2026 Lucille Lortel Award nominations announced

The annual awards celebrate the best of Off-Broadway theatre, and the currently running musical Mexodus leads with nine nominations this year.

Summary

• The Lucille Lortel Awards celebrate the best of Off-Broadway theatre each year
• Currently running shows that are nominated include the musicals Mexodus; Bigfoot!; and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and the plays Cold War Choir Practice; The Unknown; and Titus Andronicus

Nominees have been announced for the 2026 Lucille Lortel Awards, which honor the best of Off-Broadway theatre each year.

The currently running musical Mexodus, created and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson at the Daryl Roth Theatre through June 14, leads the pack with nine nominations each, including Outstanding Musical. Jordan Tannahill's play Prince Faggot, which ran at Playwrights Horizons and then at Studio Seaview in 2025, followed with six nods.

Other currently running shows nominated for Lortels include Cold War Choir Practice, The Unknown, Bigfoot!, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Titus Andronicus, Antigone (This Play I Read In High School), About Time, Heathers, and My Joy Is Heavy.

Additionally, the Lortels named recipients of two honorary prizes: the Lifetime Achievement Award for actor Mia Katigbak and a Playwrights’ Sidewalk induction for the late composer/lyricist William Finn.

Discover the full list of nominees below.

Outstanding Play

• Cold War Choir Practice
• Kyoto
• The Monsters
• Mother Russia
• Prince Faggot

Outstanding Musical

• Bigfoot!
• Mexodus
• My Joy Is Heavy
• Night Side Songs
• Saturday Church

Outstanding Revival

• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
• Bus Stop
• Gruesome Playground Injuries
• Titus Andronicus
• The Weir

Outstanding Solo Show

• Hold Me in the Water
• I'm Assuming You Know David Greenspan
• Nothing Can Take You From The Hand Of God
• Other
• The Unknown

Outstanding Director

• Knud Adams: Cold War Choir Practice
• Shayok Misha Chowdhury: Prince Faggot
• Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin: Kyoto
• David Mendizábal: Mexodus
• Keenan Tyler Oliphant: Practice

Outstanding Choreographer

• Edgar Godineaux and Jared Grimes: Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole
• Darrell Grand Moultrie: Goddess
• Darrell Grand Moultrie: Saturday Church
• Tony Thomas: Mexodus
• Rickey Tripp: The Monsters

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play

• Noah Galvin: The Reservoir
• Marin Ireland: Queens
• John Krasinski: Angry Alan
• Aigner Mizzelle: The Monsters
• Okieriete Onaodowan: The Monsters
• Susannah Perkins: Antigone (This Play I Read In High School)
• Kara Young: Gruesome Playground Injuries

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play

• Jorge Bosch: Kyoto
• Felicia Curry: Bowl EP
• Crystal Finn: Cold War Choir Practice
• David Greenspan: Prince Faggot
• Lizan Mitchell: Cold War Choir Practice
• Deirdre O'Connell: Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.
• David Turner: Mother Russia

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical

• Abigail Bengson: My Joy Is Heavy
• J. Harrison Ghee: Saturday Church
• Dulé Hill: Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole
• Ruthie Ann Miles: The Seat of Our Pants
• Brian Quijada: Mexodus
• Nygel D. Robinson: Mexodus
• Daniel J. Watts: Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical

• Nick Rashad Burroughs: Goddess
• Judy Kuhn: The Baker's Wife
• Erin Morton: Heathers The Musical
• Stephanie Jae Park: Monte Cristo
• Caleb Quezon: Saturday Church
• Natalie Walker: The Last Bimbo of the Apocalypse
• Lynne Wintersteller: About Time

Outstanding Ensemble

• Initiative: Olivia Rose Barresi, Brandon Burk, Greg Cuellar, Harrison Densmore, Carson Higgins, Andrea Lopez Alvarez, Jamie Sanders, Christopher Dylan White
• Night Side Songs: Robin de Jesús, Brooke Ishibashi, Jonathan Raviv, Kris Saint-Louis, Mary Testa
• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: Philippe Arroyo, Autumn Best, Leana Rae Concepcion, Justin Cooley, Lilli Cooper, Jason Kravits, Matt Manuel, Kevin McHale, Jasmine Amy Rogers

Outstanding Scenic Design

• Miriam Buether: Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.
• Afsoon Pajoufar: Cold War Choir Practice
• Riw Rakkulchon: Mexodus
• Adam Rigg and Anton Volovsek: Bowl EP
• David Zinn: Prince Faggot

Outstanding Costume Design

• Montana Levi Blanco: Prince Faggot
• Enver Chakartash: Tartuffe
• Qween Jean: Saturday Church
• Celeste Jennings: minor.ity
• Kaye Voyce: The Seat of Our Pants

Outstanding Lighting Design

• Isabella Byrd: Glass. Kill. What If If Only. Imp.
• Isabella Byrd: Prince Faggot
• Mextly Couzin: Mexodus
• Cha See: The Unknown
• Studio Luna: Marcel on the Train

Outstanding Sound Design

• Caroline Eng: The Unknown
• Mikhail Fiksel: Mexodus
• Ryan Gamblin: Bowl EP
• Drew Levy: The Weir
• Bray Poor: Eurydice

Outstanding Projection Design

• David Bengali: My Joy Is Heavy
• Stefania Bulbarella: Nothing Can Take You From The Hand Of God
• Akhila Krishnan: Kyoto
• Johnny Moreno: Mexodus
• John Narun: Bughouse

Photo credit: Mexodus off Broadway. (Photo by Thomas Mundell)