2026 Tony Awards- The Nominees React
Leading the pack with 12 nominations is Schmigadoon! and The Lost Boys.
Tonys time is here at last! The nominations for the 79th Annual Tony Awards were announced this morning by Uzo Aduba and darren Criss. Follow us throughout the day, as we'll bring you Tony nominee reactions, exclusive reports, surprises, behind the scenes coverage and oh, so much more!
View a complete list of nominees!
This year's nominees are checking in with BroadwayWorld to tell us all about how they got the news. Check back for live updates.
Shoshana Bean, The Lost Boys
Actress (Featured Role - Musical)
I woke up crying, so I guess you're getting the relaxed backside of that. I was in bed. I'm always in bed - every single time I just want to sleep through it, and weirdly my body wakes me up almost exactly as my phone starts blowing up every year. It's bizarre. I'm just very, very excited for our show and all of the people who've been acknowledged. We've been working so hard. [On how she'll celebrate:] I just can't wait to get to the theater and get my hands on the cast and the creatives and just celebrate together. That's my big plan - to go do a great show tonight.
I don't know if I can quantify it in terms of order, but this one feels maybe the sweetest, again, because of how deeply in love I am with this cast and with how special this process has been. The care and the work that's gone into every detail - it feels so nice to have that acknowledged by our community and our peers, in obviously the highest way. It's definitely very, very special.
Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!
Actress (Leading Role - Musical)
I think I’m still a little in shock, and I’m also super sleep-deprived because I hate the last 18 hours—I have not been able to sleep or concentrate.And I’m gonna celebrate by getting my roots done later, so that’s thrilling as well. I think it’s just starting to sink in, and I think once it does, if I start crying, I won’t stop until next week because this is… I just can’t even start to process this. This is crazy. You know, awards are weird. I would have loved to have seen some of my fellow actors also nominated, and everybody has different feelings about things, but as a whole, yes—I think we are all very proud of the production that we put up, and we are just going to go hard and campaign and root for it and hope people come see it.”
Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Direction - Musical
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this honor. To be working in the theatre, let alone on Broadway, has been my dream since I transformed my grandparents' garage into a stage as a kid. More important than the personal honor is the deep sense of pride I have for my fellow collaborators who poured their souls into the monumental undertaking that is The Lost Boys. They are all my heroes and I am so grateful for the selflessness, rigor, and passion they brought to work every day. Congrats to all the nominees and all the countless artists and technicians who make every show possible and who continue to delight and inspire audiences 8 times a week on Broadway." - Michael Arden, nominated for Best Direction of a Musical and Best Scenic Design of a Musical.
David Lindsay-Abaire, The Balusters
Author (Play)
I’m beyond honored to have The Balusters included among this year’s Tony nominees—especially in a season with so many bold, beautiful new plays. The nomination is really a testament to the remarkable artists who brought the play to life—our astonishing director, Kenny Leon, our extraordinary ensemble of actors, our brilliant designers, and the tireless crew, along with everyone at MTC. I’m so grateful to get to make theater and be part of a community that continues to sustain and inspire me in so many ways.
Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon!
Score, Book
My wife and I were watching the announcements. We were very excited. I feel amazing. I'm so happy for our show and everybody who got nominated - anyone involved in the show shares in this. This is actually my birthday. This is the best birthday present ever. We're going out to dinner and then we're going to see a Broadway show called Schmigadoon. It's got a lot of nominations, so I hear it's pretty good. I'm so happy for Sarah [Chase]. She is so fantastic in this show. So funny. She sings her face off. I'm just so thrilled for her. [On the possibility of seeing the unproduced third season of the Apple TV+ series staged in some form:] I am always hopeful. I never give up on anything, so I'm hoping, with all the fans, that somehow at some point we get that out there, get it to out there. So we'll see.
Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys
Scenic Design - Musical
The Lost Boys was as much of a thrill ride to make as it is onstage. I am incredibly honored to be nominated amongst the best designers working on Broadway and as part of a creative team that was recognized across the board for this biggest of swings.
Bill Rauch, CATS: The Jellicle Ball
Direction - Musical, Musical Revival
For Best Revival of a Musical: I am humbled to be part of a show that centers the Ballroom community. I am eternally grateful to Andrew Lloyd Webber and his team for entrusting us with this revival and to PAC NYC for launching it. The Jellicle Ball is the culmination of five years of work from so many brilliant artists and theater makers, all of us sharing a determination to bring its radically queer joy to Broadway audiences.
For Best Direction of a Musical: Directing is always an act of radical collaboration, but crafting the joy-bomb of The Jellicle Ball has the fingerprints of literally hundreds of caring artists, artisans, and producers. It’s been a special privilege to co-create with Zhailon Levingston and our associate directors Cooper Howell and N’yomi Stewart.
Lamar Richardson, Ragtime
Revival - Musical
I am deeply grateful and sincerely humbled this morning to see our production of Ragtime recognized and celebrated in such a beautiful manner by the Broadway community. This is my first season as a Lead Producer, and I could not be more proud to be partnered alongside Tom Kirdahy, Kevin Ryan, Bob Greenblatt, and Lincoln Center Theater as we amplify this timely revival of a beloved American classic. The story of Ragtime resonates now more than ever, and we are all blessed to be involved with reviving this prescient, sweeping, deeply human story.
To see our glorious company be recognized in such a magnanimous way this morning across the board truly means the world, and there are not enough words to express just how much this moment means to me. As the son of Caribbean immigrants who came to this country in search of a better life for their children, I honor them this morning and thank them for their sacrifice on my behalf. This is honestly a core memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Huge congratulations to our entire Ragtime family on all of this morning’s nominations across categories and also to all of my friends and colleagues on other productions. Cheers to another wonderful season!
Marla Mindelle, Titanique
Actress (Leading Role - Musical), Book
I’m feeling kooky, crazy, girlfriend—but not spooky scary, which is good. I found out In the craziest way possible. We were performing on the Today Show, and everyone from the PR team started screaming while we were with Al Roker. I couldn’t react—I wanted to burst into tears, but I had to sing, and that’s a singer’s no-no. Oh my God, I feel so proud. I truly never thought we’d get here—or if we did, I’d be too old to play the part. I thought maybe they’d revive it in 20 years. It’s been such a labor of love, a 10-year journey. To finally reach this point and be recognized in any way—it’s this little show that could, this bargain-hunting, basement-born show, now on the biggest stage getting the biggest accolades. I just feel so proud. The theatre is going to be wild tonight. Oh my God, people already act like they’re on something when they come to see the show—I can only imagine what tonight will be like.
Richard Thomas, The Balusters
Actor (Featured Role - Play)
I'm having a happy morning. My agent Jerry Gersh called me. I heard the phone ring and I saw his name on the phone and I thought, 'Oh, that might be good news.'
[On how he'll celebrate:] I'm gonna do the show tonight. That's the best way to celebrate, is to play that part.
I love the role. First of all, it's just such a wonderful play, and the production, the actors, the cast — it's one of those home runs where you have a fantastic play, beautifully directed, and a wonderful company. It's just a pleasure every night to be out there, and also making people laugh. It's so lovely these days to be making people laugh.
I have such a fondness, such an affection for the role, even though he's clearly the antagonist in the play. David wrote such a beautiful part - they're all great parts, every one of them. Every part in the show is really wonderful. He wrote this beautiful part, and I just love him, so I'm so excited to get to do it.
I'm also really happy to be in this company of guys in my category - they are all wonderful. Brandon, I've worked with him, and Danny's just fabulous. It's a great bunch of guys to be with, so I'm very excited about that.
Ellenore Scott, Ragtime
Choreography
I am feeling very overwhelmed very grateful and honestly I'm beaming right now. Very interesting morning, I was at The Today Show this morning. Titanique was performing to kick off Broadway week, and so I've been there since 5 AM this morning, and we all knew that the nominations were coming out. So we all stayed after we did our live performance to listen, and watch, and celebrate each other. They were all super supportive and burst out into screaming and crying when they announced that I was nominated for Ragtime. It just felt so nice so like be with my Titanique family, and also celebrate their wins as well as my first nomination.
Walter Trarback, Schmigadoon!
Sound Design - Musical
I'm delighted and honored to represent Schmigadoon with this nomination. It is a true pleasure to work on a musical which brings so much laughter and joy into the world, and I'm proud to play a small part in sharing that joy with audiences eight times a week.
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Actor (Leading Role - Musical)
Oh man, right now I’m feeling a little lightheaded. We just finished about three different dance parties with my two little girls and my wife—just jumping around. So I’m a little sweaty, a little out of breath, and my voice is a little shredded from screaming. But other than that, we’re good.
[On his fellow Chess nominees]: We all share the same floor—our dressing rooms are all together—so the party’s definitely on tonight. Me, Hannah, and Bryce have rooms right next to each other. Honestly, we credit a lot of this to Celsius and good senses of humor. But really, with the community we’ve built at the theater, a win for one of us is a win for all of us. My Anatoly wouldn’t be what it is without Lee and Michele’s Florence or Aaron’s Freddie—or Bradley Dean or Sean Allan Krill. It truly was a group effort, and I’m just so happy for all of us.
To celebrate we’re going to keep it simple—we’re heading to the park for a picnic. We kept my older daughter home from school today just in case—whether Daddy was laughing or crying. Turns out it’s both. So yeah, we’re going to enjoy some time together outside.
Lesley Manville, Oedipus
Actress (Leading Role - Play)
I’m, not surprisingly, very happy at the moment. I’m currently working at the National Theatre—I’m in the middle of a play—so I’ll have to head in shortly. But it’s all good. I’m extremely happy that Oedipus has been so well recognized at the Tonys. Seven nominations is extraordinary! I’m very happy for all of us because it was a very special, difficult, and complex production to put on. I think we did it justice, and it was such a gift to bring it to Broadway. The real bonus is that Broadway embraced it just as London did—and this is the icing on an already gorgeous cake, to have it recognized by the Tonys. I couldn’t be happier. It’s wonderful news all around. Our design team was recognized as well—lighting, set design—and of course Rob for directing and the revival. It’s just so good. You know, I’ve done a lot of plays, but every now and again, one comes along that really shakes you—and Oedipus certainly did that for me. I knew from the beginning that it was going to be a powerful piece of theatre, and I think it truly was. I’m very touched that Broadway responded so warmly to my work and saw fit to nominate me. It’s a real privilege.
Joshua Henry, Ragtime
Actor (Leading Role - Musical)
Woke up from a dream night performing at the Met Gala to a Tony Award nomination for Ragtime on Broadway. Congrats to all my castmates, crew, and every at Licoln Center Theatre. Dedicating this Tony Award nomination to every artist who refuses to stop dreaming and growing, as well as those angels that walk alongside them.
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