Nominations Announced For The 2026 Austin Theatre Critics Awards

The 2025–2026 Austin theatre season was bold, adventurous, thought-provoking, and funny as heck. I haven’t cried in public as much as I did this past season!

Productions took audiences on an emotional rollercoaster that jumped from sweeping musical heartbreak to painfully intimate relationship dramas, from glitter-soaked rock theatrics to family classics filled with flying nannies and yellow brick roads. Original local works brought ghosts, paranoia, absurdism, existential dread, and emotional wreckage to Austin stages, often within the same show. And somewhere in the middle of all that were horny plants, spelling bees, Shakespearean power struggles, murderous family dinners, teenage anxiety spirals, witches, and at least one séance.

Classic works returned reimagined through contemporary lenses, while new local productions proved once again that some of the most exciting theatre in Austin is still being built from the ground up by artists willing to take risks. Emerging companies joined a season that welcomed both old friends and bold new voices, creating a year of theatre that felt ambitious, eclectic, and unmistakably Austin.

Austin Theatre is thriving, and I suspect this is only the appetizer.

Here are the 2025–2026 Austin Theatre Critics Awards nominees: 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

• Diego Arroyo Aceves in Anton Chekhov Is a Tasty Snack, Penfold Theatre
• Suzanne Balling in The Game's Afoot, The Stage Austin
• Jessica Brynn Cohen in Apprehension, Holi Shamoli Productions
• Joseph Garlock in The Fire Raisers, The Hidden Room
• Gina Houston in Fat Ham, Austin Playhouse
• Amara Johnson in Witch, Hyde Park Theatre
• Pablo Muñoz-Evers in Caesar + Antony + Cleopatra, Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project
• Marc A. Pouhé in Fat Ham, Austin Playhouse
• Justin Scalise in The Fire Raisers, The Hidden Room
• Phoenix Shaw in The Wolf You Feed, The Vortex
• Gabrielle Smith in Anton Chekhov Is a Tasty Snack, Penfold Theatre
• Shelby Surdam in A Doctor's Visit, Broad Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

• Micaiah Armstrong in Little Shop of Horrors, City Theatre
• John Christopher in Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• Eugenia De La Garza in Dear Evan Hansen, Zach Theatre
• Leslie Heathcox in Grand Hotel, The Alchemy Theatre
• Leslie Hollingsworth in The Toxic Avenger, Doctuh Mistuh Productions
• Nicholas Hunter in Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• Leslie McDonel in Dear Evan Hansen, Zach Theatre
• Dominic Pecikonis in Dear Evan Hansen, Zach Theatre
• Scott Shipman in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Austin Playhouse
• TaTyana Smith in Little Shop of Horrors, City Theatre
• Sebastian Vitale in Pretty Filthy, Doctuh Mistuh Productions
• Sarah Zeringue in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Austin Playhouse

Outstanding Sound Design

• Robert S. Fisher for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Austin Playhouse
• LEVO Audio Visual for Jesus Christ Superstar, Summer Stock Austin
• Luka McConnell for Pillar of Fire, The Spark
• Joshua Millican for Waitress, Zach Theatre
• Luis & Evan Sandoval for Venus in Fur, Dirty Gold Theatre
• Rodd Simonsen for Parade, Ground Floor Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design

• Patrick Anthony for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Austin Rainbow Theatre
• Natalie George for Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• Ollie Sofield for The Fire Raisers, The Hidden Room
• Callum Thomas for Pillar of Fire, The Spark
• Donna Yancey for ’night, Mother, The Alchemy Theatre
• Marie Yokoyama for Waitress, Zach Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

• Susan Branch Towne for The Wizard of Oz, Zach Theatre
• Teresa Carson for Jesus Christ Superstar, Summer Stock Austin
• Aaron Flynn for The Wolf You Feed, The Vortex
• Kelsey Oliver for Nora, Trinity Street Players
• Glenda Wolfe for The Toxic Avenger, Doctuh Mistuh Productions
• Jana Zek for Parade, Ground Floor Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

• Cody R. Arn for Caesar + Antony + Cleopatra, Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project
• Theada Haining for Urinetown, Mary Moody Northen Theatre
• Izzy Poehlmann for Proof, Georgetown Palace
• Michael Stuart for The Game’s Afoot, The Stage Austin
• Robin Vest for Waitress, Zach Theatre
• Steve Williams for Nora, Trinity Street Players

Outstanding Ensemble

• Beehive, TexArts
• Cabaret, UT Department of Theatre & Dance
• The Fire Raisers, The Hidden Room
• I Wanna Be a F*cking Princess, Ground Floor Theatre
• Reefer Madness, ACC Drama
• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Penfold Theatre

Outstanding Original Script

• A Doctor's Visit by Annika Lekven, Broad Theatre
• Anton Chekhov Is a Tasty Snack by Jenny Connell Davis, Penfold Theatre
• Apprehension by L.B. Deyo, Holi Shamoli Productions
• Take Care of My Friend by Kathleen Fletcher, The Filigree Theatre
• The Last Séance of Harry Houdini by Cynthia Reifsteck and Trace Turner, Bottle Alley Theatre Company
• The Wolf You Feed by Darcy Parker Bruce, The Vortex

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

• Julia Bennett in Venus in Fur, Dirty Gold Theatre
• Sarah-Marie Curry in ’night, Mother, The Alchemy Theatre
• Laura D’Eramo in Caesar + Antony + Cleopatra, Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project
• Rick Felkins in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Different Stages
• Steve Guntli in Betrayal, Hyde Park Theatre
• Albert Igbinigie in Fat Ham, Austin Playhouse
• Helen merino in Macbeth, Austin Shakespeare
• Tobie Minor in The Fire Raisers, The Hidden Room
• Brennan Patrick in Betrayal, Hyde Park Theatre
• Juliet Robb in Betrayal, Hyde Park Theatre
• Brent Werzner in Apprehension, Holi Shamoli Productions
• Johanna Whitmore in ’night, Mother, The Alchemy Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical

• Joey Banks in The Toxic Avenger, Doctuh Mistuh Productions
• Coy Branscum in Jesus Christ Superstar, Summer Stock Austin
• Evah Destruction in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Austin Rainbow Theatre
• CB Feller in Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• Lucero Garcia in Zapata, Zach Theatre
• Evan Jennings in Dear Evan Hansen, Zach Theatre
• Cameron La Brie in Grand Hotel, The Alchemy Theatre
• Leslie McDonel in Waitress, Zach Theatre
• Ava Moak in Mary Poppins, Summer Stock Austin
• Moira Poh in The Wizard of Oz, Zach Theatre
• Jacob Rosenbaum in Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• Donelvan Thigpen in Jesus Christ Superstar, Summer Stock Austin

Outstanding Movement Direction

• Barrett Davis and Noah Wood for Mary Poppins, Summer Stock Austin
• Matthew Kennedy for The SpongeBob Musical, Magnolia Musical Theatre
• Rose Mitchell for Pretty Filthy, Doctuh Mistuh Productions
• Ginger Morris, Sara Burke and Noah Wood for Jesus Christ Superstar, Summer Stock Austin
• Andrew Solis for Caesar + Antony + Cleopatra, Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project
• Noah Wood for Grand Hotel, The Alchemy Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction

• Carrie Culver for Little Shop of Horrors at City Theatre
• Ellie Jarrett Shattles for Grand Hotel, The Alchemy Theatre
• Josh Kavanaugh for Much Ado About Nothing, The Baron's Men
• Adam Roberts for Jesus Christ Superstar, Summer Stock Austin
• Adam Roberts and Ellie Jarrett Shattles for Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• Allen Robertson for Dear Evan Hansen, Zach Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Play

• Adam Adolfo for Sagittarius Ponderosa, Austin Rainbow Theatre
• Stephanie Crugnola for Caesar + Antony + Cleopatra, Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project
• Jenny Larson-Quiñones for Nora, Trinity Street Players
• Roy Lazorwitz for Venus in Fur, Dirty Gold Theatre
• Ken Webster for Betrayal, Hyde Park Theatre
• Ben Wolfe for Fat Ham, Austin Playhouse

Outstanding Director of a Musical

• Cassie Abate for Waitress, Zach Theatre
• Andy Berkovsky for Little Shop of Horrors, City Theatre
• Michael Cooper for Grand Hotel, The Alchemy Theatre
• Lisa Scheps for Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• Scott Shipman for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Penfold Theatre
• Deonté Warren for Mary Poppins, Summer Stock Austin

Outstanding Visiting Tour

• As You Like It, Actors from the London Stage
• Kimberley Akimbo, Broadway in Austin (Texas Performing Arts)
• Mamma Mia, Broadway in Austin (Texas Performing Arts)
• Moulin Rouge! Broadway in Austin (Texas Performing Arts)
• The Great Gatsby, Broadway in Austin (Texas Performing Arts)
• The Outsiders, Broadway in Austin (Texas Performing Arts)

Outstanding Production of a Play

• Apprehension, Holi Shamoli Productions
• Betrayal, Hyde Park Theatre
• Fat Ham, Austin Playhouse
• The Fire Raisers, The Hidden Room
• ’night, Mother, The Alchemy Theatre
• Venus in Fur, Dirty Gold Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Musical

• Grand Hotel, The Alchemy Theatre
• Jesus Christ Superstar, Summer Stock Austin
• Parade, Ground Floor Theatre
• The Fantasticks, Entre'Acte
• The SpongeBob Musical, Magnolia Musical Theatre
• Waitress, Zach Theatre

This year, the Austin Theatre Critics Awards ceremony will be held at the historic State Theatre at 7 p.m. on June 8, 2026.  The event is open to all and welcomes theatre fans and creatives alike to join in the celebration!

The Austin Theatre Critics Awards were revamped last season with the support of ATX Theatre, a nonprofit organization that links together the Austin area’s theatrical producers, artists, and audiences.

Join all your favorite theatre makers and critics at the State Theatre on June 8th!

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Off-Broadway Play - Top 3

1. A Christmas Carol (Thorne Adaptation) - PAC NYC

6.9% of votes

2. Prince F****t - Playwrights Horizons

6.3% of votes

3. Kenrex - Lucille Lortel Theatre

5% of votes

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