The annual Drama Desk Awards announced their winners in New York on Sunday 17 May 2026. Winners included John Lithgow, Lesley Manville and Robert Icke.

Now in its 70th year, the Drama Desk Awards are one of the leading sets of awards in the Broadway community, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions.

The ceremony this year was hosted by Marla Mindelle (Sister Act, Titanique) at the Town Hall in the heart of the Theatre District.

John Lithgow won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in Giant following a transfer from London’s Harold Pinter Theatre last year.

Robert Icke, who directed Romeo and Juliet with Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe, picked up the Outstanding Adaptation award for Oedipus. The production transferred to Broadway with Lesley Manville and Mark Strong following a critically praised run at Wyndhams Theatre in 2024.

Manville also won a Drama Desk award for her role in Oedipus.

Keep reading to see the full list of winners:

2026 Drama Desk Awards Winners  

Outstanding Play

Caroline by Preston Max Allen

Cold War Choir Practice by Ro Reddick

Meet the Cartozians by Talene Monahon

Prince Faggot by Jordan Tannahill

The Balusters by David Lindsay-Abaire – WINNER

The Porch on Windy Hill by Sherry Stregack Lutken, Lisa Helmi Johanson, Morgan Morse, and David M. Lutken

Well, I’ll Let You Go by Bubba Weiler

Outstanding Musical

Beau the Musical

Mexodus

Schmigadoon! – WINNER

The Seat of Our Pants

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Outstanding Revival of a Play

Becky Shaw

Ceremonies in Dark Old Men

Death of a Salesman – WINNER

Los Soles Truncos

Titus Andronicus

You Got Older

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Amahl and the Night Visitors

Chess

Ragtime – WINNER

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The Baker’s Wife

The Rocky Horror Show

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play

Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Well, I’ll Let You Go

Noah Galvin, The Reservoir

Synnøve Karlsen, Pygmalion

John Krasinski, Angry Alan

Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman

John Lithgow, Giant – WINNER

Lesley Manville, Oedipus – WINNER

Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman

Aigner Mizzelle, The Monsters

Patrick Page, Titus Andronicus

Anika Noni Rose, The Balusters

Kara Young, Gruesome Playground Injuries

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical

Nicholas Christopher, Chess

Micaela Diamond, The Seat of Our Pants

Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show

Joshua Henry, Ragtime – WINNER

Dulé Hill, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole

Amber Iman, Goddess

Caissie Levy, Ragtime – WINNER

Brian Quijada, Mexodus

Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus

Matt Rodin, Beau the Musical

Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play

Caroline Aaron, The Reservoir

Edoardo Benzoni, Are the Bennet Girls Ok?

Maria-Christina Oliveras, The Balusters

Nathan Darrow, (un)conditional

Emily Davis, Well, I’ll Let You Go

West Duchovny, Diversion

Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw – WINNER

Linda Emond, Becky Shaw

David Greenspan, Prince Faggot

River Lipe-Smith, Caroline

Lizan Mitchell, Cold War Choir Practice

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone – WINNER

Richard Thomas, The Balusters

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical

Chris Blisset, Beau the Musical

Max Clayton, Schmigadoon!

Lilli Cooper, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Stephanie Hsu, The Rocky Horror Show

Judy Kuhn, The Baker’s Wife – WINNER

McKenzie Kurtz, Schmigadoon!

Ruthie Ann Miles, The Seat of Our Pants

Erin Morton, Heathers the Musical

Jackson Kanawha Perry, Saturday Church

Jasmine Amy Rogers, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime – WINNER

Layton Williams, Titaníque

Outstanding Solo Performance

Savon Bartley, Holes in the Shape of My Father

Jack Holden, Kenrex – WINNER

Hailey McAfee, and her Children

Natalie Palamides, Weer

Julia McDermott, Weather Girl

Josh Sharp, ta-da!

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Jesse Berger, Titus Andronicus

David Cromer, Caroline

Trip Cullman, Becky Shaw

Kenny Leon, The Balusters

Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman – WINNER

Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bijan Sheibani, The Brothers Size

Jack Serio, Well, I’ll Let You Go

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Lear deBessonet, Ragtime – WINNER

Gordon Greenberg, The Baker’s Wife

Danny Mefford, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

David Mendizábal, Mexodus

Josh Rhodes, Beau the Musical

Leigh Silverman, The Seat of Our Pants

Outstanding Choreography

Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon! – WINNER

Edgar Godineaux and Jared Grimes (tap choreography), Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole

Natalie Malotke, Jonathan Platero, and Oksana Platero, Blood/Love

Toran X. Moore, Try/Step/Trip

Omari Wiles & Arturo Lyons, CATS: The Jellicle Ball – WINNER

Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys (includes aerial choreography)

Outstanding Music

The Lazours, Night Side Songs

Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants

Ethan D. Pakchar & Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical

Michael Thurber, Goddess

Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus – WINNER

Outstanding Lyrics

Jim Barne & Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) – WINNER

Dahlak Brathwaite, Try/Step/Trip

Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants

Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical

Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus

Outstanding Book of a Musical

Dahlak Brathwaite, Try/Step/Trip

Ethan Lipton, The Seat of Our Pants

Douglas Lyons, Beau the Musical

Jesse Malin & Lauren Ludwig, Silver Manhattan

Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, Mexodus – WINNER

Outstanding Orchestrations

Bryan Carter (music supervisor and arranger), The Fear of 13

Daniel Kluger, The Seat of Our Pants

David M. Lutken, Morgan Morse, Lisa Helmi Johanson, and Sherry Stregack Lutken, The Porch on Windy Hill – WINNER

John McDaniel, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole

The Bengsons & Or Matias, My Joy is Heavy

Outstanding Music in a Play

John Patrick Elliott, Kenrex – WINNER

Donald Lawrence, Oh Happy Day!

Stan Mathabane (composer) and Munir Zakee (musician), The Brothers Size

Johnathan Moore, The Imaginary Invalid (Molière in the Park)

Ro Reddick, Cold War Choir Practice

Darron L West and Alexander Sovronsky, The Wild Duck

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play

Harry Feiner, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men

Soutra Gilmour, Waiting for Godot

Tatiana Kahvegian, Meet the Cartozians

Chloe Lamford, Death of a Salesman – WINNER

Derek McLane, The Adding Machine

Derek McLane, The Balusters

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical

Daniel Allen, Beau the Musical

dots, The Rocky Horror Show

Rachel Hauck, CATS: The Jellicle Ball

Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys – WINNER

Arnulfo Maldonado, Goddess

Jason Sherwood, The Baker’s Wife

Outstanding Costume Design of a Play

Kindall Almond, Initiative

Enver Chakartash, Meet the Cartozians

Enver Chakartash, Tartuffe (New York Theatre Workshop)

Qween Jean, Oh Happy Day!

Emilio Sosa, The Balusters

Paul Tazewell, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone – WINNER

Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical

Qween Jean, CATS: The Jellicle Ball – WINNER

Qween Jean, Saturday Church

David I. Reynoso, The Rocky Horror Show

Kaye Voyce, The Seat of Our Pants

Catherine Zuber, The Baker’s Wife

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play

Isabella Byrd, Prince Faggot

Jeff Croiter, The Adding Machine

Stacey Derosier, Well, I’ll Let You Go

Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman – WINNER

Kate McGee, without mirrors

Studio Luna (Brandon Stirling Baker), Marcel on the Train

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical

Mextly Couzin, Mexodus

Adam Honoré, Amahl and the Night Visitors

Adam Honoré & Donald Holder, Ragtime

Bradley King, The Baker’s Wife

Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys – WINNER

Japhy Weideman, Beau the Musical

Outstanding Sound Design of a Play

Angela Baughman, Initiative

Caroline Eng, The Unknown

Tom Gibbons, Oedipus – WINNER

Kieran Lucas, Weather Girl

Nevin Steinberg, Anna Christie

Giles Thomas, Kenrex

Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical

Jordana Abrenica, Beau the Musical

Jason Crystal, The Baker’s Wife

Mikhail Fiksel, Mexodus (includes looping systems architecture) – WINNER

Kai Harada, Ragtime

Alex Hawthorn & Drew Levy, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole

Outstanding Projection and Video Design

David Bengali, My Joy is Heavy

Akhila Krishnan, Kyoto

Johnny Moreno, Mexodus

Tal Yarden, Oedipus – WINNER

Outstanding Wig and Hair

Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, The Rocky Horror Show

David Brian Brown, The Lost Boys

David Brian Brown and Victoria Tinsman, Fallen Angels

Nikiya Mathis, CATS: The Jellicle Ball – WINNER

Robert Pickens, Tartuffe (New York Theatre Workshop)

Outstanding Puppetry

Axtell Expressions, Amaze – WINNER

Emily Batsford (creator) and Yuliya Tsukerman (puppet design), Cumulo

Julian Crouch, Goddess

Monkey Boys Productions, The Burning Cauldron of Fiery Fire

Outstanding Fight Choreography

Gerry Rodriguez, The Monsters – WINNER

Thomas Schall, The Balusters

Rick Sordelet, Titus Andronicus

Rick Sordelet, Ulster American

Sordelet Inc., The Lost Boys

Outstanding Adaptation

and her Children by Rosie Glen-Lambert and Hailey McAfee

Are the Bennet Girls Ok? by Emily Breeze

Oedipus by Robert Icke – WINNER

Pride & Prejudice by Abigail Pickard Price, with Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches

Room 204 by Zusammen Theatre Project (Dennis Flanagan and Anjelica Fellini)

The Imaginary Invalid (Molière in the Park) by Lucie Tiberghien

Outstanding Revue

About Time – WINNER

Baile Cangrejero

I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical

Unique Theatrical Experience

Amaze

Burnout Paradise – WINNER

Color Theories

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Rheology

Slanted Floors

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Main photo: John Lithgow in Giant at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Image: Johan Persson. Lesley Manville in Oedipus. Image: Manuel Harlan.

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