand-drawn and deliberately unrefined, immediately conveying the musical’s dark and ominous tone. The jagged brushstroke lettering feels almost hastily scrawled in blood, reinforcing the show’s themes of madness, violence, and revenge. Recently reused in the 2023 Broadway revival, the distressed style creates a sense of unease, making the typography as psychologically unsettling as the story itself.

Rent

The Rent logo itself feels gritty and unpolished, giving the title a handmade quality that mirrors the raw, emotional texture of the show. Its uneven spacing and graffiti-like letterforms evoke the instability of life in downtown New York, reinforcing the musical’s grounded, documentary-like feel. Like an artifact pulled directly from the world the characters inhabit, the logo has become iconic and is now used across nearly every production of the show.

West Side Story

The typography of West Side Story is bold, textured, and tightly stacked, reflecting the heightened drama and underlying tension of its 1950s setting. The sharp alignment and heavy weight of the type echo the show’s choreography and urban environment, reinforcing a sense of spatial conflict between the two sides. While originally introduced with the 1961 film, this distinctive design became inseparable from the show’s identity, going on to influence countless Broadway and regional productions that followed.

Cats

The Cats logo is elegant and mysterious, immediately establishing the musical’s dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere. Its flowing hand-drawn letterforms and elongated curves evoke grace and movement, reflecting the feline physicality that defines the original production. Simple yet instantly recognizable, the logo has remained virtually unchanged for decades, with even contemporary reinterpretations like Cats: The Jellicle Ball incorporating the classic design into their updated marketing.

The Rocky Horror Show

The typography of The Rocky Horror Show is bold, playful, and unmistakably camp, perfectly reflecting the musical’s rebellious spirit and cult appeal. Its exaggerated, bloody letterforms evoke the aesthetics of vintage horror comics and B-movie posters, blending humor with theatrical excess. Although the typography has evolved across stage productions since the original Broadway run and the 1975 film, its bloody, theatrical aesthetic has remained remarkably consistent, preserving the unmistakable identity of The Rocky Horror Show.

Broadway's Best Creative Tony Awards

The Sets That Made The Show: Best Scenic Design 2025–2026

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date July 13, 2026

By Ben Schachne

A Look at the Best Set Designs Behind the 2026 Tony Nominees

Every Broadway production, whether an original or a revival, begins with an empty stage that must be transformed into a place audiences never forget. Whether through dazzling realism, bold abstraction, or ingenious stage mechanics, scenic design establishes the physical world of a musical or play, shaping the way every moment is experienced from the opening scene to the final bow.

Throughout the 2025–2026 Broadway season, designers continued to push the boundaries of what live theatre can look and feel like, crafting environments that were as imaginative as the stories unfolding within them. Here are some of the season’s most impressive and imaginative examples of set design that demonstrate how scenery can be just as unforgettable as the performances it frames.

The Lost Boys

Winner of the 2026 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical, The Lost Boys embraces a cinematic, large-scale approach that suits its screen-to-stage adaptation. Framed by towering brick walls and multi-level balconies, the stage comes to life through an ever-changing array of moving set pieces and fly-ins that transport the audience to the vampiric 1980s world of Santa Clara. Complemented by Jen Schriever and Michael Arden’s Tony Award-winning lighting design, Dane Laffrey’s set design strikes a compelling balance between realism and abstraction, capturing the mystifying energy and epic scale of the musical.

Death of a Salesman

Winner of the 2026 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play, the latest Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman reimagines the classic with a strikingly original visual concept. Rather than recreating the Loman home through realism or conventional abstraction, Chloe Lamford places the drama within an expansive warehouse or garage-like space that serves as a physical manifestation of Willy’s fractured mind. Scattered with dirt and anchored by Willy’s car upstage, the set is filled with fragments of his past, turning the stage into a haunting landscape of memories that foreshadow the tragic fate awaiting him.

Dog Day Afternoon

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play, Dog Day Afternoon is a masterclass in making a compact Broadway stage feel expansive and immersive. David Korins’ meticulously detailed design faithfully recreates both the exterior and interior of a 1970s Brooklyn bank, packed with period-specific touches that extend even to details most audience members would never notice. Brought to life by a technically sophisticated rotating set, the production seamlessly shifts perspectives while capturing the tension and authenticity of both the iconic film and the true story that inspired it.

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) features one of the season’s most inventive scenic concepts by Soutra Gilmour. Centered on a revolving stage with the orchestra integrated into the backdrop, the intimate design is built from towering stacks of white suitcases that symbolize both Dougal’s journey to America and the pair’s whirlwind adventure through New York City. Though boldly abstract, the set is filled with cleverly concealed doors, compartments, and transforming elements that continuously reshape the setting, allowing the luggage itself to become everything from city streets to intimate interiors.

Fallen Angels

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play, the revival of Noël Coward’s comedy Fallen Angels showcases Broadway’s remarkable ability to maximize every inch of the stage and transport audiences into another era. As the first major Broadway revival in 70 years, the production honors its history while reimagining it through David Rockwell’s lavishly detailed 1930s-inspired design, enhanced by modern theatrical technology. Drawing from the elegance of the Art Deco and Art Moderne movements, the meticulously crafted London flat perfectly complements Coward’s sharp wit and sophisticated world, creating a space so inviting audiences may wish they could step inside themselves.

Broadway's Best Creative

The Art That Sold the Show: 2015-2026 Edition

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date July 6, 2026

By Ben Schachne

A Broadway poster is often the audience’s first impression of a show. Before the curtain rises, before reviews are published, and before word-of-mouth spreads, a single image must capture attention and communicate the essence of a production. The best key art transcends marketing and becomes a stand-alone piece itself.

The past ten years of Broadway have offered a new playing ground for artistic approaches, from more traditional typography and illustrations to celebrity photography and abstract reimaginings. Here are the windowcards that helped define the 2015-2026 Broadway seasons.

2025-2026 Season: Ragtime

The bold red backdrop with the flag-like typography is immediately striking, bringing a sense of urgency and liveliness to the composition. The Statue of Liberty torch and red, white, and blue color scheme instantly elicit the central themes of America, immigration, and social change. The contrast between the blue and red creates a sense of conflict, reflecting the tensions that characterized the early twentieth century.

What We Love: It’s a timeless design.

Honorable Mentions: Cats: The Jellicle Ball, The Lost Boys, Ragtime alternate cover

2024-2025 Season: Swept Away

The stormy sea and atmospheric composition immediately create a sense of danger, isolation, and grandeur. The image of the small boat dwarfed and consumed by the vast ocean captures both the musical’s maritime setting and its themes of survival and human resilience. The teals of the water and clouds paired with the dark shadows engulf the page and contrast brilliantly against the warm tones of the moon above and the typography below.

What We Love: The tangibility of the ocean.

Honorable Mentions: Maybe Happy Ending & Death Becomes Her

2023-2024 Season: Illinoise

This poster is soft, atmospheric, and layered with emotion. The faded blues evoke the passage of time, old memories, and the emotional landscape of the American Midwest. The central image of the butterfly serves as a visual metaphor for the show’s core themes of coming-of-age, metamorphosis, and memory, physicalizing them through the figure and lanterns hidden within its imagery.

What We Love: Its painterly texture and hidden messaging.

Honorable Mentions: Hell’s Kitchen & Suffs

2022-2023 Season: Some Like It Hot

The bright, high-contrast composition and bold, symmetrically styled typography feel playful, fast-paced, and irresistibly theatrical, immediately capturing the glitz and glamour of the 1930s jazz-age. The Art Deco-inspired styling and vintage graininess elicit a retro Hollywood flair with a modern theatrical polish, reflecting the musical’s blend of farce, identity disguise, and high-stakes escape.

What We Love: It feels like an old Hollywood film poster.

Honorable Mentions: Kimberly Akimbo & The Kite Runner

2021-2022 Season: Funny Girl

This poster goes back to the basics of Broadway in a flashy and refined way, using vintage-inspired styling to recall the golden age of entertainment. The blazing red typography against the stark black background accompanied by the old Hollywood-style caricatures feels timeless, glamorous, and unmistakably theatrical. Framed with the classic marquee light bulbs, the bold elements of the artwork use negative space brilliantly to show a lot with a little.

What We Love: It reinvents a classic.

Honorable Mentions: A Strange Loop & POTUS

2019-2020 Season: Moulin Rouge!

The crimson red palette and Art Nouveau-inspired designs create an extravagant, passionate, and seductive landscape that perfectly sets the scene for the show. Invoking the show’s own set design, the belle époque ornamentation of the radiant heart reinforces the musical’s driving themes of love, desire, and sacrifice. Incorporating iconic elements like the windmill, this poster acknowledges its roots and embraces its future.

What We Love: It shows the audience exactly what they’re going to get.

Honorable Mentions: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? & The Sound Inside

2018-2019 Season: Hadestown

The deep black background and the hand emerging from it feel mysterious, mythic, and timeless. The radiant flower at the center immediately draws the eye, serving as both a beacon of hope and a symbol of the mortal love at the heart of the story. The circular composition of the flowers suggests a cycle, reflecting the musical’s recurring themes of fate and the stories we tell again and again.

What We Love: It looks like an old photograph that has frozen the story in time.

Honorable Mentions: Beetlejuice & Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

2017-2018 Season: My Fair Lady

This poster is in the truest sense of the word, an artwork. The elegant watercolor painting takes a more classic approach for a classic musical, utilizing lush floral motifs and a refined pastel palette to elicit romantic, sophisticated, and distinctly Edwardian feelings. It embraces a hand-painted aesthetic that immediately evokes the world of high society and carefully constructed appearances.

What We Love: It is a truly beautiful work of art.

Honorable Mentions: Mean Girls & Once On This Island

2016-2017 Season: Falsettos

The vibrant patchwork of shapes and character icons feels playful and intimate, but the fragmented composition hints at the complexities and tensions that lie beneath the surface of the story. The subtle arrows weave between the characters, simultaneously forming a heart and visually mapping the connections that unite them. By presenting its characters as interconnected pieces of a larger whole, the poster beautifully captures the musical’s themes of love, identity, and community.

What We Love: It’s both fun and deeply layered.

Honorable Mentions: War Paint & Come From Away

2015-2016 Season: Hamilton

The gold background and black silhouette feel bold, revolutionary, and instantly recognizable, transforming a historical figure into a modern cultural symbol. The star evokes both the American flag and the idea of celebrity, while the figure’s outstretched pose suggests triumph, defiance, and the desire to leave a lasting mark on history.

What We Love: The design’s simplicity is its greatest strength.

Honorable Mentions: Bright Star & Shuffle Along

Broadway's Best Creative

What to Expect from Broadway’s 2026-2027 Season: The Plays

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date June 29, 2026

With the recent Tony Awards celebrating Broadway’s 2025-26 season now in the rearview mirror, Broadway’s Best Shows is looking ahead to what promises to be a very buzzy 2026-27 theatrical season. While we are currently in a lull between openings, as new productions for the upcoming season won’t land until later in the summer, there’s a palpable energy in the air about what shows are on deck.

With plenty of shows (and exciting revivals) already announced (and more to come!), let’s take a look at what to expect from the plays arriving this fall through Spring 2027.

NEW PLAYS

Paranormal Activity: The first official opening of the season is another transfer from London. This “new stage experience” based on the horror film series starts previews this August at the August Wilson Theatre.

860: A new autobiographical one-man show by Billy Crystal, focused on his family home lost in the Palisades fires, will open at the Imperial Theatre in October, directed by Scott Ellis. Crystal won a Tony for Best Special Theatrical Event for his 2005 one-man show 700 Sundays. He also received a nomination for 2022’s Mr. Saturday Night.

Inter Alia: Rosamund Pike stars as a London Crown Court judge in this new drama that will start previews this November at the Music Box Theatre. A transfer from the West End, Inter Alia won Pike the 2026 Olivier Award for Best Actress. 2025 Olivier winner Lesley Manville recently won the Tony for the West End transfer of Oedipus – so Pike’s performance is one to watch.

Gloria: Pulitzer-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ comedy about magazine assistants will make its Broadway premiere next spring at the Helen Hayes Theatre. It will likely be considered original, although it was previously staged at the Vineyard Theatre Off-Broadway. His play Appropriate was considered a revival, but his 2025 Pulitzer-winning Purpose won the Tony for Best Play.

Mix and Master: A new play by Dominique Morisseau tells the story of a DJ’s fight to save Brooklyn’s last record shop and stars Tony winners Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Kara Young. It’s scheduled to play the Todd Haimes Theatre this winter.

Montauk: Five-time Tony nominee Laura Linney returns to Broadway in a new play by David Hare about a complex relationship between two artists, set to open next spring at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

PLAY REVIVALS

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play: First produced off-Broadway in 2017, School Girls will premiere on Broadway this September at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. A comedy about a beauty contest amongst Ghanaian schoolgirls, it will star Tony winner Patina Miller and Tony nominees Denee Benton and Jasmine Amy Rogers. (Yes, Rogers will also do The Sound of Music in the spring!)

Other Desert Cities: Julia Louis-Dreyfus will make her Broadway debut in an all-star revival of this play about exposed family secrets, directed by John Benjamin Hickey and opening at the Hudson Theatre in October. It costars Tony nominees Allison Janney, Lily Rabe, and Ed Harris, alongside Stranger Things’ Joe Keery.

A Few Good Men: Lincoln Center will produce the first revival of Aaron Sorkin’s play, opening in October at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre and directed by Michael Arden. The military courtroom drama was first staged in 1989 and was later adapted into an award-winning film starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore. The LCT revival will star Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth.

Much Ado About Nothing: Jamie Lloyd will also direct a revival of Shakespeare’s classic at the Winter Garden Theatre – opening this fall, before his adaptation of Evita rolls in to the same venue. It’s also a transfer from London, starring Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell.

The Imaginary Invalid: A new adaptation of Moliere’s classic comedy about a hypochondriac, The Imaginary Invalid was adapted by and will star Bill Irwin. It’s scheduled to play the Todd Haimes Theatre this fall, though no date has been confirmed.

Awake and Sing!: A revival of the classic 1935 play about a Brooklyn family during the Great Depression will start previews in December at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. It will star Tony winner Danny Burstein and Tony nominee Jessica Hecht, recently seen on Broadway in Marjorie Prime and Dog Day Afternoon, respectively.

Capsule Reviews

ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN — Capsule Review

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date June 25, 2026

By Ben Schachne

The revival of Eric Bentley’s gripping docudrama Are You Now or Have You Ever Been opened at New York City Center this month. As the first New York revival since the original 1979 Broadway run, this production is invigorated by Tony Award-winning director Anna D. Shapiro, who underscores the enduring relevance of a politically intolerant chapter in American history through masterfully raw and comedically nuanced performances by a rotating cast.

Jason Babinsky, Michael McKean, and Adam Kantor in *Are You Now or Have You Ever Been.* Photo by Marc J. Franklin

Based on original transcripts from the 1940s House Un-American Activities Committee hearings investigating alleged Communist influence in Hollywood, this production brings a decades-old period of paranoia and civil unrest to life through a blend of applause-worthy testimonies and laugh-out-loud quips. In the current cast, Ben Rappaport and Billy Eugene Jones deliver authentic and commanding performances as Larry Parks and Paul Robeson, capturing the hearings’ emotional toll through expressions of internal conflict, disillusionment, and resistance. Scott Adsit provides sharp comic relief as the hilariously eccentric Abe Burrows, using offbeat humor to lighten the production’s heavier political tone. Other notable performances include the committee members, played by Michael McKean as the Chairman alongside Jason Babinsky and Adam Kantor, who are chillingly apathetic and authoritarian, making the play’s themes feel unsettlingly contemporary. While communism is no longer perceived as an internal threat, the dangers of governmental overreach remain as relevant as ever.

Billy Eugene Jones in *Are You Now or Have You Ever Been.* Photo by Marc J. Franklin

The must-see theatrical event of the summer, Are You Now or Have You Ever Been—starring Brooks Ashmanskas, Jason Babinsky, Steven Boyer, Adam Kantor, Frederick Weller, Michael McKean, and guest stars Bob Odenkirk, Santino Fontana, Norbert Leo Butz, Steven Pasquale, Molly Ringwald, Billy Eugene Jones, David Krumholtz, Thomas Sadoski, and more—is in performances through September 11, 2026 at New York City Center Stage I.

Andrew McCarthy in *Are You Now or Have You Ever Been.* Photo by Marc J. Franklin

Broadway's Best Tony Awards

Tony Awards 2026: The Winners, the Surprises, and the Moments Broadway Will Never Forget

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date June 10, 2026

The 79th Annual Tony Awards arrived at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night and delivered exactly what Broadway fans want from theatre’s biggest celebration: major wins, historic milestones, emotional speeches, and a few surprises along the way. By the end of the evening, one thing was clear: Broadway is thriving.

Hosted by P!nk, the ceremony aired live on PlutoTV and CBS and celebrated a season that saw Broadway showcase an impressive mix of new musicals, beloved revivals, and daring plays. The result was one of the most entertaining and memorable Tony broadcasts in years.

The Opening Number

P!nk kicked off the ceremony acknowledging the elephant in the room: why was someone who has never been on Broadway hosting the Tony Awards? She then launched into a star-packed rendition of “Leading Lady Marmalade,” joined by Megan Thee Stallion, Neil Patrick Harris, Marla Mindelle, Shoshana Bean, Sara Chase, and 170 cast members from all of the nominated musicals that demonstrated she might not have a Broadway credit (yet!) but has the talent to perform with the best of them. The twist on the original song, with lyrics by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Mark Sonnenblick, shouted out each leading lady nominated for acting awards. The opener has been praised by fans and critics alike, and no one will be forgetting “Gitchie, gitchie Carrie Coon” anytime soon!

The cast of Schmigadoon! performs onstage during The 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 07, 2026 in New York City. (Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

A Three-Way Tie at the Top

While no single musical completely dominated the evening, three productions emerged as the night’s biggest musical winners. Schmigadoon!, The Lost Boys, and Ragtime tied for the lead among musicals with four awards each.

For Schmigadoon!, the evening culminated with the coveted Best Musical prize. The Broadway adaptation of the 2021 musical TV series also won Best Book and Best Original Score, with creator Cinco Paul winning three Tonys for his solo authorship of the show’s book, music, and lyrics, along with Best Orchestrations. Might Schmigadoon!’s success lead to season 3 of the beloved TV show on which the musical is based?

Ragtime continued its remarkable run, winning Best Revival of a Musical and reminding audiences why the epic American story remains one of the most powerful works ever written for the stage. In a funny moment, sound designer Kai Harada also won Best Sound Design of a Musical, but he only heard his name and had to ask presenter Laura Benanti which show he’d won for (he was also nominated for Cats: The Jellicle Ball.)

The Lost Boys took home design awards, including Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design of a Musical, as well as supporting acting awards for both Actress and Actor.

Caissie Levy, winner of the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical award for “Ragtime,” and Joshua Henry, winner of the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for “Ragtime,” pose in the 79th Annual Tony Awards press room at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2026, in New York City (Credit: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage)

Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy Deliver the Night’s Most Celebrated Wins

Joshua Henry won his first Tony for Best Actor in a Musical, having been previously nominated for The Scottsboro Boys, Violet, and Carousel. His commanding performance as Coalhouse Walker Jr. anchored the revival. In his speech, Henry shouted out the “Black-don’t-crack legacy” of original Ragtime stars Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Caissie Levy won Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Mother — also her first Tony, and remarkably, her first nomination. In her acceptance speech, Levy proclaimed, “Playing Mother has been one of the greatest gifts of my artistic life,” and she also honored the community surrounding her who enables her to work in the theatre: “I’m twenty years in, and the most important thing I’ve learned is that no one does it alone. Thank you to every babysitter who’s made it possible for me to be both a Broadway actor and a mother.”

Qween Jean poses in the press room with the award for best costume design of a musical for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” during the 79th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Qween Jean Makes Tony History

One of the evening’s most important moments came when Qween Jean won Best Costume Design of a Musical for Cats: The Jellicle Ball, making her the first openly trans person to win a Tony Award.

Her work on the ballroom-inspired reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical involved creating around 500 costumes, including tributes to trans revolutionaries like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. But beyond the artistry, the moment represented a milestone for Broadway and the Tony Awards.

In her acceptance speech, Jean said, “We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people. We are taking up space in ways we have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm.” It was instantly one of the defining moments of the night, fans clacking in agreement.

Rachel Sussman, from left, Daryl Roth, and Bess Wohl accept the best play award for “Liberation” at the 2026 Tony Awards. (Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

The Plays Shared the Love

Death of a Salesman emerged as the night’s overall leader with six Tony wins, including Best Revival of a Play. Laurie Metcalf took home Best Featured Actress in a Play for her third career Tony, and Joe Mantello was honored for his direction. The production also won for lighting, scenic, and sound design.

Playwright Bess Wohl was honored for Liberation with Best Play, making her only the fourth woman in Tony history to receive the award and the first American woman playwright to win since Wendy Wasserstein in 1989, which she passionately called out during her speech.

Both Best Actress and Actor in a Play awards went to British vets who also won the Olivier for the same role. John Lithgow won Best Actor for Giant, breaking the record for the longest gap between Tony wins — 53 years after his first — and simultaneously becoming the oldest man to win a competitive acting Tony at age 80. Primarily a West End actress, Lesley Manville took home the Best Actress award for Oedipus in her Broadway debut and completed her sweep of all the major awards this season.

A Night That Celebrated Broadway’s Future

Broadway can honor its past through revivals like Ragtime and Death of a Salesman; it can reinvent classics through bold productions like Cats: The Jellicle Ball; it can push the boundaries with The Lost Boys, while remembering its roots with Schmigadoon! With hints at next season’s shows (marmalade sandwich, anyone?) and a beautiful performance by Rachel Zegler, starring in Evita next season, there’s much to look forward to.

With historic wins, recognition for beloved performers, and some incredible performances that didn’t pander to audiences but showed Broadway in all its bright, gay, fun, sometimes inappropriate self, the 2026 Tony Awards was a success.

Broadway's Best Tony Awards

How to Watch the 2026 Tony Awards: Date, Time, Streaming, Performances, and Everything You Need to Know

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date June 5, 2026

Broadway’s biggest night is almost here! The 79th Annual Tony Awards will return to the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 7, 2026, celebrating the very best of the 2025-2026 Broadway season. Whether you’re a lifelong theatre fan or tuning in to see your favorite stars, here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the 2026 Tony Awards in the United States.

When are the Tony Awards?

The 2026 Tony Awards will take place on Sunday, June 7, 2026.

Act One, the live pre-show begins at 6:35PM ET and is broadcast live coast-to-coast.

The official ceremony will also be broadcast live coast-to-coast:

8:00 PM ET
7:00 PM CT
6:00 PM MT
5:00 PM PT

The telecast will run until 11:00 PM ET.

What channel are the Tony Awards on?

The 2026 Act One Pre-Show will air for free on Pluto TV. Watch it by heading to pluto.tv and clicking on the “Live Music” channel.

The 2026 Tony Awards will air live on CBS, making it easy for viewers across the country to tune in through their local CBS affiliate. If you have traditional cable, satellite, or a live TV streaming service that includes CBS, you’ll be able to watch the ceremony live.

Can I stream the Tony Awards?

The Tony Awards will also stream on Paramount+. Here’s how streaming access works:

Paramount+ Premium Subscribers
Premium subscribers can watch the ceremony live through their local CBS affiliate feed and also access the broadcast on demand after it airs.

Paramount+ Essential Subscribers
Essential subscribers will not have access to the live broadcast, but will be able to watch the ceremony on demand beginning on Monday

How else can I follow along?

See exclusive content from the red carpet, backstage, and beyond on the Tony Awards social channels @thetonyawards on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Youtube.

Who is hosting the Tony Awards?

Broadway favorites Laura Benanti and Tituss Burgess will host Act One, the live pre-show.

Pop superstar P!NK will host the 79th Annual Tony Awards, bringing her signature energy and live-performance expertise to Broadway’s biggest celebration.

What shows will perform at the 2026 Tony Awards?

One of the most exciting parts of every Tony Awards ceremony is the chance to see Broadway’s newest productions perform live. This year’s telecast will feature performances from many of the season’s biggest nominated musicals and musical revivals, including:

– The Lost Boys
– Schmigadoon!
– Titaníque
– Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
– Cats: The Jellicle Ball
– Ragtime
– The Rocky Horror Show

In addition to the nominated shows, the 2026 Tony Awards will feature two major Broadway celebrations.

The long-running Broadway revival of Chicago will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a special all-star performance featuring:

– Queen Latifah
– P!NK
– Jesse Tyler Ferguson
– Alex Newell
– Julianne Hough
– Whitney Leavitt
– Dylan Mulvaney

and additional special guests.

The Tony Awards will also celebrate The Book of Mormon‘s 15th anniversary with a reunion performance featuring members of the original Broadway cast, including:

– Nikki M. James
– Josh Gad
– Andrew Rannells
– Rory O’Malley

Which shows lead the 2026 Tony nominations?

When nominations were announced on May 5, two productions emerged as the season’s frontrunners:

The Lost Boys: 12 nominations

Schmigadoon!: 12 nominations

Close behind is Lincoln Center Theater’s acclaimed revival of Ragtime with 11 nominations.

As far as plays, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman revival leads the field with 9 nominations, tying musical revivals Cats: The Jellicle Ball and The Rocky Horror Show.

Where are the Tony Awards held?

The Tony Awards return to the iconic Radio City Music Hall in New York City, one of the world’s most famous entertainment venues and the longtime home of Broadway’s biggest night.

Why are the Tony Awards important?

Presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, the Tony Awards recognize excellence in Broadway theatre and often play a major role in determining which shows become the must-see hits of the year and beyond, including touring licensing, and future revivals.

For audiences across the country, the ceremony offers a rare opportunity to see Broadway’s top performers, discover new musicals, and celebrate the artists who bring live theater to life.

Whether you’re rooting for The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Ragtime, or simply tuning in for the anniversary performances of Chicago and The Book of Mormon, the 2026 Tony Awards promise to be one of the most exciting nights of the Broadway season.

The 79th Annual Tony Awards air live Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET on CBS and Paramount+.

Broadway's Best Creative

The Art That Sold the Show

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date June 2, 2026

A Look at the Posters Behind the 2026 Tony Nominees

Before audiences fell in love with these productions, they fell in love with an image. A Broadway poster has one job: stop someone in Times Square, on Instagram, or flipping through a Playbill and convince them to lean in. The best key art truly becomes part of the show’s identity.

This year’s Tony nominees offer a fascinating mix of approaches, from bold typography and conceptual design to celebrity photography and illustration. Here are the posters that helped define Broadway’s season.

Ragtime

Perhaps the boldest piece of graphic design among this year’s nominees. The blazing red background and towering white typography feel urgent, revolutionary, and impossible to ignore. The Statue of Liberty torch instantly evokes immigration, America, and social change, all central themes of the musical.

What We Love: This timeless design would have worked in 1998 or 2026.

Cats: The Jellicle Ball

This is arguably the most successful reimagining of existing Broadway branding in years.

The original Cats logo with its piercing yellow eyes is iconic, but this campaign boldly reinvents it through ballroom culture. The electric yellow, striking pose, and disco-ball cat head instantly communicate that this isn’t a revival interested in nostalgia.

What We Love: It reinvents a brand without losing its identity. Purrrfect.

The Lost Boys

The rich darkness and flash of color instantly set a mood. The glowing hand feels supernatural, seductive, and dangerous. It doesn’t explain itself, which is exactly why it works. The campaign understands something many horror-inspired productions miss: mystery is often more powerful than information.

What We Love: It feels like a prestige film poster.

Little Bear Ridge Road

This subtle poster is one of the season’s most human. The handwritten typography, monochrome portraits, and glowing house suggest intimacy, family, and emotional complexity. Nothing here is flashy, and that’s precisely the point.

What We Love: It feels deeply personal.

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

This poster demonstrates extraordinary restraint, especially by not showing the faces of its stars. Typography and a classic automobile are all it needs because the design understands that Arthur Miller’s title already carries enormous cultural weight.

What We Love: Confidence through simplicity.

The Rocky Horror Show

Some logos are simply too powerful to abandon. The dripping blood-red mark remains one of theatre’s most recognizable visual identities. This production wisely leans into that legacy while modernizing the surrounding design.

What We Love: It understands the value of an icon.

Becky Shaw

At first glance, it’s simply a tube of lipstick. Then you notice the wick. Then the spark. Suddenly the lipstick has become a stick of dynamite.

What’s especially impressive is how economical the design is: no cast photo, no scenic image, no explanatory tagline; just one single object. That’s often the mark of truly great key art.

What We Love: The entire play is hidden inside a single visual metaphor.

Schmigadoon!

This poster is charming. The embroidered ribbon floating through a bright blue sky immediately evokes classic musical theatre while still feeling fresh and contemporary. Rather than parodying Golden Age musicals, the design lovingly celebrates them.

What We Love: It captures optimism without becoming cheesy.

The Balusters

The quirky illustration of a collapsing townhouse packed with eccentric characters immediately communicates comedy, chaos, and social satire. The visual gag lands before the audience even knows what the play is about.

What We Love: The illustration explains it all.

Oedipus

The flashing cameras surrounding Mark Strong and Lesley Manville transform an ancient tragedy into a modern story about public scrutiny, celebrity, and downfall. The design cleverly uses contemporary imagery to illuminate timeless themes.

What We Love: It modernizes Greek tragedy without losing its weight.

Giant

This artwork is a masterclass in celebrity storytelling. John Lithgow’s “giant” imposing presence dominates the image, but the real brilliance lies in the details. The torn silhouette embedded within the title hints at the complicated legacy of Roald Dahl, creating tension beneath the straightforward star portrait.

What We Love: It turns a famous face into a thematic statement.

Liberation

The oversized yellow typography dominates the composition with the confidence of a protest sign. The design feels rooted in feminist activism while remaining contemporary and clean. It’s simple, direct, and impossible to miss.

What We Love: The poster itself feels political.

Chess

This is star-driven marketing executed with precision. Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele, and Nicholas Christopher are photographed like fashion icons, creating a sleek and glamorous image that mirrors the high-stakes world of the musical itself. The hot pink title treatment slices through the monochromatic photography.

What We Love: Broadway glamour at its most unapologetic.

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

This poster tells the audience exactly what kind of night they’re about to have. Bright colors, immediate chemistry, and a giant title that practically becomes part of the New York skyline. The cake boxes are part of the plot. Also, a rare occurrence that we see a show poster that uses production photography.

What We Love: It sells character before concept.

Marjorie Prime

Another great example of minimalism and restraint. The faceless figure beneath a cloud communicates memory and identity. The image is elegant, unsettling, and intellectually engaging all at once. It also fits in well as part of Second Stage Theatre’s season with Becky Shaw’s artwork.

What We Love: It trusts the audience to do some of the work.

Titanique

A masterpiece of pure camp. A grinning Céline Dion literally bursts through the iconic 1997 movie poster, hijacking Jack and Rose’s doomed romance to instantly let you know this is an unhinged, Vegas-style musical comedy, not a historical tragedy. The fabulous 3D gold typography complete with industrial ship rivets screams pop diva parody.

What We Love: It promises a completely wild, laugh-out-loud night out.

Broadway's Best Tony Awards

10 New Categories the Tony Awards Need to Add ASAP

Post author By Rebecca Prowler
Post date June 2, 2026

It takes a lot of invisible labor to make Broadway’s theatrical magic look effortless, and many of the hardest-working folks in the industry are still left out of the Tony Awards. Here are ten of the many blind spots that the Tony Awards could address with new categories.

1. Best Ensemble

Why it should be added: If the leads are the face of a musical, the ensemble is its beating heart. A competitive award would honor the collective heavy lifting, immense stamina, and seamless collaboration – from complex, synchronized choreography to lush harmonies – required to make a Broadway show truly soar.

2. Best Hair and Wig Design

Why it should be added: Hair and wigs are crucial to establishing a character’s age, era, and social status long before they speak. While the Tonys recently honored visionary wig designer Nikiya Mathis with a Special Tony Award in 2024 for her incredible work on Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, this shouldn’t be relegated to a one-off special recognition. From gravity-defying historical updos to rapid quick-changes, these designers are true architects of character identity and deserve a permanent competitive category alongside costume design.

3. Best Makeup Design

Why it should be added: Makeup is a highly technical, transformative art form that faces unique live-theatre challenges, like executing flawless, sweat-proof glamour eight times a week. With the Oscars and Emmys already recognizing this artistry, it’s time the Tonys formally honored these meticulous designers.

4. Best Replacement Performer

Why it should be added: Stepping into a starring role in a massive hit without a full, original rehearsal process is a unique and daunting challenge. Honoring the fresh energy and sheer resilience of replacement performers would celebrate masterclass performances while giving long-running shows a well-deserved moment back in the Tony spotlight.

5. Best Projection Design

Why it should be added: Projections have evolved from simple background enhancements into foundational elements of scenic storytelling. These incredibly detailed digital designs can shift locations instantly, doing groundbreaking, immersive work that warrants its own spotlight distinct from traditional scenic or lighting design.

6. Best Casting Director

Why it should be added: Casting is the invisible alchemy that makes or breaks a show. With the Academy Awards finally introducing a competitive Oscar for casting directors starting in 2026, it’s highly overdue for the Tonys to celebrate the theatrical visionaries discovering stars and curating the talent on stage.

7. Best Understudy, Standby, or Swing

Why it should be added: Covers are Broadway’s ultimate lifesavers. Honoring the superhuman agility and dedication required to learn up to a dozen complex tracks and step into them at a moment’s notice would be a massive, well-deserved victory for these essential theatrical athletes.

8. Best Fight Direction and Intimacy Coordination

Why it should be added: Keeping actors safe during intense combat or physically vulnerable romantic scenes is a deeply technical skill. These artists ensure physical storytelling is dynamic, repeatable, and secure. As the industry rightfully prioritizes actor boundaries, their vital choreography deserves recognition.

9. Best Stage Management Team

Why it should be added: Stage managers are the air traffic controllers of Broadway. Giving an award to the team that calls every cue, oversees massive transitions, and ensures chaotic, multi-million-dollar productions run safely would be the ultimate nod to the people holding the entire show together.

10. Best Artwork (Key Art & Creative Direction)

Why it should be added: A show’s key art is its first impression and lasting legacy… think of the iconic Les Misérables Cosette illustration or the Wicked silhouettes. Creative directors and designers do the vital commercial work of distilling a production’s entire emotional soul into a single, captivating image.