William Finn News

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!

In this edition of Words From The Wings, we catch up with Matt Manuel, who plays Mitch Mahoney in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee off-Broadway, to share some of his favorite backstage moments, must-haves, and more!

The 2026 theatre awards season is here and keeping track of all of the important dates for the many ceremonies and their corresponding nomination announcements is no easy feat. Stay up to date on all the need-to-know facts with BroadwayWorld's full Awards Season Calendar below!

Madison College Performing Arts will present THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE April 17–19 at the Mitby Theater in Madison, Wis., closing its 2025–26 season with the Tony Award-winning musical comedy featuring audience participation.

Ithaca College will award an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.) degree to visionary theatrical producer/director/educator Robert Moss. He will be recognized at Ithaca College's 131st Commencement ceremony.

Nominations for the 41st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards – the  only New York theatre award to exclusively honor Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway – were  announced by Amber Gray and Harvey Guillén. Check out the full list of nominees here!

BroadwayWorld is excited to announce that Amber Gray and Harvey Guillén, currently starring on Broadway in The Rocky Horror Show, will announce the nominees for the 41st Annual Lucille Lortel Awards. Tune in right here at BroadwayWorld tomorrow, April 1 (2pm ET) to watch the announcement live. 

In his new book Making RENT, Tim Weil takes readers behind the scenes of one of the most groundbreaking musicals of the 20th century. In a recent interview with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge, Weil opened up about his first impressions of Jonathan Larson, the emotional weight of the show’s earliest days, and the creative process that shaped its now-iconic score.

The Green Room 42 will present HEART AND MUSIC: HONORING THE WORKS OF WILLIAM FINN in New York City. The one-night concert features songs from FALSETTOS, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, and more.

The word is “special.” While several adjectives come to mind, the one that does the most justice when describing The Players’ cheerful, heartfelt production of ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’—as well as each of the actors in the cast, and the musical itself—is indisputably “special.”

Lillias White is storming the castle at The Laurie Beechman, and audiences are all white flags as they surrender, happily and heartily.

Whitney Leavitt made a special appearance at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee this week. Watch a video of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and Dancing With the Stars alum as a 'guest speller' on her night off from Chicago.

There was a special Glee reunion at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Amber Riley, who played Mercedes Jones in the hit musical series, joined co-star Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams, as a guest speller. Watch the video!

COMEDIANS EARNESTLY SINGING MUSICAL THEATRE celebrated its fifth anniversary with a Friday February 27, 2026 show at Joe’s Pub. Zach Schiffman and Reid Pope give former theater kids turned comedians the chance to return to the stage.

Emmy Award-winning actor Nick Offerman will return to his hometown this summer to join his wife, Emmy Award winner Megan Mullally, for Iceboy! Or The Completely Untrue Story of How Eugene O’Neill Came to Write The Iceman Cometh.

The MAC Players at the Middletown Arts Center will present THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE from February 27 through March 8, 2026. Check out photos of the production.

Houston Broadway Theatre will present two productions for 2026 with Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Wortham Center, and Falsettos, playing this spring.

Derby Dinner Playhouse will present the Broadway musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Winner of the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was written by Rachel Sheinkin.

From Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS distributing $3.2 million to food programs nationwide to financial updates and future plans at 54 Below, the theater community continues to navigate challenges while supporting artists and audiences alike. We also look ahead to key dates for the Lucille Lortel Awards, explore a Stage Mag spotlight on THE SOUND INSIDE at Capital Stage, and share a moving PBS feature on Ukrainian theater uplifting children during wartime.

What did our critic think of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at Theatre South?