Complete Guide to the 2026 Broadway Awards Season

79TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS

Named for Antoinette Perry, The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards originated in 1947 when the Wing established an awards program to celebrate excellence in the theatre.

Nominations: Tuesday, May 5 

Ceremony: Sunday, June 7 (8-11pm ET/5–8pm PT), host TBA. The broadcast will air on CBS and streaming on Paramount+

Special Awards: TBA

70TH ANNUAL DRAMA DESK AWARDS

The Drama Desk Awards honor outstanding achievement by professional theater artists on Broadway, Off Broadway, and Off Off Broadway. What sets the Drama Desk Awards apart is that they are voted on and bestowed by theater critics, journalists, editors, and publishers covering theater.

Nominations: Wednesday, April 29

Ceremony: Sunday, May 17 at the Town Hall, host TBA

Special Awards: TBA

92ND ANNUAL DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS

First awarded in 1922 and formalized in 1935, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America. They are the only major theater awards chosen by a cross-section of the theater community - the industry professionals, producers, artists, audiences, and critics who are Drama League members nationwide.

Nominations: Monday, April 20 (11am) at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Ceremony: Friday, May 15 (11am) at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, hosted by Frank DiLella

Special Awards: Caissie Levy (Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater), David Cromer (Founders Award for Excellence in Directing), Kamilah Forbes (Contribution to the Theater Award), Scott Ellis (Gratitude Award).

76TH ANNUAL OUTER CRITICS
CIRCLE AWARDS

The Outer Critics Circle (OCC) is the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications.

Nominations: Tuesday, April 21 

Winners Announced: Monday, May 11

Ceremony: Thursday, May 21

41ST ANNUAL LORTEL AWARDS

The Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were created in 1985 by the Off-Broadway League. The Lortel Awards recognize excellence in Off-Broadway by honoring the invaluable contribution of artists to the theatre community.

Nominations: Wednesday, April 1

Ceremony: Sunday, May 3

Special Awards: Mia Katigbak (Lifetime Achievement), William Finn (Playwrights’ Sidewalk)

69TH ANNUAL OBIE AWARDS

The Obie Awards recognize the outstanding contributions made throughout the 2024-2025 Off- and Off-Off-Broadway theatre season in New York City. The Village Voice created The Obie Awards, at the suggestion of then editor Jerry Tallmer, soon after the publication's own inception in 1955, to encourage the newly burgeoning Off-Broadway theater movement and to acknowledge its achievements. 

Winners Announced: January, 31, hosted by Michael Urie
FULL LIST OF WINNERS

80TH ANNUAL THEATRE WORLD AWARDS

The Theatre World Award remains the oldest award given to six actresses and six actors in recognition of their debut performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway production.

Winners Announced: TBA

Ceremony: TBA

8TH ANNUAL Chita Rivera AWARDS

Carrying the namesake of one of the great dance icons of the American musical theater, the mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence - past, present and future.

Nominations: TBA

Ceremony: Monday, May 18 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

Special Awards: TBA

PULITZER PRIZE FOR DRAMA

The Pulitzer Prizes were established by Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian-American journalist and newspaper publisher, who left money to Columbia University upon his death in 1911.

Winner/Finalists Announced: Monday, May 4 (3pm ET)

15TH ANNUAL OFF BROADWAY
ALLIANCE AWARDS

Since 2011, the Off Broadway Alliance Awards have honored the best commercial and not-for-profit Off Broadway shows that have opened in the past season.

Nominations: TBA

Winners Announced: TBA

90TH ANNUAL NEW YORK DRAMA
CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS

The New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, which has been awarded every year since 1936 to the best new play of the season (with optional awards for foreign or American plays, musicals and special achievements), is the nation's second-oldest playwriting award, after the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Winners Announced:  TBA

Ceremony: TBA

BROADWAYWORLD'S THEATRE
FANS' CHOICE AWARDS

The Theater Fans' Choice Awards honor and celebrate the best of New York Theater - as decided by the most important critics, the audience at large - allowing YOU to have your say during the most exciting time of the year for the theater community.

Voting Opens: May 13

2026 BROADWAY AWARDS CALENDAR
AT A GLANCE: