Ayo Edebiri News

The  80th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony will be held today, June 2, 2026 at 2pm at The Longacre Theatre. Watch highlights from the red carpet in this video.

This is the final chance to vote for the 2026 Theater 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.

Black Women on Broadway (BWOB) recently held its fifth annual awards celebration, honoring Debra Martin Chase, Whitney White, Alana Raquel Bowers, and Destiny Lilly for their contributions to the theater industry. The event was hosted by BWOB co-founders Danielle Brooks, Amber Iman, and Jocelyn Bioh.

On the legal and legislative front, a federal judge ordered the removal of President Trump's name from the Kennedy Center and temporarily blocked its planned closure, while New York State added $150 million to its theatrical production tax credit program. Broadway closed out its 2025–2026 season with a new all-time box office record of $1.91 billion, and the Broadway League and Actors' Equity announced a new audition initiative called LEAP.

There's just four days left to vote for the 2026 Theater 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.

On the business side, ATG Entertainment is reportedly being prepared for a possible sale by its private equity owner, while Pittsburgh Public Theater terminated its staff ahead of its merger with Pittsburgh CLO — two stories that speak to the consolidation and financial pressures reshaping the industry. Against that backdrop, Milwaukee Repertory Theater stands out as a striking counterexample: the company has nearly doubled its operating budget since 2020, opened a landmark $80 million theater complex, and is expanding its season to 13 productions, fueled by a philosophy of investing in artists and audiences rather than contracting.

During a recent episode of Michelle Obama's podcast, IMO, she welcomed Proof stars Don Cheadle and Ayo Edebiri to discuss the production and her own involvement as a producer. Check it out now.

The first standings have been revealed for the 2026 Theater 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.

In New York, awards season rolls on: Schmigadoon! and Ragtime led the 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards, Dorian Award nominations have been announced, and John Lithgow is slated for a lifetime achievement honor. Chicago’s Jeff Awards have halted non-Equity adjudication to overhaul policies following community backlash, while the UK’s National Theatre is launching a 12-venue partnership to rescue a collapsing regional touring network. We round out the news with a wave of key executive appointments in Massachusetts, Dallas, and London, a breakdown of Australia’s complex new $1.1 billion arts budget, and the return of BroadwayWorld's My Show’s Curtain Call for the 2025-2026 season.

The best of Broadway and off-Broadway were on hand at the Ziegfeld Ballroom to celebrate 92nd Annual Drama League Awards, hosted by Emmy Award winner Frank DiLella. Check out a full list of winners here.

This week's theater news spans awards season milestones, legal disputes, labor tensions, and the business challenges facing the art form on both sides of the Atlantic. The 2026 Tony nominations are in — with Schmigadoon! and The Lost Boys leading the pack. Voting is also now open for BroadwayWorld's own Theater Fans' Choice Awards. On a more turbulent note, a fire at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre has shuttered The Book of Mormon through at least May 17, a second lawsuit has been filed against the producers of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, and IATSE is accusing the Kennedy Center of using its upcoming temporary closure as cover to permanently eliminate union jobs. Regionally, The Naples Players have secured a multi-year grant to expand paid apprenticeships for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And internationally, The Stage examines whether the UK touring sector — where the number of touring plays has fallen 64% since 2019 — can find a path forward through its mounting financial and structural pressures.

Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren will join the cast of the first ever Broadway revival of David Auburn’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Proof in June.

The 2026 Honorees for the Theatre World Award for an Outstanding Debut Performance in a Broadway or Off-Broadway Production have been revealed. Honorees include Luke Evans, Ayo Edebiri and more.

Nominations for the 2026 Tony Awards were announced this morning, and while a select, talented few will spend the day celebrating their achievements, there are many who (while still great!), didn't get a nomination this year. Check out who else was eligible below and here's to their great work this theatre season!

The 79th Annual Tony Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, May 5, by Uzo Aduba and Darren Criss. The announcement can be viewed LIVE (9am ET) in their entirety here on BroadwayWorld. Catch up on everything you need to know before the announcement!

Proof, in partnership with New York City’s Department of Education, will welcome over 500 New York City public school students and educators to attend the new production at Broadway’s Booth Theatre.

During a visit to Late Night with Seth Meyers, Ayo Edebiri talked about her matching tattoo, a line spoken by her Proof co-star Don Cheadle in Ocean's Eleven. Watch the interview now.

Acclaimed actor Don Cheadle is making his Broadway debut in Proof, the new revival of David Auburn's play. Watch the actor discuss the play on The Late Show, where he also looked back on his first stage role as Templeton the Rat in a production of Charlotte's Web.

The Drama League has announced the 2026 Drama League Awards Nominees, which include Chess, Heathers, Ragtime, The Rocky Horror Show, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Titanique, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), and more. Check out the full list here!

Celebrated actors Don Cheadle and Ayo Edebiri are both making their Broadway debuts in Proof, which opened last week at the Booth Theatre. Watch them speak about the projects during a segment on CBS Sunday Morning.