Category: Tony Awards

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Broadway's Best Creative Tony Awards

Revisiting the Best Play Tony Winners (2016-2026)

Best Play Winners

By Ben Schachne

Each Broadway season culminates with one new play joining an exclusive group of works recognized with the Tony Award for Best Play, the highest honor bestowed upon an original dramatic production. More than recognizing the year’s finest new play, it serves as a snapshot of the stories that resonated most with audiences and voters, reflecting the artistic priorities, social conversations, and theatrical innovations of their time. Some Best Play winners have gone on to become modern classics with enduring productions around the world, while others remain closely tied to the specific moment in which they premiered. Looking back at the Best Play winners from the 2016 through 2026 Tony Awards reveals a decade of Broadway defined by bold new voices, timely themes, and an ever-evolving vision of what great theatre can be.

2026: Liberation


Liberation is the most recent winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and one of the defining new dramas of the 2025–2026 Broadway season. Written by Bess Wohl, the memory play intertwines humor with emotional insight as it follows a present-day woman revisiting the unfinished feminist ideals of a 1970s women’s liberation group, exploring how each generation inherits, challenges, and reshapes the dreams of those who came before. In a season with seven other new plays and many esteemed revivals, Liberation distinguished itself through its timely themes, inventive structure, and poignant storytelling, emerging as the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner that speaks as powerfully to contemporary audiences as it does to the past.

2025: Purpose

Purpose opened during the 2024–2025 season alongside thirteen other original plays and was the 2025 winner for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, the play follows a prominent Black political family whose carefully cultivated legacy begins to unravel during a tense family gathering, using humor and emotional honesty to examine power, generational expectations, and the burdens of inheritance. In a season filled with accomplished and beloved new plays, Purpose delivered a gripping theatrical experience, acting as a thematic cousin to Jacobs-Jenkins Tony Award-winning play revival Appropriate from the previous season.

2024: Stereophonic

Stereophonic opened during the 2023–2024 season alongside ten other original plays, quickly becoming a critical and commercial sensation through its immersive realism and extraordinary ensemble performances. Written by David Adjmi, with original music by Will Butler, the play transports audiences into a 1970s recording studio, where a rising rock band struggles to complete a career-defining album as artistic ambition, creative tension, and personal relationships threaten to tear the group apart. Exploring the cost of collaboration, the pursuit of perfection, and the fragile nature of success, Stereophonic captivated audiences with its intimate, fly-on-the-wall storytelling and authentic 1970s-inspired rock score, becoming the most Tony-nominated play of all time. 

2023: Leopoldstadt

Leopoldstadt opened during the 2022–2023 season alongside a whopping sixteen other original plays, quickly emerging as one of the season’s most acclaimed dramas through its semi-autobiographical historical context and emotional depth. Written by Tom Stoppard, the play spans more than fifty years as it follows a prosperous Jewish family in Vienna through assimilation, rising antisemitism, and the Holocaust, exploring identity, memory, and heritage across multiple generations. Deeply personal for Stoppard, Leopoldstadt offered a moving examination of one family’s history against the backdrop of one of humanity’s darkest chapters.

2022: The Lehman Trilogy

The Lehman Trilogy opened during the 2021–2022 season alongside eleven other original plays, captivating audiences with its epic 2 and remarkably inventive theatrical storytelling. Written by Stefano Massini and adapted into English by Ben Power, the play traces the rise and fall of the Lehman family across more than 160 years, charting their journey from immigrant shopkeepers to the founders of a financial empire whose collapse helped trigger the 2008 global financial crisis. Told by just three actors portraying dozens of characters, The Lehman Trilogy transforms the rise and fall of a financial dynasty into an intimate saga about ambition, legacy, and the pursuit of the American Dream.

2020/2021: The Inheritance

The Inheritance opened during the 2019–2020 season alongside ten other original plays, earning widespread acclaim for its ambitious and emotional examination of contemporary queer life. Written by Matthew López, the two-part epic follows a group of young gay men in New York as they grapple with love, loss, identity, and the legacy of the AIDS crisis, drawing inspiration from E. M. Forster’s Howards End. Balancing intimate personal stories with larger questions of history, community, and belonging, The Inheritance offers a powerful reflection on what one generation owes the next and the importance of preserving collective memory.

2019: The Ferryman

The Ferryman opened during the 2018–2019 season alongside twelve other original plays, bringing a critical chapter of Northern Ireland’s history to the Broadway stage. Written by Jez Butterworth, the play unfolds over a single harvest day in rural Northern Ireland in 1981, where a close-knit family’s gathering is disrupted by the lingering violence and political tensions of the Troubles. Weaving together family drama and political tension, The Ferryman examines the lasting consequences of conflict, revealing how history continues to shape families long after the fighting appears to have ended.

2018: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened during the 2017–2018 season alongside seven other original plays, expanding one of the world’s most beloved fictional universes onto the stage through an entirely new theatrical experience. Written by Jack Thorne from an original story by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Thorne, the play takes place nineteen years after the conclusion of the original Harry Potter series, following Harry’s son Albus and Draco Malfoy’s son Scorpius as they navigate friendship, family expectations, and the consequences of their parents’ pasts. Combining elaborate stagecraft, illusion, and a richly imagined continuation of the wizarding world, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child redefined what the Broadway play can do, becoming the highest-grossing and third longest-running straight play in Broadway history.

2017: Oslo

Oslo opened during the 2016–2017 season alongside ten other original plays, transforming one of the late twentieth century’s most consequential diplomatic negotiations into a riveting work of political theatre. Written by J. T. Rogers, the play dramatizes the secret backchannel talks that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords, following the Norwegian intermediaries in pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Adapted into a Critics’ Choice Award-winning HBO television film in 2021, Oslo reveals the human complexities behind international diplomacy and the extraordinary risks required to bridge seemingly impossible divides. 

2016: The Humans

The Humans opened during the 2015–2016 season alongside twelve other original plays, turning an ordinary Thanksgiving dinner into one of Broadway’s most unsettling and evocative family dramas. Written by Stephen Karam, the play follows three generations of the Irish-American Blake family as they gather in a cramped Manhattan apartment, where long-buried anxieties, financial struggles, and personal disappointments gradually surface over the course of a single evening. A finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Humans uses grounded dialogue and psychological suspense to capture the quiet fears and fragile relationships that define contemporary American family life.

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Broadway's Best Creative Tony Awards

Revisiting the Best Musical Tony Winners (2016-2026)

Best Musical Wins

By Ben Schachne

With the conclusion of the 2026 Tony Awards, another production has earned the coveted title of Best Musical, the honor every original Broadway musical strives to achieve and one that winners proudly carry throughout their run and long after the curtain falls. More than simply recognizing artistic excellence, the Tony Award for Best Musical often reflects the evolving tastes of Broadway, speaks to the cultural moment in which it is awarded in, and shapes the future of musical theatre for years to come. Yet the award’s history is marked by both transformative, universally celebrated victories and more obscure, controversial choices that continue to spark debate. Here is a look back at the last ten Best Musical winners from the 2016–2026 Tony Awards.

2026: Schmigadoon!

Schmigadoon! is the most recent winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the 2025–2026 season’s most accessible crowd-pleaser. Adapted from the Apple TV+ musical series, with music, lyrics, and a book by Cinco Paul, the show serves as the ultimate love-letter to Broadway’s Golden Age, parodying beloved classics like Brigadoon, Oklahoma!, The Music Man, and The Sound of Music in a laugh-out-loud satirical fashion. In a relatively underwhelming season that produced only six original musicals and four Tony nominees for Best Musical, Schmigadoon! emerged as the safest and most universally appealing choice, offering an entertaining, family-friendly spectacle that all audiences can enjoy.

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2025: Maybe Happy Ending

Maybe Happy Ending opened in the 2024–2025 season alongside thirteen other original musicals, yet quickly emerged as one of Broadway’s newest fan-favorites. Featuring lyrics and a book by Will Aronson and Hue Park, with music by Will Aronson, the show beautifully follows the lives and developing relationship of two retired helper-robots, Oliver and Claire, in a futuristic Seoul as they discover what it means to be human. Exploring themes of love, mortality, and memory, Maybe Happing Ending brings a small cast with a big heart to the Broadway stage like nothing before and is still currently running, recently becoming the longest-running production to play at the Belasco Theatre.

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2024: The Outsiders

The Outsiders opened in the 2023–2024 season alongside fourteen other original musicals, immediately gaining popularity due to its immersive staging, thrilling choreography, and name recognition. Adapted from S. E. Hinton’s 1967 classic, with a book by Adam Rapp and Justin Levine, and music and lyrics by Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance, and Levine, the show reinvigorates the story of The Outsiders in a powerful way, staying true to the heart of the story while taking liberties to strengthen the material. Currently still running, The Outsiders has become one of the biggest new musicals on Broadway with a legacy that is still continuing to be built.

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2023: Kimberly Akimbo

Kimberly Akimbo opened in the 2022–2023 season alongside eight other original musicals, delivering a heartfelt and comedic coming-of-age story about mortality, family dysfunction, and adolescent self-discovery. With lyrics and a book by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, the musical follows Kimberly, a teenager living with a rare genetic condition that causes her body to age at four times the normal rate, creating the unusual opportunity for an older actress to portray both the struggles of adolescence and the weight of a shortened life. With a total run of 644 performances over seventeen months, Kimberly Akimbo made a relatively short but powerful impact on Broadway with its original storytelling, winning over now long-running commercial hits like & Juliet.

2022: A Strange Loop

A Strange Loop opened in the 2021–2022 season alongside eight other original musicals and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical exploration of Black and queer identity that was unfortunately hindered by a post-pandemic season of rebuilding. Featuring music, lyrics, and a book by Michael R. Jackson, the show explores themes of identity, self-perception, and faith through Usher, a young, queer, Black Broadway usher attempting to write a musical about a young, queer, Black Broadway usher writing a musical. While A Strange Loop received widespread artistic and critical acclaim, it struggled to compete with blockbuster newcomers such as SIX and MJ, closing after just 314 regular performances over nine months.

2020/2021: Moulin Rouge!

Moulin Rouge! The Musical opened in the 2019–2020 season alongside just three other original musicals, temporarily closing less than a year after its premiere with every other Broadway production due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on Baz Luhrmann’s acclaimed 2001 film of the same name, with a book by John Logan and music and lyrics by various artists, the musical has become one of modern Broadway’s defining smash hits, captivating audiences with its iconic jukebox soundtrack, lavish spectacle, and electrifying performances. While the material may have been strengthened by a stunted season, Moulin Rouge! became the only musical from its season to recoup its $28 million investment, and after seven years on Broadway, it has announced a closing date for August 30, 2026. 

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2019: Hadestown

Hadestown opened in the 2018–2019 season alongside ten other original musicals and has since become a defining work of the Broadway canon, celebrated for its haunting folk and jazz-inspired score and its raw, modern retelling of ancient Greek myths. Featuring music, lyrics, and a book by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, the musical reimagines these timeless stories through poetic storytelling, a striking atmosphere, and powerhouse performances that allow an array of unique ranges and styles to be on display. With its recent record-breaking live stage-capture film debut, Hadestown has continued to reach new audiences, cementing its place as one of the most influential and enduring musicals of its generation.

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2018: The Band’s Visit

The Band’s Visit opened in the 2017–2018 season alongside six other original musicals, distinguishing itself from its flashier, IP-driven competitors with an intimate, understated, and deeply human story. Adapted from the 2007 film, with a book by Itamar Moses and music and lyrics by David Yazbek, the show follows an Egyptian police orchestra stranded in a remote Israeli desert town, using its atmospheric score and quiet storytelling to explore themes of loneliness, cultural understanding, and human connection. Though it never became a mainstream commercial phenomenon, The Band’s Visit proved that subtle, character-driven storytelling could resonate just as powerfully, sweeping the Tony Awards’ “Big Six” categories and running for 589 regular performances over eighteen months.

2017: Dear Evan Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen opened in the 2016–2017 season alongside twelve other original musicals,  distinguishing itself in a remarkably strong season with its emotionally resonant exploration of mental health, loneliness, and the complexities of human connection in the digital age. Featuring a book by Steven Levenson and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the musical helped redefine contemporary Broadway by following a deeply flawed protagonist and pairing its timely themes with a soaring pop-rock score that produced modern standards such as “Waving Through a Window.” Dear Evan Hansen has since become one of the most influential musicals of the past decade, inspiring countless recent regional productions, spawning a feature film adaptation, and running for 1,672 regular performances over nearly six years.

2016: Hamilton

Hamilton: An American Musical opened in the 2015–2016 season alongside eleven other original musicals after becoming an immediate sensation during its Off-Broadway run, transferring to Broadway with an unprecedented $27.6 million in advance ticket sales. With music, lyrics, and a book by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical revolutionized Broadway through its groundbreaking fusion of hip-hop, rap, R&B, and traditional musical theatre; its color-conscious casting of historical figures; and its extraordinary cultural impact far beyond the stage. Widely regarded as one of the most defining works of 21st-century musical theatre, Hamilton continues to shape the art form more than a decade after its Broadway premiere, reaching millions through its live productions, its acclaimed live stage-capture, and its best-selling cast recording.

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Broadway's Best Creative Tony Awards

The Lights That Made The Show: Best Lighting Design 2025-2026

By Ben Schachne

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

Lighting design shapes the atmosphere of a Broadway production in ways audiences often feel before they consciously notice it. Through shifts in color, shadow, and focus, lighting guides attention, defines mood, and transforms the emotional temperature of a scene from one line to the next.

Across the 2025–2026 Broadway season, lighting designers demonstrated exceptional artistry, using everything from subtle naturalistic illumination to vibrant theatrical effects to heighten the impact of each production. The productions below illustrate how light can transform the stage from moment to moment, intensifying drama, revealing character, and turning live performance into a truly immersive experience. 

The Lost Boys

Winner of the 2026 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical, The Lost Boys uses light not simply to illuminate the stage but to shape the production’s entire atmosphere, making it feel like a character in its own right. Jen Schriever and Michael Arden combine an eclectic palette of lighting instruments, from warm spotlights and cool ellipsoidals that evoke haunting moonlight to glowing neon-inspired signs and bulbed strip lighting that frames the set. Rarely allowing the stage to be fully illuminated, their design cloaks the world in deep shadows, creating an ever-shifting landscape where characters and scenery can emerge from the darkness at precisely the right moment.

Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Cats: The Jellicle Ball defines its bold reinterpretation not only through its storytelling but through a lighting design that transforms the entire visual world of the production. Just as Qween Jean’s costumes celebrate the glamour and self-expression of Ballroom culture, Adam Honoré’s lighting channels the energy of Ballroom, evoking the exhilaration of runway shows and performances with vivid color and dynamic movement. Saturated hues, shimmering reflections, and radiant beams dance across the production’s massive disco ball, enveloping the theatre in an atmosphere that is as electrifying and unforgettable as the Jellicle Ball itself.

Death of a Salesman

Winner of the 2026 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Play, Death of a Salesman features one of the season’s most riveting and unconventional lighting designs by Jack Knowles. Set within a vast, warehouse-like garage, the production relies almost entirely on light sources from the overhead fluorescent fixtures, the headlights of a parked car, and the floodlights pouring in through the rear window and the wings. Fleeting moments of warm light occasionally pierce the otherwise cold palette, but the stage remains largely enveloped in shadow, reinforcing the play’s oppressive atmosphere and mirroring the fractured inner mind of Willy Loman.

Bug

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Play, Bug embraces one of the season’s most naturalistic approaches to theatrical lighting, reinforcing the production’s raw and unfiltered aesthetic. Set inside an Oklahoma motel room, Heather Gilbert’s design relies almost entirely on practical sources, from warm sunlight streaming through the window to the ordinary lamps and fluorescent fixtures that illuminate the space. The breathtaking illusion of shifting daylight gradually gives way to the room’s harsher artificial light, subtly mirroring the characters’ unraveling psychological states as their grip on reality begins to deteriorate.

Chess

Nominated for the 2026 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical, Chess employs dynamic, vibrant lighting to define its world and amplify the production’s emotional and political stakes. With a deliberately minimal scenic design, Kevin Adams’ lighting becomes the primary tool for shaping each environment, converting the stage from the stark intensity of international chess tournaments to the electric energy of the streets of Bangkok. Dominated by opposing washes of blue and red, the design frequently places the two colors in contrast before allowing them to merge into shades of purple, a blatant visual metaphor for the Cold War conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. 

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Broadway's Best Creative Tony Awards

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

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.

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Broadway's Best Creative Tony Awards

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

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.

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Broadway's Best Tony Awards

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

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.

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Broadway's Best Tony Awards

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

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+.

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Broadway's Best Tony Awards

10 New Categories the Tony Awards Need to Add ASAP

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.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

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.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

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.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

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.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

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.

You can probably name this show even without a title, right?